PLAYSTATION 5 VS. XBOX SERIES X: THE TOP 10 GAMES OF THIS GENERATION — AND WHAT THE SALES NUMBERS REALLY SAY!

Since launching in November 2020, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S have delivered some of the biggest gaming experiences in the industry. From massive open-world adventures to survival horror and action RPGs, gamers have had plenty to choose from.

But which games have actually sold the most?

We researched publisher announcements, investor reports, and official sales milestones to put together two lists of ten major commercial successes available on these consoles.

IMPORTANT: These are worldwide lifetime sales across all platforms, NOT sales exclusively on PS5 or Xbox. The publishers generally do not disclose individual console sales breakdowns. The lists are ranked by the latest publicly documented global sales figures we could verify, among qualifying games available on each platform. They are not official console-specific sales charts.

PLAYSTATION 5: TOP 10 BIGGEST SELLERS

<text color="secondary" size="xs">Worldwide sales across all supported platforms, as of the dates shown.</text>

1. <escape>Cyberpunk 2077</escape> — 40 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty official game artwork V Night City" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> CD Projekt Red's futuristic RPG has overcome its troubled launch to become one of the biggest commercial success stories of this generation. The 40-million milestone was announced July 3, 2026.

2. <escape>Hogwarts Legacy</escape> — 40 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Hogwarts Legacy official game key art Hogwarts castle" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Warner Bros. Games' open-world Wizarding World adventure continues to attract players. The publisher confirmed more than 40 million copies sold on December 17, 2025.

3. <escape>Elden Ring</escape> — 30 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Elden Ring official game key art Erdtree Tarnished" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> FromSoftware's acclaimed action RPG became a worldwide phenomenon, selling more than 30 million copies by April 2025.

4. <escape>Resident Evil 2</escape> (Remake) — 19.7 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Resident Evil 2 remake Leon Claire official key art" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Capcom's reimagining of the survival-horror classic continues to sell. Its worldwide total reached 19.7 million units by June 30, 2026.

5. <escape>Monster Hunter Rise</escape> — 19.3 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Monster Hunter Rise official key art hunter monster" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Capcom's monster-hunting adventure has built an enormous worldwide audience, reaching 19.3 million units by June 30, 2026.

6. <escape>Resident Evil 7 biohazard</escape> — 18.4 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Resident Evil 7 biohazard official cover artwork" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> The first-person reinvention of Resident Evil remains a major success, with 18.4 million units sold by June 30, 2026.

7. <escape>Resident Evil 4</escape> (Remake) — 16 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Resident Evil 4 remake Leon Ashley official key art" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Leon Kennedy's return has been a commercial powerhouse. Capcom reported 16 million copies sold by June 30, 2026.

8. <escape>Resident Evil Village</escape> — 15.8 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Resident Evil Village official game key art Ethan Winters Lady Dimitrescu" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Ethan Winters' terrifying journey has reached 15.8 million units worldwide, according to Capcom's June 2026 figures.

9. <escape>God of War Ragnarök</escape> — 15 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="God of War Ragnarok official key art Kratos Atreus" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Kratos and Atreus delivered another massive PlayStation success. Sony confirmed more than 15 million copies sold across PS4 and PS5 by November 19, 2023.

10. <escape>Resident Evil 3</escape> (Remake) — 14.5 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Resident Evil 3 remake Jill Valentine Nemesis official key art" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Jill Valentine's return to Raccoon City has sold 14.5 million units worldwide, according to Capcom's June 2026 report.

XBOX SERIES X|S: TOP 10 BIGGEST SELLERS

<text color="secondary" size="xs">Worldwide sales across all supported platforms, as of the dates shown.</text>

1. <escape>Cyberpunk 2077</escape> — 40 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Cyberpunk 2077 official key art Night City" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> CD Projekt Red's comeback story is a major success across console and PC. Its 40-million milestone was announced in July 2026.

2. <escape>Hogwarts Legacy</escape> — 40 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Hogwarts Legacy official game artwork" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> The Wizarding World adventure has crossed 40 million worldwide sales, making it one of the generation's biggest third-party hits.

3. <escape>Elden Ring</escape> — 30 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Elden Ring official game artwork" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> FromSoftware's challenging fantasy adventure has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

4. <escape>Resident Evil 2</escape> (Remake) — 19.7 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Resident Evil 2 remake official Leon Claire artwork" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Capcom's survival-horror remake has reached 19.7 million units across its supported platforms.

5. <escape>Monster Hunter Rise</escape> — 19.3 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Monster Hunter Rise official key art" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> The action RPG has reached 19.3 million units worldwide, demonstrating the strength of Capcom's Monster Hunter franchise.

6. <escape>Resident Evil 7 biohazard</escape> — 18.4 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Resident Evil 7 biohazard official artwork" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Capcom's first-person horror experience has sold 18.4 million units worldwide.

7. <escape>Resident Evil 4</escape> (Remake) — 16 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Resident Evil 4 remake official artwork Leon Kennedy" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> The remake of one of gaming's most celebrated survival-horror titles has reached 16 million copies sold.

8. <escape>Resident Evil Village</escape> — 15.8 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Resident Evil Village official artwork" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Ethan Winters' story continues to deliver for Capcom, reaching 15.8 million units.

9. <escape>Resident Evil 3</escape> (Remake) — 14.5 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Resident Evil 3 remake official artwork Jill Valentine" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> The Raccoon City nightmare has reached 14.5 million worldwide sales.

10. <escape>Monster Hunter Wilds</escape> — 11.8 MILLION COPIES

<AsyncImage query="Monster Hunter Wilds official game key art" aspectRatio="16:9" width="100%"/> Capcom's latest major Monster Hunter entry reached 11.8 million units by June 30, 2026.

WHAT ABOUT PLAYSTATION AND XBOX EXCLUSIVES?

This is where the comparison gets interesting.

PlayStation has publicly confirmed sales milestones for several of its first-party games:

• Marvel's Spider-Man 2: More than 11 million copies as of April 20, 2024.

• Helldivers 2: More than 12 million copies as of May 5, 2024, across PS5 and PC at that time.

• Ghost of Tsushima: More than 13 million copies across console and PC as of August 2024.

• God of War Ragnarök: More than 15 million copies across PS4 and PS5 as of November 2023.

Xbox, on the other hand, does not routinely publish comparable lifetime unit sales for individual first-party games. For example, Microsoft reported that Forza Horizon 5 had reached 20 million players across Xbox and PC in 2021. That is a player milestone, not 20 million copies sold.

This distinction matters. Game Pass subscribers, free access, and other distribution methods can produce enormous player numbers without generating equivalent sales.

FINAL THOUGHTS: WHO IS WINNING THE SALES BATTLE?

The numbers demonstrate that major third-party franchises are driving enormous sales across both platforms. Capcom's Resident Evil and Monster Hunter titles are particularly impressive, while Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, and Elden Ring have become major commercial successes.

But the bigger story is the lack of transparency. Without individual PS5 and Xbox Series X|S sales breakdowns, nobody can accurately declare which console sold more copies of every game.

NGG WANTS TO KNOW: Which platform has delivered the better gaming generation so far? PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S? And which game deserves the title of the generation's biggest success?

Join the conversation and let your voice be heard!

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