If you listen to Ubisoft, Ghost Recon: Wildlands is the most popular, highest-earning game to be released this year – and they’re right! It’s some very specific wording though, because the top-earning games overall weren’t released in 2017.
According to Superdata Research, the highest earning games vary wildly between platforms. On PC, the top honour goes to the same game that’s held that spot for years now, League of Legends. In second place on that platform comes Dungeon Fighter Online, an online Beat-em-up that’s wildly popular in Asia.
Originally released in Korea and Japan over a decade ago, the game still apparently draws in huge numbers. It was released in North America and the rest of the West years later, but failed to find much popularity in the English-speaking market. Up in third is another game that’s wildly popular in Asia: Crossfire. Tencent’s free-to-play first person shooter has held the FPS market in the region for years, halting the progression of Counter-Strike in Asia.
On consoles, the revenue earners are quite different. The biggest earner is last year’s FIFA 17, which earns EA cash through all of the FIFA Ultimate Team microtransactions. Up next is Grand Theft Auto V which is still immeasurably popular. Its continued revenue comes through the continued popularity of Grand Theft Auto Online. In third is Battlefield1, which allows players to purchase Battlepacks, which usually include a weapon or vehicle skin and some or other digital bauble.
Noting that this is all based on revenue and sales, it’s easy to see why publishers are so happy to put other ways of earning money beyond base sales in their games.
On mobile – a category that out-earns PC and console gaming put together – the top earners are all Asian mobile games. Honour of Kings, Fantasy Westward Journey and Monster Strike all come in on the podium – ahead of Clash Royale and Clash of Clans.
| No. | PC | Console | Mobile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | League of Legends | FIFA 17 | Honour of Kings | |
| 2 | Dungeon Fighter Online | Grand Theft Auto V | Fantasy Westward Journey | |
| 3 | Crossfire | Battlefield 1 | Monster Strike | |
| 4 | Fantasy Westward Journey Online II | Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | Clash Royale | |
| 5 | World of Warcraft | Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands | Clash of Clans | |
| 6 | World of Tanks | Call of Duty: Black Ops III | Game of War: Fire Age | |
| 7 | DOTA 2 | Destiny | Lineage 2 Revolution | |
| 8 | Overwatch | Madden NFL 17 | Mobile Strike | |
| 9 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | NBA 2K17 | Onmyoji | |
| 10 | New Westward Journey Online II | Overwatch | Fate/Grand Order |
Last Updated: August 7, 2017
Aries
August 3, 2017 at 18:17
MasterRace R40k+ PC’s and they play the least taxing games of everyone
Skittle
August 4, 2017 at 07:24
I’ve never heard of Dungeon Fighter Online, Crossfire and Westward Journey. I must be really out of touch.
Magoo
August 4, 2017 at 07:44
Just as you think you understand what’s going on…
Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd
August 4, 2017 at 08:03
Huh?
HairyEwok
August 4, 2017 at 08:13
2, 3, 4 and 10…. Never even heard of those games on PC. Must be mobile games ported to PC.
Gavin Mannion
August 4, 2017 at 08:18
I think Overwatch on console would be much higher if they made it easier to actually buy loot boxes on the console. It’s really quite ass about face the way they go about it and even my addicted family has never purchased any on console. PC on the other hand is an entirely different thing
BakedBagel
August 4, 2017 at 08:26
Whats the difference?
I only play on PC 😛