What Are the 5 Most Popular Games Ever

Games
1

So I got this crazy assignment for my “Who’s Who In the Gaming World” class and I figured you guys could help me out with it! grins

The assignment is simply to find out what are the five most popular computer games ever. However…

I have no clue how to do this. I’ve looked on Google under all the different ways of searching I could find, and all I got was an analytical 38-page report that would be perfect for my needs, if it wasn’t being sold for over a thousand bucks per download!

So I’m throwing in the towel and asking you guys. :)

2

Uh, just look at the Blizzard and Black Isle product catalogs. Assignment over.

3

StarCraft is probably #1.

4

I’m putting Starcraft in my Number 1 spot with the disclaimer ‘In South Korea’ for now, since well, it is the most popular game ever there and, certainly relatively speaking, there isn’t a competitor in the States.

But I don’t know if, for example, Second Life has more people playing it than Starcraft did at its peak.

5

I guess it depends on how you measure “popularity.” Is it sales? Internet fansites? Message board threads?

Ok, I guess we’re talking about 2-5. I’d agree Starcraft is #1, due to the insane Far East mania for it. Or has WoW surpassed it?

6

Clearly The Sims is somewhere up there, I’d guess right behind Starcraft.

7

Part of the problem is your criteria. “Popular” can mean a lot of things.

Is it the best-selling? Is it the most-played? It is the best-reviewed?

Applying any of these three definitions will get you a different answer.

8

Starcraft, WoW, The Sims, The Sims 2, Fallout. I’m guessing those, in that order. Fallout is a bit iffy, though.

9

Strike Fallout - if you’re basing your list on sales it don’t belong with the others.

And this is only pc games - he asking games period. So I’d guess there would be any number of console titles with more sales.

10

His post says “computer games.” And I guess I just have a soft spot for Fallout… not to mention every PC gamer I’ve ever met has played it and loved it.

11

I’m guessing this would be best as a combination of Volume Sold, Longest Played, and Insane Addicts quality (like Allegiance).

So Starcraft might not have the highest Volume Sold compared to, say, The Sims I guess? But it’s been massively played for a heck of a long time and the whole Far East is still obsessed with it, so it has to be way up there.

But, for instance, I’d put Second Life above WoW.

[Edit] Sorry, I shouldn’t have said computer games. Any games, including that on consoles or handhelds.

12

At one point didn’t Myst 1 consume the world?

Doom probably makes the list too.

I’m assuming the topic refers to popular as ‘most recognizeable’.

13

Second Life above WoW? I think WoW would probably defeat SL in every one of your criteria.

14

Hmm… an obvious guess would be Tetris. WoW, the Sims would be my guesses for a couple others. I remeber reading about how popular Myst was back in the day (probably has been surpassed by now, I’d imagine).

Wikipedia FTW

15

Why, they have like 1 million “players” according to their own numbers.

Starcraft, Myst, WoW, The Sims, Counter-Strike, Pac Man, Tetris… and a bunch of console games I don’t know enough about.

16

Weird, I remember reading that WoW was only number 3 in the list of most people playing, with SL as number 2 and I don’t remember what as number 1.

17

I’d expect the list to be to be something like Mario Bros, Tetris, Pong, maybe Pacman and Sims at 5th place probably. I’d guess these would be the most popular games if one takes popular as played by most people.

18

FF7 wins if this was spearheaded by the gamefaqs set…

19

Windows Solitaire is probably the most widely played computer game.

-Scott-

20

Doesn’t the Sims have to be up there somewhere?