For many generations, board games have proven to be one of the most enjoyable pastimes, providing a blend of strategy and competition for players of all ages and experiences.
By the end of 2027, global revenues for the board game industry are projected to be worth $4.84 billion, with a total market value of $12 billion. From ancient classics to household-friendly, contemporary additions, the world’s best-selling board games are a testament to a board game’s ability to bring people together.
Although the digital revolution has broadened the entertainment horizons for many, there’s an enduring pull towards iconic board games. Whether it’s a sense of nostalgia or their refreshingly simple gameplay, board games have still managed to stand the test of time in the 21st century. Below, we celebrate the X best-selling board games in the world to date.
Scrabble
Scrabble is just as old as Monopoly, having reached households from 1938. This word creation game is aimed at the cunning linguists around the world, with players racking up more points for the most obscure words created using their tiles. Scrabble has since become a fun way for people to test their vocabularies, which explains why it’s managed to sell over 150 million units of the game worldwide.
Digital spin-off versions and even competitive real-world Scrabble tournaments have followed in more recent years, offering good, old-fashioned wordplay.
Monopoly
Monopoly is the ‘daddy’ of all classic board games, not just from a commercial perspective. It’s successfully transcended multiple generations and made a success of itself in digital formats too. It’s shifted more than 250 million units worldwide, with many households adoring a session of Monopoly, with this property trading game bringing out everyone’s competitive streak.
Monopoly has also diversified into the world of iGaming in recent years, with its officially licensed wheel-based studio game becoming one of the most popular live gameshows in regulated iGaming markets.
Cluedo
Fans of murder mysteries should note that most events have been inspired by the success of the board game, Cluedo. Marketed as “Clue” in some areas of the world, Cluedo is a simple multiplayer game where players must use their detective skills to solve a murder mystery, deducing the culprit, weapon and location of the murder.
Several of the Cluedo characters have gone on to become iconic names in the world of board gaming, including the likes of Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlett and Professor Plum. Cluedo has shifted more than 150 million copies of the board game globally, cementing it as a cultural touchstone across multiple generations of players.
The Game of Life
Established and released in 1960, The Game of Life is one of those ideal favourites for all ages in a household. It requires very little skill or strategy, with the roll of a dice determining your career and life chances within the game.
The Game of Life has become a popular educational game board, where parents can showcase the different paths of life in a less serious manner. It’s shifted more than 50 million units worldwide, with its charm clearly lying in the relatable experiences it portrays.
Chess
Although we don’t have any commercial figures to reinforce the view of Chess as a corporate success, it’s said that there are more than 600 million chess players worldwide. The bulk of whom must surely have purchased a chess set of some shape or form. Chess is one of the most intellectually stimulating board games of all time, with deep strategy required to plan ahead and outwit opponents.
Chess’ board game cousin, checkers, should also receive an honourable mention. With players moving pieces diagonally on an 8×8 checkerboard to ‘capture’ opponents’ playing pieces, checkers is another strategy-based board game. However, it doesn’t have quite the depth or complexity of chess which appeases most casual board gamers.
