25 most played games in the world (2022)

If you're looking for the most played games in the world right now, this is the most comprehensive list so far. We've analyzed and ranked the 25 most popular games you should play right now.

Including online multiplayer, sports games, RPGs, adventure and action, these are the most played games for PC, console and mobile devices in the world right now!

To make the list, we had to check data from official statistics sites, information provided by the distributors themselves and purchase platforms to estimate the most popular games in the world today.

With so many online games available these days, some games become very popular in numerous countries like China and with that the notion of popularity can make you question the results. Topping the list of the most played games is the Minecraft phenomenon, highly played by orientals.

Another type of game that has seen growth in recent years is Battle Royale, led by various phenomena such as Free Fire, Fortnite and PUBG. Because they are always highly competitive environments, placing several players on the screen consecutively, this can explain the success of the genre.

Check out the list of the most played games in the world below:

What is the most played game in the world

1. Minecraft

Player numbers: 140 Million concurrent players

Developed by: Mojang Studios
Portable: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and Linux
Release Year: 2022

Minecraft is a juggernaut that keeps growing, but we'll recognize that we're cheating a little with our stats listed here.

Technically, our data should put Minecraft below Apex Legends. The fact is, while we only have data from 2022, we know for sure that Minecraft has only grown its player base exponentially in the last four years. You just need to examine your monthly active users (MAU) for proof.

For comparison and to provide some context as to the fact that we've scaled up Minecraft without a more recent concurrent stat, DOTA 2 had an estimated BAD of 11,9 million at the start of 2022. Minecraft has ten times that number.

2.Fortnite

Player numbers: 12.3 Million concurrent players

Developed by: epic Games
Portable: PS4, XBOX, iOS, PC, Android
Release Year: 2022

Love it or hate it Fortnite, it certainly has to rank among the most important video games ever made. Epic Games' Battle Royale game has totally recalibrated what it means to build and support a successful "live" service style video game.

Fortnite is an ever-changing entity, reshaping itself with different features and gimmicks as new trends emerge. It's essentially a new game every month thanks to battle pass content, and it's also managed to infuse itself into pop culture by collaborating with musicians and celebrities to stay relevant.

In fact, it was during the Astronomical Concert in 2020 that Fortnite peaked at 12,3 million concurrent players, as players flocked to watch Travis Scott debut with a new single. Check out our list of names for Fortnite.

3. League of Legends

Player numbers: 8 Million concurrent players

Developed by: Riot Games
Portable: XBOX, iOS, PC, Android
Release year: 2009

At the top of this list, we cited DOTA 2's continued popularity as proof that the MOBA genre is far from dead, but League of Legends' numbers completely blow them away. According to Riot Games, almost every day, League of Legends is played by around 8 million people.

This is totally bonkers and should probably see this at the top of the list based purely on consistency, but we've set the metric to simultaneous peak so let's resist the temptation...

Once again, a strong esports scene has helped League of Legends maintain its community, which routinely numbers in the millions to watch competitive tournaments online. League of Legends World Championships 2022 broke Twitch concurrent viewership records with 1,7 million people watching FunPlus Phoenix crush G2 Esports.

4. Crossfire

Player numbers: 8 Million concurrent players

It is likely that until recently most of our readers had not heard of one of the most played video games in the world. Crossfire, a Counter-Strike clone, is an absolute beast in Korea, and it's set to make its mark in the west soon.

Korean developer Smilegate Entertainment recently struck a deal with Microsoft that will see a new version of the game called Crossfire X come to Microsoft platforms exclusively in 2022.

Well, whether this sequence will see the same figures simultaneously, we're not sure. It would really depend on whether the next iteration of the game had a worldwide release or if it was something being prepared specifically for the western market.

It will certainly have a lot to live for if it's going to match Smilegate's claims of 8 million concurrent players. This is a stat we should note that has been praised for several years, so it's actually a little unclear as to the size of the game's current community.

5. Free Fire

Player numbers: 50 Million concurrent players

Garena Free Fire is immensely popular with one of the biggest followers in India for a single title.

“PUBG Mobile needs very expensive phones to compete at the highest tiers, but the big plus point of Free Fire is how low-end devices support the game very well too,” says K18.

The game's esports scene has increased enormously in the second half of 2020, and it has also captured a large amount of online viewing. Several of the most popular YouTube channels in the country are from Free Fire enthusiasts or professionals. Free Fire may not have the same reach that PUBG Mobile had in its heyday, but it's still a great game and an esport in its own right. Check out our list of names for Free Fire.

6.Roblox

Player numbers: 199 Million concurrent players

Roblox is less of a game and more of a gaming platform. Conclusively advertised as an 'imagination platform', you can create your own game on Roblox or play games developed by others on it. With perhaps the biggest catalog of games on the market, Roblox has something for everyone for sure.

Roblox is perhaps the perfect place for creative gamers to interact and deliberate over games. Choose to play the most popular games now on Roblox like Booga Booga, Phantom Forces, Vehicle Simulator, etc. Enjoy different game genres, from RPGs to board games and many more. Interact with other players and maybe even link up on a game development project!

7.Call of Duty: Warzone

Player numbers: 100 Million concurrent players

Developed by: Activision
Portable: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X / S e Microsoft Windows
Release year: 2020

It's hard to find some of the best online games without downloading or any additional steps before actually playing them. But now, Call of Duty Warzone can fulfill that wish.

Released in March 2020, this game caused a sensation in the global online gaming community. Raven Software partnered with Infinity Ward to develop this legendary game. And so, Activision published this game. This game currently has around 6 million active players. Available on all the best game consoles, you can play games on the new PS5 too.

Not only are the top ten games we listed above, but many games are now climbing the popularity ladder at a rapid pace. And here are the top games that have already created quite a buzz

8. Subway Surfers

Player numbers: 27 Million concurrent players

Subway Surfers were among the first generations of mobile games that helped change the way people thought about gaming. It's been nearly a decade since the game was released and developers Kiloo and SYBO Games continue to keep it relevant by constantly releasing updates for the game. Subway Surfers popularized the endless runner genre alongside games like Temple Run.

9.Clash Royale

Player numbers: 14 Million concurrent players

Another game from Supercell, Clash Royale made its mark as a better competitive game than Clash of Clans, which was its predecessor. This “freemium” real-time strategy also features defensive gameplay, making competitive mobile gaming light and satisfying.

“I enjoy Clash Royale as both a casual and competitive game because of how fast-paced yet engaging each game is.

Not forgetting the many patterns and techniques each deck creates that add to the [emotion of the] game,” adds K18. Indian players like Karan 'Jin Kazama' Manganani and Mukul '8bit Mukul' Anchal have made their mark internationally.

10. Clash of Clans

Player numbers: 3 Million players per month

If you own a good Android or iOS phone and have any interest in mobile gaming, there's a high chance that between 2022 and now, you've already tried Clash of Clans at some point. Many people might not think of this title as a conventional eSport (a competitive video game), but it is.

“What makes Clash of Clans an interesting sport is how you have huge 50v50 wars between two clans,” says K18.

There have been quite a few Clash of Clans tournaments in India over the years. The game has a global competitive circuit, and India even has a qualifier for the Clash of Clans World Championship with a grand prize of 1 million US dollars.

11. Hearthstone

Player numbers: 30 Million concurrent players

Developed by: Blizzard Entertainment
Portable: XBOX, iOS, PC, Android
Released year: 2022

HearthStone was a small project by Blizzard Entertainment for experimental purposes, but it was successful and has now been played recently. This game consists of collecting decks of cards from different houses and different powers. Each of the cards is used to decrease the opponent's health and health to win the game.

This free game was initially released as Heroes of Warcraft as it accommodates many characters from the real WoW series. Built on the Unity engine, this game received the British Academy Games Award in the multiplayer category

12. Counter Strike: Global Offensive

Player numbers: 1.2 Million concurrent players

Developed by: Valve Corporation
Portable: XBOX 360, OS X, Microsoft Windows, Play station 3 and Linux
Release Year: 2022

Counter-Strike: GO is the FPS that just doesn't give up. April 2020 saw its highest number of concurrent players, reaching 1,3 million. Not only is that an extremely impressive figure in its own right, but the game has been producing this kind of performance for eight years now.

This year so far, CS:GO has peaked at 1.198.581.

A strong eSports presence and the branding power of a franchise that has been around since the late 1990s have kept CS:GO ahead of the more recent releases. The game continues especially in Europe, with countries like Russia contributing massively to the overall size of the active community.

13. PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds)

Player numbers: 100 Million concurrent players

Developed by: PUBG Corporation
Portable: XBOX, iOS, PC, Android
Release Year: 2022

The game that kicked off a frenzy that has seen the entire multiplayer gaming landscape reshaped in recent years, PUBG still commands a huge audience despite the Battle Royale genre being inundated with ripped titles.

Most notably, of course, it was copied and replaced by Epic Games' Fortnite. PUBG's premium model and its delay in coming to consoles caused it to fall behind quickly as Fortnite started to gain traction.

But while PUBG can no longer rule the roost of battle royale, it still offers a tactical military-sim experience that is unmatched by other games in the genre. This, and the fact that its mobile version is also extremely popular (figures not included in the stats above), should keep the PUBG community soldiering on in 2022.

The maximum number of concurrent players for PUBG in 2022 has reached 458.778 so far. Check out our PUBG strategy guide.

14 Apex Legends

Player numbers: 100 Million registered players

Developed by: Respawn Entertainment
Portable: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and XBOX
Release year: 2022

Respawn's Apex Legends stealth came out of nowhere and then went on to take the Battle Royale genre by storm. It proved to be the perfect recipe for compelling gameplay, AAA production quality, and a free-to-play business model that succeeded in temporarily dethroning Fortnite and PUBG as the most played and watched multiplayer games.

The numbers have definitely dropped since its opening month saw a record 25 million concurrent players, but despite the occasional bump along the way, its community has remained quite sizable. It's safe to say that Apex paved the way for the genre and secured its place for the foreseeable future.

So far, Apex Legends has peaked at 228.439 on Steam in 2022 alone. With the console numbers added there, we wouldn't be surprised if the total was approaching a million on a good day.

15. Valheim

Player numbers: 502 thousand users

Survival game Valheim, from developer Iron Gate Studio, may still be in Early Access, but it shot through the gates in such an explosive fashion that it will likely go down as one of the biggest success stories of 2022.

If you haven't played it yet, Valheim is a pretty standard type of survival experience - players start with nothing before slowly gathering resources and building new structures to unlock better tools and weapons. There are five bosses to destroy in its massive procedurally generated sandbox, but the game's construction mechanics, which are similar to Minecraft, add longevity to the experience.

Where Valheim really excels is in the brooding atmosphere of its jungle and all the emergent gameplay that runs so organically in each adventure, whether alone or with friends in co-op multiplayer.

The formula has been a resounding success, with 5 million players purchasing an early access copy just a month after its release. That was enough to give it a surprisingly high 500.000 peak concurrent players in February, according to Steam Charts.

16. Dota 2

Player numbers: 795 miles on Steam

A feeling that has long been taken for granted is that the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena genre is dying. But while it's true that MOBA games aren't growing like they used to, don't for a second think that they're still not incredibly popular.

DOTA 2, the sequel to the genre's founding father, still eclipses most of the competition. Over the past 12 months, it's regularly been close to a million concurrent players, and sometimes surpassing that total, despite having been around for nearly a decade.

Like CS:GO, its presence in esports has nurtured a passionate community of gamers who are in no rush to switch to a new IP. DOTA 2 is also a big buzz in the east, particularly China, which accounts for a substantial percentage of its player base.

17. GTA V

Player numbers: 474k on Steam, PS4 and Xbox One

Somehow, seven years after its release on the previous console generation, Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto V is still among the most played games in the world. It's a seemingly unstoppable force that regularly finds itself in the top 10 best-selling games each month.

Over the past six months, its peak concurrent players has surpassed 184.941, which is pretty amazing considering it's not a competitive PvP experience we normally associate with a high number of concurrent players.

GTAV is apparently a must-buy for new consoles and PC gamers, and with so much content added since launch, we expect the game to continue to deliver impressive numbers throughout 2022.

18.Warframe

Player numbers: 175K concurrent players

According to SteamDB and Steamcharts, over 175.000 Warframe players are online right now – which is just a fraction of the people playing. Warframe also has a standalone client, is available on the Epic Games Store and runs on no less than five major consoles. However, the total on Steam is 10% higher than the previous peak of just under 155.000 players at last year's event.

19. Team Fortress 2

Player numbers: 151K concurrent players

According to data collected by SteamDB, the PC version of Team Fortress 2 hit 151.253 concurrent players over the weekend, a new all-time record for the decade and a half old team-based shooter.

This beats its previous concurrent player peak of 147.360 set on November 30, 2020. As of today, Team Fortress 2 is still going strong. According to the official Steam tracker, the game currently has 112.866 concurrent players, down from today's peak of 142.190.

Sure, and as some people have pointed out on Twitter, there's a chance bot accounts could contribute to the overall spike, but it's worth pointing out that the player surge came shortly after Valve released a substantial patch aimed at addressing these same issues. with in-game bots. This patch, released June 22, adds tools to limit behavior often tied to bot accounts, such as new restrictions on frequent name changes, changes to the kick-kick system, and “numerous security and stability improvements.”

20. Dead by Daylight

Player numbers: 105K concurrent players

Dead By Daylight hit a new record of over 100.000 concurrent players on PC during its fifth anniversary celebrations.

The new record – which coincided with 40 percent off Steam sales and the recent release of a bunch of Resident Evil-themed goodies, including new skins and a new assassin – saw 105.093 players logging onto Steam at the same time, from according to SteamDB.

21. Soccer Manager 2022

Player numbers: 74K concurrent players

Football Manager 2022 departs from this fundamental aspect of modern football at the end of a year when it has proven to be a vital balm for those stuck. A record 1,8 million people played its 2020 edition, which was made available for free over a two-week period in March. Before they distributed the game, their previous record for concurrent players in the game was 80.000, after standing at 189.000. The average gamer spent 500 hours on their copy of the FM20, double the previous year's record.

22.ARK: Survival Evolved

Player numbers: 157.400K concurrent players

Ark's new peak concurrent player count was set on Sunday, March 8 at 157.400 players, as SteamDB shows. The previous record dates back to November 11, 2022, with 106.478 players – and that record came during a free weekend event. Since then, Ark's daily peaks have fluctuated between 50k and 80k, but now the game has had an entire month's worth of peaks over 100k.

23. Destiny 2

Player numbers: 292K concurrent players

Destiny 2 is an online multiplayer first-person shooter that was first released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September 2022. Although the game was initially available for Windows the following month, it only became available on the gaming platform. online, Steam, a couple of years later in October 2022. In the first month of its release on Steam, the game peaked with over 292 concurrent players worldwide. The game peaked at 187,5 players playing at the same time in May 2022.

24. Grand Chase

Player numbers: 78K concurrent players

Grand Chase peaked at 78.849 concurrent players, as SteamDB shows, and that number continues to grow. That makes it the sixth biggest game on Steam right now, sandwiched between perennial favorites like Rust and Apex Legends. User reviews of the return are currently "mostly positive" as players are happy to have Grand Chase online once again but skeptical of its dated mechanics and free-to-play monetization.

25.Rocket League

Player numbers: 88K concurrent players

In May 2022, the vehicular football game Rocket League peaked at 88,67 concurrent players on Steam. This represents a drop from the all-time high of 146,9 peak concurrent users in September 2020.

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