Top 20 best selling indie games of all time you should try out

The advantage of indie games is they are affordable. Unlike other titles such as AAA that can go for more than $100, you can get an indie game for an average of $15. Because of low prices, it is easier for a person to build a library of the best indie games. But that also means developers do not get to make more money when compared to other gaming franchises. However, many indie games have enjoyed commercial success, hence the topic of this post on the best selling indie games of all time.

Indie or independent games are video games created by individuals or smaller development teams. The game developers tend to have little financial backing and technical support. Unlike AAA games, indie games focus on innovation.

Since they are independent, sometimes it is challenging to determine how many people are buying the games or how much revenue the games have generated, especially for Japanese indie games. Furthermore, discovering some games is an issue, making most of these games financially unprofitable.

20 best selling indie games of all time

Indie games prove that you don’t need a huge budget, several teams, and a whole lot of hyperbole to sell a video game in the 21st century. Here is a list of some of the best selling indie games of all time.

1. Minecraft – 200 million copies

Minecraft started as an indie effort. The first person that developed the game was known as Markus Persson or Notch. But since 2014, it has been under the ownership of Microsoft and is perhaps the most broadly appealing title on this list.

As of 2021, Minecraft remains one of the most successful indie games of all time, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide and boasts of over 125 million monthly active users. However, after Microsoft bought Minecraft in 2014, the game ceased from being indie. Currently, Microsoft has a team of developers who continue developing the game, making it a AAA game.

2. Rocket League – 40 million copies

Rocket League is a sports video game developed by Psyonix and released in July 2015 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows. Psyonix has independent roots. However, Epic Games acquired the company in May 2019. Before its acquisition, Rocket League had sold over one million copies in August 2015.

In February 2016, the developer had sold over four million copies, and by March 2017, Rocket League had sold over 10.5 million copies across all platforms. Also, it had over 29 million registered players worldwide. As of July 2020, the Rocket League player count stood at over 75 million and over 40 million copies sold, making it one of the best selling indie games of all time.

3. Terraria – 35 million copies

Terraira is one of the highest-grossing indie games of all time. It is an action-adventure sandbox game that was first released on Microsoft Windows in 2011. Since then, the game has undergone many developments for other platforms, including Xbox One, PlayStation, Android, and iOS.

During its first week of release, the game sold over 200,000 copies. That number increased to 12 million by June 2015. As of the end of 2020, the game has sold over 35 million copies worldwide.

4. Human Fall Flat – 30 million copies

Human Fall Flat is a puzzle-platform game published by Curve Digital. It was first released in July 2016 for Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS. However, continued development has allowed the game to receive ports for other gaming platforms, including PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, Google Stadia, iOS, and Android. Human Fall Flat is one of the best Switch indie games of all time, with over 30 million copies sold worldwide as of July 2021.

5. Castle Crashers – 20 million copies

Castle Crashers is a 2D indie-game style hack-and-slash video game. It was first released on Xbox 360 in 2008 by game developer The Behemoth but is now available on many platforms, including PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, and Steam.

Castle Crashers has enjoyed commercial success since its release. By 2010, the Xbox 360 version had sold over two million copies on the platform alone. In 2011, the totals were over 2.6 million on Xbox Live Arcade alone. In 2019, The Behemoth reported that the game had sold over 20 million copies.

6. Among Us – 15 million copies

Among Us is an online multiplayer social deduction game released in 2018 by game studio Innersloth. The game was first available on iOS and Android devices. Currently, players can find it on Windows and Nintendo Switch, with planned releases for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and S. Among Us is one of the best indie games on Switch. Its average daily player count in 2021 is over 350,000 players and has sold over 15 million copies.

7. Fall Guys – 11 million copies

Fall Guys is a platform battle royale game developed by the indie company Mediatonic. It was first released in August 2020 for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4. Fall Guys became an unexpected hit through 2020 for Mediatonic.

Although the company itself is not a multi-billion dollar conglomerate, it is an indie studio that initially began as a work-for-hire studio. The game enjoyed commercial success, with two million copies sold on Steam within its first month of release. At the end of December 2020, the game had sold over 11 million copies.

8. Stardew Valley – 10 million copies

Stardew Valley is a game that has grown both in the scope of gameplay and the gaming community itself, with 700,000 monthly active players. It was first released for Microsoft Windows in February 2016.

The developer then made it available for other platforms, including macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation Vita, iOS, and Android. By 2020, the game had sold over 10 million copies worldwide, making it one of the highest-selling PS4 indie games of all time.

9. Valheim – 7 million copies

Valheim is a Viking-themed survival video game released in early access on 2 February 2021 for Windows and Linux on Steam. The game sold over five million copies worldwide within one month of its release.

It became one of the most played games on Steam, with 500,000 people playing it in February alone. As of April 2021, the game had sold over seven million units. Continued game development is ongoing, with many gamers expecting its full release at the end of 2021.

10. Cuphead – 6 million copies

Cuphead is a run and gun video game released in 2017. The game has been a commercial success ever since it hit gaming platforms. Furthermore, online streaming company Netflix announced it would be producing an animated series based on the game.

Cuphead sold over one million copies within two weeks of its release. Its sales increased to over four million by July 2019. After its release for PlayStation in July 2020, the game had sold over six million copies.

11. Limbo – 6 million copies

Limbo is one of the most popular indie games of all time. It is a puzzle-platform video game released in 2010 by the independent studio Playdead. The game was first available on Xbox Live Arcade and has metamorphosed to other platforms, including Microsoft Windows, Linux, and PlayStation 3.

After the developers released Limbo in July 2010, it only took 16 months to sell over one million copies worldwide. The number increased to three million in 2013. As of 2021, estimates show the game has sold over six million copies across all gaming platforms.

12. The Long Dark – 5 million copies

The Long Dark is a first-person survival video game released through Steam Early Access in September 2014. The developer later launched a version on the Xbox One platform and is today available for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.

In January 2015, the game had sold over 250,000 copies, increasing to over 750,000 units as of April 2016. As of 2021, The Long Dark has sold 5 million units. Furthermore, the game has attracted over 8.5 million players since its initial release.

13. Dead Cells – 5 million copies

Dead Cells is a roguelike video game released on 7 August 2018 for Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One gaming platforms. It also has a mobile port for both Android and iOS devices.

One year after its early release, Dead Cells sold over 730,000 copies, with the number increasing to over 850,000 units before its full release. At the end of May 2019, the developer had sold over two million copies and over five million units worldwide in 2021.

14. Enter The Gungeon – 3 million copies

Enter the Gungeon is a bullet hell video game released on 5 April 2016 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, OS X, and Linux gaming platforms. The game is also available for Xbox One, Stadia, and Nintendo Switch. After one week of its release, the game sold over 200,000 copies across all platforms.

The sales soared in January 2017 to over 800,000 units. As of January 2020, the number stood at three million copies. Its success has been on Nintendo Switch, with one million copies sold on the platform alone by March 2019.

15. Hollow Knight – 3 million copies

Hollow Knight is an action-adventure video game initially released in 2017 for Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. The developers also made the game available for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 in 2018.

Hollow Knight sold over 500,000 copies by November 2017. The number increased to over one million units on PC platforms by June 2018. The game has sold over 3 million copies as of December 2020.

16. Shovel Knight – 2.65 million copies

Shovel Knight is a 2D side-scrolling platform game released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 3DS, and Wii U in June 2014. Developers then ported the game to other platforms, including OS X, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 3. On 4 December 2014, the game had sold over 300,000 copies worldwide. At the end of 2019, Shovel Knight had sold over 2.65 million units across all platforms.

17. Firewatch – 2.5 million copies

Firewatch is an adventure game released in February 2016. Its developer made it available for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. The game sold over 500,000 copies within a month of its release.

That number increased significantly to over one million copies by the end of its first year. Although figures for 2021 remain unknown, the game had sold over 2.5 million units across all platforms by 2018.

18. Satisfactory – 1.3 million copies

Satisfactory is a factory simulation game created by Coffee Stain Studios. It is a 3D first-person open-world exploration and factory building game that allows players to use a handful of tools to harvest natural resources and construct factories. The game has been a commercial success after the developer made it available for early access in March 2019. As of July 2020, the game has sold over 1.3 million copies worldwide.

19. Undertale – 1.3 million copies

Undertale is a 2D role-playing video game created by Toby Fox, an indie developer. The developer released the game for Microsoft Windows and OS X in 2015. But it was also ported to other platforms, including Linux, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.

In 2015, Undertale became one of the best-selling games on Steam, with over 530,000 copies sold. It then surpassed one million units by the end of 2016. However, its current figures remain unknown, with Steamspy estimating between two and five million owners.

20. Untitled Goose Game – 1 million copies

Untitled Goose Game is a puzzle stealth game released in 2019. The game is available on many gaming platforms, including Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. In gameplay, a player has to control a goose and use its abilities to manipulate objects. At the end of 2019, Untitled Goose Game had sold over one million copies across all gaming platforms.

Some of the best selling indie games of all time include Minecraft, Rocket League, Terraira, Human Fall Flat, and Castle Crashers. Minecraft ceased to be an indie game after Microsoft acquired it in 2014. But since its initial release, the game has sold over 200 million copies worldwide. Other games that have enjoyed commercial success include Among Us (15 million copies), Fall Guys (11 million copies), and Limbo (six million copies).

Tuko.co.ke shared an article about the top 15 action games you should download. Action games are known to be heart-thumping, finger moving and an easy way to test one’s wits and flexes. They are categorised into fighting, shooting, and adventure among others.

Action games are a good source of entertainment. However, to find the creme de la creme can be tasking due to their massive collection on Play Store. If you love playing games, then you don’t have to worry about which to download and which one not to. The action games listed will sort your dilemma.

Source: TUKO.co.ke

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