The Top 100 games as determined by next-gen.biz

[Shifty Geezer]

Here's a compilation of their rating of the top 100 games of the 21st century, factoring in sales and earnings. Provides a nice insight into how much money these games make, and thus how much companies can afford to spend to make them

Here are some notes on how this list works.

• Stats, ordering and research: thanks to game publishers, retail analysis sources and NPD data.
• Games are ranked by units sold; then by revenue generated. This tends to favor games released earlier, rather than later, and games which have spent a long time at a lower price point have also done well, but we wanted to reward longevity and popularity across all audiences, not just hardcore.
• In the event of a tie, games are then ranked by 'most recently released' and then by Gameranking average review scores.
• Games are ranked according to the highest selling SKU only. Otherwise the list would be full of sports iterations and big brand spin-offs and sequels.
• Other platform versions of that game, and 21st century precursors or sequels are included under the 'franchise sales' but do not affect overall placing.
• This list is for the U.S market only.
• This list only features games released since the introduction of PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. It does not include handheld games or PC games which will be featured in a separate list.
• Other Franchise Hits qualify if they use the same IP or character in broadly the same genre, and if they managed respectable sales of (roughly speaking) above 200,000 units.
• Franchise sales includes sales of top selling spin-offs, sequels and predecessors as well as other console versions of the same game.

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3537&Itemid=2

 

[nintenho]

I don't know like half the games.

 

[StefanS]

The fact that 50cent:Bulletproof sold as much as it did makes me fear for mankind

or the Americans

 

[nintenho]

The fact that 50cent:Bulletproof sold as much as it did makes me fear for mankind

or the Americans

I blame Europe.

 

[StefanS]

I blame Europe.

Blame Canada

and Terrence and P.

 

[Arwin]

Anyway, it makes for an interesting list. Now you can see why Microsoft thought GTA was so important - they probably have lists like these lying around in their strategy rooms also.

I also thought it was interesting to see that some launch or near games could still get up this high. I have always been worried that companies investing in launch games were basically spending a lot of R&D money so that they can hope to make good profits of their next titles, but from the looks of it, that's not necessarily true. Tekken Tag was pretty high up there! And Midnight Club too, for some reason ...

 

[nintenho]

Blame Canada

and Terrence and P.

What's wrong with Terrence and Phillip?!

Anyway, it makes for an interesting list. Now you can see why Microsoft thought GTA was so important - they probably have lists like these lying around in their strategy rooms also.

I also thought it was interesting to see that some launch or near games could still get up this high. I have always been worried that companies investing in launch games were basically spending a lot of R&D money so that they can hope to make good profits of their next titles, but from the looks of it, that's not necessarily true. Tekken Tag was pretty high up there! And Midnight Club too, for some reason ...

Most of these are launched near a major event (movie, xbox Live launch, console launch) and then there's obviously all the people that bought sequels.

 

[inefficient]

Most interesting top 100 I have ever read. (Maybe only interesting top 100 I have ever read)

 

[NavNucST3]

Anyway, it makes for an interesting list. Now you can see why Microsoft thought GTA was so important - they probably have lists like these lying around in their strategy rooms also.

[snip]

...and the oft argued Madden as well, for some 3+ months.

 

[inefficient]

Some numbers. The top 100 have the following breakdown by console.

10 Xbox games
14 Gamecube games
76 PS2 games


Interesting how GC has more games on the list than xbox. Although xbox has to be given credit for having Halo at #2.

Almost all of the GC games in the top 100 were created by Nintendo themselves. Sega made 2 hits, Super monkey ball & Sonic Adventure 2. Namco made SoulCalibur2. Starfox by Rare would be the 4th (though N was pretty heavily involved in that one)

 

[Arwin]

Most of these are launched near a major event (movie, xbox Live launch, console launch) and then there's obviously all the people that bought sequels.

Franchise sales are mentioned, but the list seems to be ordered in terms of actual sales. I rather think that if a game gains popularity early on in a console's lifecycle, it reaps the benefits over that full lifecycle too. Just like, say, GTA on the PSP will probably keep selling well for a long while to come even if it was one of the first games out.

 

[Bad_Boy]

Some numbers. The top 100 have the following breakdown by console.

10 Xbox games
14 Gamecube games
76 PS2 games

to be fair, a lot of those ps2 games are multiplatform, but still that is still a shit load of ps2 games. lol

 

[Qroach]

to be fair, a lot of those ps2 games are multiplatform, but still that is still a shit load of ps2 games. lol

He was just being inefficient hehe your name works out perfectly for that comment.

 

[pc999]

It is just my impression or most of those games are from early times in the last gen?

 

[Deepak]

From the list:

50 Cent: Bulletproof
VU Games / Genuine Games
Platform: PS2
Released: November '05
Estimated Sales: 600,000
Revenues: $27 million
Franchise Sales: 850,000
Game ranking: 45.3%
Other Franchise Hits: Mercifully, none

***************

BTW, really cool list.

 

[Serenity Painted Death]

......

This is just a SALES list. These are the top 100 selling games in the U.S. over the period (and they only mention a single game from a series, even if others would have made it).

 

[function]

Clearly, the Dreamcast wasn't part of the last generation because it didn't come after the PS2.

 

[StefanS]

......

This is just a SALES list. These are the top 100 selling games in the U.S. over the period (and they only mention a single game from a series, even if others would have made it).

That has been mentioned in the first post.

 

[Skrying]

Great list. Why you may ask? Because it has actual relevance.

Who cares the actual best games of time, just because you were a great game doesnt mean you're going to sell!

Frankly the list still makes me sick and I hate console gaming because of the games on this list.

Hmm, some games have sold better than I thought and they did and some worse. FFX for example has sold MUCH lower than I thought it did. Still great, but I thought it'd be much more sales.

 

[PiNkY]

Yeah, but as repeatedly pointed out, these are just the u.s. of a. sales. Counting the Rest of the World probably at least adds PES, FIFA, Formula One, Dragon Quest, Singstar and numerous other francises to the top ranks...