It might be the best-selling game of all time in the United States, but that doesn’t mean Call of Duty: Black Ops is the highest-grossing game of all time. That honor belongs to another Activision game, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.
That’s according to the U.S.-focused NPD Group, although those numbers only account for sales since 1995. It also doesn’t take inflation into account, or the fact that new games cost more now than they have in previous generations. Guitar Hero III’s higher price — thanks to its packed-in guitar — are to thank for its life-to-date sales of $830.9 million. However, Black Ops is primed to overtake it. After less than five months on store shelves, it stands at $787.4 million.
Neither figure includes digital sales like downloadable songs or maps, which would inflate both games’ numbers. EA recently claimed NPD data is a misrepresentation of the industry due to its focus on physical sales at retail. Were digital taken into account, you can bet World of Warcraft would have made the top ten.
