Luckily for every PlayStation loyalist, hundreds and thousands of games grace the Sony platform. From PlayStation 1 to the most recent 5, the console has always had its stans and its critics. However, the console has also shown some true masterpieces throughout the years.
With players always eager to grab the next best game off the shelves (or download with trigger-happy gaming thumbs), let's look at the top 15 games in all of PlayStation history that everyone couldn't wait to buy.
Updated April 5, 2022, by Christopher Sanfilippo: In only a year, a lot has changed in the current gaming market. Since this article's last update, Rockstar Studios has outsold itself, holding three of the top five spots on this list. Meanwhile, titles like God of War (2018) continue to sell with the launch of additional ports. Finally, new titles, such as FromSoftware's Elden Ring, are already making incredible sales from launch.
16 Gran Turismo 5 - 11.94M
Racing games hearken back to simpler times when people probably scrounged for quarters to play arcade games. They also let people live out their street racing or Formula 1 dreams. Gran Turismo 5 from the PS3 is arguably one of the best racing games on PlayStation. It sold itself as "The Real Driving Simulator," and the sales numbers back that up.
There have not been many words about how new racing games might take advantage of the PS5's controller updates. But fans can expect more Gran Turismo entries to provide exceptional cool-car-go-fast dopamine hits in the future.
15 Elden Ring - 12M
Much anticipation precluded Elden Ring's launch. After all, the title won Most Anticipated Game back-to-back at The Game Awards (2020 and 2021, respectively). These high expectations make sense considering the acclaimed triple-A studio, FromSoftware, collaborated with renowned fantasy writer George R. R. Martin to make it.
Upon launch, the game surpassed expectations, becoming a critical and commercial success. In its first three weeks, the game sold 12 million copies. Furthermore, it had the third-largest debut on Twitch, surpassed only by Lost Ark and Cyberpunk 2077.
14 Marvel's Spider-Man - 13.2M
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Swinging into the list is Marvel's Spider-Man, exclusive to the PS4. And really, is anyone surprised? After all, who doesn't want to play as their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man with his plucky wit and strangely relatable social awkwardness? Compared to the PS2 Spider-Man game, that only sold 2.1 million copies, this updated take sold 13.2 million units.
This new title showcases perfected web-slinging, Spider-Man costumes with customizable gadgets, battles, and side quests that drive the adrenaline. What's more: the Miles Morales game is a bonus and a fantastic game by itself.
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12 Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec - 14.89M
Gran Turismo again reaches the finish line, managing another top spot with its third installment. This earlier entry sold more than the Gran Turismo 5 mentioned earlier on the list. This game sent every car fan into a frenzy in 2001 and was labeled the second-highest rated driving simulator ever.
As per the franchise's "real driving simulator" slogan, this game gives players the adrenaline from high-speed races and more. They also needed to complete side missions to get driving licenses.
11 Uncharted 4: A Thief's End - 16M
Nathan Drake's story has been a long-time in the making. This final game in the series served as a fantastic send-off for the well-beloved character. Amassing around 16 million copies sold feels more like an accomplishment for this series than a standalone game.
That the 16 million people that purchased Uncharted 4 did so in a collective effort to join Nathan Drake in what is potentially his final action-packed adventure since it seems someone else could be carrying the Uncharted torch.
10 Last Of Us: 19M
Naughty Dog gets that apocalypse stories are never actually about the apocalypse. Instead, the core of The Last of Us comes from experiencing the growing relationship between Ellie and Joel first-hand. During their trek, the two develop a familial bond to survive against zombie clickers and the true baddie, other humans. That bond is a comforting blanket amid the chaos and deteriorating world.
With 7 million copies sold on its first launch on the PS3, the ever-growing love for Ellie and Joel carried over to the PS4 port, which sold another 11.78 million copies.
9 God Of War (2018) - 19.5M +
Considering that God of War: Ascension (the last installment before this PS4 exclusive) only sold 360,000 copies, SIE Santa Monica Studio seemed to do everything right as they won over new and old players with the rebooted God Of War (2018). As of 2021, the reboot sold 19.5 million copies. And with the recently launched PC port, these numbers are expected to grow!
This Norse version of God of War takes video games to a new level. It has grown with more depth in the characters and a vast world, evolving from the fun and ruthless hack-and-slash game to one that wrangles the heartstrings.
8 Horizon Zero Dawn - 20M
This surprise smash from Guerrilla Games continues to wow fans with incredible graphics and stories. First released as a PS4 exclusive in 2017, PC gamers got their hands on it in August 2020. The game exploded in popularity with a subsequent DLC and a full-on sequel.
Horizon Zero Dawn incorporates everything from stealth to animal tracking to puzzle-solving and combat. The unique combination of primitive technology with robot monsters left fans wanting more and more details about the game world's history and Aloy's place in it.
7 FIFA 18 - 26.4M+
One might think that the most recent FIFA launch would be the best-selling one. However, FIFA 18 holds that football/soccer series title, with more than 24.6 million units sold. This title put famed player Cristiano Ronaldo at the forefront and included more of the story-based mode from FIFA 17.
The game won numerous awards, including Sports Game of the Year, Best Sports Game, and more, across various entities. The game's only significant issue was microtransactions and some pay-to-win controversies.
6 Call Of Duty: Black Ops 3 - 26.72M
The Call of Duty series is probably the most notable first-person shooter in gaming history. That isn't to say that it is the best, but it has sold more than 250 million copies throughout its entire run since 2003. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 was the first developed with Sony.
While the game sold just 1.95 million copies on the PS3, it sold 15.09 million copies on the PS4. The game takes a futuristic approach and emphasizes a 4-player co-op experience. This incentivized sales since more players also meant more copies sold. It's no wonder this game sold 26.72 million copies across all the platforms.
5 GTA: San Andreas - 27.5M
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is the top best-selling PS2 game ever. It sold 17.3 million copies with the PS2 and 27.5 million copies across all platforms. This game is revolutionary as Rockstar Games' lab rat for realism in video games.
GTA 4 came out fairly soon after this game's release, so they share some similar (at the time) experimental approaches to world-building. From NPCs reacting to CJ's tattoosand clothes to managing his diet and exercise for his physical attributes, this game defines "too real."
4 Red Dead Redemption 2: 43M
Red Dead Redemption 2 practically reserved a place on this list when it launched. Although the game sold 13.94 million PlayStation copies and 43 million copies across all platforms, Red Dead 2 sold 17 million copies in the first two weeks of launch. That earned it the largest opening of not just video game history but entertainment history.
This Western game was worth the hype, too, as it garnered critical acclaim for its story, characters, open world, graphics, level of detail, and music. The memes help ease the pain of loss for fans of the game. But new players should beware; spoilers are everywhere.
3 PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds - 70M
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, better known as PUBG, may not be as popular as it once was. But the number of 70 million unit sales across all platforms beg to differ. As for its popularity on PS4, 7.6 million copies might not convey the whole picture. Data shows that that is merely the number of current players as calculated in October 2020.
More hardcore than a competitor like Fortnite, PUBG offers a fun way to mess around with friends while still challenging one's reflexes and shooting abilities. Despite being a wunderkind on the battle royale scene, the game started as a mod of Day Z, which was a mod for ARMA 2. Oh, game development!
2 Grand Theft Auto 5 - 160M
Following Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas's footsteps, Grand Theft Auto 5 gets the crown as the best-selling game in all PlayStation history. GTA 5 seamlessly blends RPG and shooter elements and makes itself a safe space for the devils on everyone's shoulders.
Selling 39.71 million copies on PlayStation alone (20.32 million copies on PS3 and 19.39 copies on PS4), it sold around 160 million copies across all platforms. Rockstar Games perfected their formula from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as they managed to secure three spots on this list.
1 Minecraft - 238M
That's right — Minecraft is the best-selling PS4 game so far. Of course, as with PUBG and GTA V, these numbers may be artificially inflated. For instance, many users may already own the title on more than one console. But the numbers still signal the massive popularity of the game.
Since Microsoft bought the game in 2014, they have launched many more features. From hosting private servers for friends to crossover events with Fortnite, it's impossible not to encounter the game in some form, no matter what platform.