The 10 Most Popular Video Games of 2024
The 10 Most Popular Video Games of 2024
What’s the most popular video game in the world right now? After looking through our old lists and collating the latest data, we’ve found the most played games in 2023 and 2024. Before you take a look at the best video games right now, why not tap the link below to play our very own game? Not only is it free to play, it offers endless entertainment, just like the most popular video games for 2024.
Picking the Most Popular Games of 2024
OK, we’ve shamelessly plugged our product, but are there any other games you should be playing in 2024? Yes, of course, there is. Since the gaming industry is split into various factions, activity and user data can vary based on the types of games you focus on. Because of this, the following list of games comes from a variety of sources.
Some games have sold millions of copies in 2024. There are perennial favorites that remain a draw, and there are games that get a constant stream of monthly users. We haven’t relied on monthly active users as our only metric. It’s an important metric, but it’s not the only one that’s important when it comes to ranking the most popular games right now. That’s why you’ll find a nice mix of options below.
The Top 10 Most Played Video Games in 2024 📢
With all this being said, it brings us back to our all-important question: what’s the world's most popular video game right now? Let’s find out…
Minecraft 🔥
The long-time hit from Mojang Studios continues to pull big numbers. The open-world sandbox game was released in 2011, and, due to the fact it’s a constantly evolving entity, it remains popular today. In 2023, Minecraft was still attracting up to 178 million users every month, according to ActivePlayer.io. If that’s not enough to make it one of the most popular video games out there, Statista data shows that, as of 2023, 300 million copies of Minecraft had been sold.
Fortnite
Fortnite has been one of the most popular games online since its release in 2017. Regardless of whether players are locked in battle royales, trying to survive, or fighting in tower-defense mode, the point is they’re playing. With over 247 million monthly users in January 2024 and players spending upwards of $44 million a month, according to ActivePlayer.io, Fortnite remains one of the most popular games right now.
Apex Legends
Battle Royales have long been some of the best-selling video games, and Apex Legends continued this trend in 2023. The hero-shooter from Respawn Entertainment made a splash when it was released in 2019, thanks to its free-to-play dynamic, complex characters, and novel features such as nonverbal communication. Ongoing updates keep Apex Legends feeling fresh, which is why it averaged 18 million monthly active users in 2023, according to its publisher, Electronic Arts.
League of Legends
Who said the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre was dead? Although MOBA may have lost some of its popularity to the battle royale genre (due to Fortnite), it remains one of the most-played video game titles in 2024. Why? Because players still love League of Legends.
As well as being the definitive name in strategy-based battle games, League of Legends is still pulling in over 130 million active users every month, according to Esports.net.
Call of Duty: Warzone
When you’re listing the most popular video game franchises, Call of Duty should never be far from your thoughts. Call of Duty: Warzone fired its way into the top 10 most-played video games almost as soon as it was released in 2020.
Aside from giving fans more of what they want, Call of Duty: Warzone offers multiplayer combat and the ability to play across platforms and, in turn, previous Call of Duty titles. This flexibility means Call of Duty: Warzone remains one of the most played games right now, with an average of 67,000+ active players.
Valorant
This 5v5 character-based tactical FPS from Riot Games has gradually increased in popularity over the last few years. Initially released for PC and consoles in 2020, Riot Games announced in 2021 that a mobile version would be coming soon as a result of continued demand. That demand is clear for all to see.
In February 2024, Valorant had 18 million active monthly users, which matches the same period in 2023 and up by 3 million in 2022. This alone makes Valorant one of the most popular games right now. It’s also worth noting that Valorant streamers are hugely popular. For example, 600,000 Twitch users watched Michael ‘shroud’ Grzesiek play his first match for Sentinels on the Valorant Champions Tour.
Roblox
Roblox isn’t a game, but it deserves a place on our list because it’s still one of the most popular video game platforms, with over 1 million concurrent users at peak times. Roblox launched in 2006, and the culture and community that surround it mean it’s still one of the best video game platforms in the world.
Because users can program games and make them available to other players, Roblox has a hardcore community. This has helped it become a popular game, as well as a form of entertainment for Twitch and YouTube viewers.
Destiny 2
Destiny 2, the free first-person shooter, might have been released in 2017, but it still earned a place among Steam’s Platinum Earners in 2023. The reason Destiny 2 continues to rank among the most-played video games right now is the fact it combines elements from the RPG and PvP genres. As of March 2024, Destiny 2 had 586,504 “very positive” reviews and more than 74,000 players at peak times on Steam.
Elden Ring
Elden Ring is one of the best new video games in terms of entertainment value and popularity. This action RPG was released in February 2022, and just eight weeks later, it had sold over 13.4 million copies. That made it one of the best-selling games in the world during 2022.
The popularity of Elden Ring is based primarily on the fact you get to explore an open-world environment with a customizable character. This freedom to roam and upgrade the protagonist as you see fit creates a greater level of immersion as you fight to repair the Elden Ring.
Because of this, Elden Ring has now sold over 23 million copies and, according to Steam metrics, attracts over 111,000 players at peak times.
Counter-Strike 2
Like Elden Ring, Counter-Strike 2 is one of the best new video games we’ve reviewed. The Valve offering was one of the most popular games in 2023, and based on Steam statistics, it’s still one of the most-played video games right now. The fifth installment of the Counter-Strike series pits two teams against each other in a tactical battle. One of the reasons as many as 1.5 million players are battling on Counter-Strike 2 in 2024 is the Source 2 game engine.
The move from Source to Source 2 ushered in better graphics, new maps, and more complex terrains. The average number of active Counter-Strike 2 players hit 856,796 in March 2024, according to Steam Charts. For context, that’s an increase of 8.9% from February 2024. With its player base still growing, we have to rank Counter-Strike 2 among the most popular video games right now. So, if you’re looking for action and entertainment, we suggest checking out Counter-Strike 2, Elden Ring, Apex Legends, and all of the other top-selling games on our list.
