Video games have become one of the biggest forms of entertainment in the world, attracting millions of players across consoles, PCs and mobile devices.

But identifying the “most played” games is not as simple as creating one universal ranking. Different platforms and research companies measure popularity in different ways, including monthly active users, concurrent players, downloads, sales and hours watched through livestreaming platforms.

For this reason, the list below should be viewed as a 2022 snapshot of some of the world’s most popular and widely played video games, rather than an official universal ranking. Different datasets can produce different results depending on the measurement used.

For example, data.ai’s 2022 mobile-game data ranked Roblox first worldwide by monthly active users, followed by Candy Crush Saga and Free Fire, while a separate analysis of streaming viewership placed Grand Theft Auto V and League of Legends at the top. [oai_citation:1‡Visual Capitalist Elements](https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/dataai__state_of_mobile_2023__en.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

How We Are Looking at the 2022 Rankings

Instead of treating one statistic as the definitive answer, this article looks at major games that had significant player communities, commercial popularity, competitive activity or online visibility during 2022.

This distinction is important because a game can have millions of active mobile users without being one of the most watched games on Twitch or YouTube. Likewise, a game can dominate livestreaming without having the largest total player base.

10

Candy Crush Saga

Candy Crush Saga remained one of the world’s most recognisable mobile games in 2022. Developed by King, the match-three puzzle game has maintained a huge global audience since its original release.

Data.ai’s 2022 mobile-game rankings placed Candy Crush Saga among the leading games worldwide by monthly active users and also among the top games by consumer spending. [oai_citation:2‡Visual Capitalist Elements](https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/dataai__state_of_mobile_2023__en.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

The game’s simple controls, large number of levels and free-to-play model helped it remain accessible to a broad range of players.

9

Clash of Clans

Clash of Clans is a long-running mobile strategy game developed by Supercell. Players build villages, train armies, join clans and compete against other players.

The game has also developed a major competitive scene, with international tournaments and a dedicated esports community.

Data.ai’s worldwide 2022 mobile-game data placed Clash of Clans among the leading mobile titles by monthly active users, demonstrating the game’s continued reach years after its original release. [oai_citation:3‡Visual Capitalist Elements](https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/dataai__state_of_mobile_2023__en.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

8

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, commonly known as CS:GO, was one of the most influential competitive first-person shooters of its era.

The game pits two teams against each other in objective-based matches, with the Terrorist and Counter-Terrorist sides taking different roles depending on the game mode.

CS:GO also had a huge competitive ecosystem, making it one of the most important esports titles of the 2020s. In 2022, it recorded a peak of more than one million concurrent players on Steam, demonstrating its enormous PC gaming community. [oai_citation:4‡Everyeye Videogiochi](https://www.everyeye.it/notizie/videogiochi-giocati-2022-gta-5-minecraft-apex-legends-612231.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

7

League of Legends

League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena developed and published by Riot Games.

In the standard game mode, two teams of five players choose champions with different abilities and attempt to destroy the opposing team’s Nexus while defending their own base.

League of Legends has also become one of the world’s biggest esports titles. A 2022 analysis of livestreaming platforms found that League of Legends generated approximately 1.77 billion hours watched across Twitch, YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming during the year. [oai_citation:5‡Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattgardner1/2023/02/09/here-are-the-ten-most-popular-games-for-streamers-in-2022/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

The game’s enormous competitive scene and long-term player community have helped it remain one of the most influential PC games in the world.

6

Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V remained one of the biggest games in the world years after its original release.

The game combines an expansive open-world environment with a single-player campaign and the highly successful Grand Theft Auto Online multiplayer experience.

Its fictional version of Southern California provides players with cities, beaches, mountains, businesses and numerous activities to explore.

GTA V was particularly dominant in gaming livestreams during 2022. Forbes reported that the game generated approximately 1.82 billion hours of watched gameplay across Twitch, YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming during the year, making it the most-watched game in that particular ranking. [oai_citation:6‡Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattgardner1/2023/02/09/here-are-the-ten-most-popular-games-for-streamers-in-2022/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

5

Apex Legends

Apex Legends is a free-to-play battle royale and hero shooter developed by Respawn Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts.

The game places players in squads where they select different Legends, each with unique abilities, before competing against other teams.

Apex Legends had a strong competitive and streaming presence throughout 2022. A year-end streaming analysis placed it fourth among the most-watched games across Twitch, YouTube Gaming and Facebook Gaming, with approximately 845.3 million hours watched. [oai_citation:7‡Forbes](https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattgardner1/2023/02/09/here-are-the-ten-most-popular-games-for-streamers-in-2022/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

4

Call of Duty: Mobile

Call of Duty: Mobile brought the popular Call of Duty franchise to smartphones and tablets, combining familiar multiplayer modes with a battle royale experience.

The game supports competitive multiplayer matches and allows players to experience several elements associated with the wider Call of Duty franchise on mobile devices.

Its global reach was particularly significant in mobile gaming. Data.ai’s 2022 data placed Call of Duty: Mobile among the games with a large worldwide monthly active-user base. [oai_citation:8‡Frontiers](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/computer-science/articles/10.3389/fcomp.2024.1378796/full?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

The original article listed several other Call of Duty titles here, but they were separate games rather than different versions of Call of Duty: Mobile. They have therefore not been presented as part of the game’s own features.

3

PUBG: Battlegrounds

PUBG: Battlegrounds is one of the games that helped establish the modern battle royale genre.

Players enter a large map, search for equipment and weapons, and fight to survive while the playable area gradually becomes smaller.

The game is available across multiple platforms and has developed a huge international community.

Research comparing major games by average monthly players has placed PUBG: Battlegrounds among the most widely played titles globally, although the exact figures vary depending on the source and measurement method. [oai_citation:9‡Frontiers](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/computer-science/articles/10.3389/fcomp.2024.1378796/full?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

2

Fortnite

Fortnite became one of the biggest names in gaming by combining battle royale gameplay with frequent updates, social experiences and a constantly changing virtual environment.

Fortnite offers several experiences, including Battle Royale, Creative and other player-focused modes. Its live-service approach means that the game can change significantly over time through new seasons, features, collaborations and events.

Its popularity extended well beyond traditional gaming. Fortnite became deeply connected with mainstream entertainment through collaborations with musicians, film characters, sports personalities and other major cultural figures.

Different 2022 datasets demonstrate just how large Fortnite’s audience was. Research on major games by player counts placed Fortnite among the biggest games globally, while other datasets recorded it among the leading mobile-related gaming brands where applicable. [oai_citation:10‡Frontiers](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/computer-science/articles/10.3389/fcomp.2024.1378796/full?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

1

Minecraft

Minecraft is a sandbox video game that gives players an enormous amount of freedom to explore, gather resources, build structures and create their own experiences.

Its flexibility is one of the major reasons for its long-term popularity. Players can enjoy survival gameplay, creative building, exploration, multiplayer experiences and other community-created activities.

Minecraft has remained one of the world’s most commercially successful and widely recognised video games. It has also maintained a huge audience across multiple platforms.

In Microsoft’s 2022 Xbox gameplay data, Minecraft ranked as the most-played game on Xbox during the year, ahead of Fortnite and Grand Theft Auto V. The ranking was based on a large Xbox player dataset and therefore represents Xbox activity rather than the entire global gaming market. [oai_citation:11‡TrueAchievements](https://www.trueachievements.com/n52489/most-played-xbox-games-2022?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Why These Rankings Can Change Depending on the Data

It is worth repeating that there was no single official global list that could definitively determine the “most played video game of 2022.”

For example, Microsoft’s Xbox-specific data ranked Minecraft first among its players in 2022, while a streaming-hours analysis placed Grand Theft Auto V first and League of Legends second. Meanwhile, data.ai’s mobile data produced a different ranking based on monthly active users. [oai_citation:12‡TrueAchievements](https://www.trueachievements.com/n52489/most-played-xbox-games-2022?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

These differences do not necessarily mean that one source is wrong. They are measuring different things.

The Most Important Takeaway

The biggest games of 2022 were successful for different reasons. Some built enormous mobile communities, others dominated competitive gaming, while others attracted millions of viewers through livestreaming platforms.

Games such as Minecraft, Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto V, League of Legends, PUBG and Call of Duty demonstrate how different genres can achieve enormous global audiences.

Final Thoughts

The gaming industry continued to demonstrate its enormous global reach in 2022, with established franchises attracting players across mobile devices, PCs and consoles.

While there is no single measurement that can determine the definitive top 10 games worldwide, the titles discussed in this article were among the most recognisable and widely played games associated with the year.

Ultimately, what makes a game “the best” is subjective. A competitive player may prefer League of Legends or CS:GO, a mobile gamer may choose Candy Crush or Call of Duty: Mobile, while someone looking for creative freedom may prefer Minecraft.

Which Game Was Your Favourite in 2022?

Did your favourite game make our list? Which title do you think deserved the number-one position? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Thanks for Reading.

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