There are plenty of reasons why gamers love RPGs so much. For starters, they offer huge worlds to explore, diverse and challenging quests, deep characters with lots of customization, and storylines full of emotion and choices. That’s why RPGs tend to have incredible staying power, with players still buying them years after release. To highlight the biggest hits over the years, here’s a look at the top 10 best-selling RPGs of all time.
Dragon Quest III: The Seeds of Salvation
Developer: Square Enix / Eidos
Release Year: 2011 (originally 1988)
Estimated Sales: At least 6.2 million copies (including remakes and ports)
Dragon Quest became popular thanks to its strong JRPG fanbase. Dragon Quest III was even more sought after than the famous Mass Effect 2, selling over 6 million copies. Though it’s the third installment, its story is actually a prequel set before the first Dragon Quest. You play as a young hero tasked with saving the world from the evil demon Baramos.
Alongside your party, you explore an open world and battle enemies in turn-based combat. Despite its age, the game still hooks players with features like a day/night cycle, varied enemies, and hybrid character classes. Plus, its gripping story keeps gamers engaged until the very end. That’s why Dragon Quest III easily ranks among the best-selling RPGs.
Dark Souls III
Developer: FromSoftware
Release Year: 2016
Estimated Sales: At least 10 million copies
Dark Souls III isn’t just a best-selling RPG, it’s the climax of a series that created its own genre: Souls-like. The brutal difficulty is a major reason it sold so well. The game offers a tough but rewarding journey, with challenge increasing on each replay (NG+).
It depicts a world on the brink of ruin, dark, desolate, and harsh, yet strangely captivating. Every time you finish the game, you feel more skilled than before. The series is packed with mysteries to uncover, from character backstories and legends to hidden areas with rewards for the curious.
Fallout 4
Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Release Year: 2015
Estimated Sales: At least 12 million copies (units shipped on launch day)
Fallout 4 received tons of positive reviews and its sales speak for themselves. Its vast open world packed with quests and locations, plus the heavy post-apocalyptic atmosphere, kept players hooked despite some outdated graphics.
A big part of Fallout 4’s success comes from modders who tirelessly improved gameplay and visuals, making the experience more polished and beautiful. Even if the base graphics are old (some say ugly), the right mods make everything look great. This helped convince players to buy and enjoy Fallout 4 without worrying about visuals.
Final Fantasy VII
Developer: Square
Release Year: 1997
Estimated Sales: At least 12.8 million copies (across multiple ports, excluding the Remake)
Square seems to have cracked the code for making timeless RPGs, and Final Fantasy VII is proof. Released in 1997 on PlayStation, it instantly attracted a huge player base. It was the first Final Fantasy to feature 3D graphics, which were groundbreaking at the time, plus incredibly realistic and engaging cutscenes.
Final Fantasy VII is one of the most iconic and best-selling RPGs ever made. It influenced countless RPGs that came after and boosted PlayStation sales. The only thing holding it back back then was its English localization and PC performance issues. While today’s remastered versions look stunning, they can’t quite capture the original’s magic.
Cyberpunk 2077
Developer: CD Projekt RED
Release Year: 2020
Estimated Sales: At least 13 million copies
Despite some production issues, CD Projekt RED’s marketing campaign was a huge success. Even with its bugs, Cyberpunk 2077 became one of the best-selling RPGs ever. Its success also rode on the reputation of The Witcher III, but the game has its own strengths. It offers a vibrant open world for PC gamers to explore. Night City is packed with secrets and hidden spots that reward curious players, making the world feel alive and believable.
The story is well-crafted with many exciting moments, and the characters feel alive, enough for hundreds of hours of gameplay. While it doesn’t quite reach the masterpiece level of The Witcher 3, it’s still far ahead of many other games. Cyberpunk’s cyberpunk theme has been done before, but this game takes it to a new level with a bigger scale. Besides the main quests, there are plenty of side missions that bring Night City to life.
Source: GVN360
