by The biggest video game companies are constantly working to stay on top of gaming trends and technology. They develop games that appeal to gamers across the globe with immersive worlds and captivating stories.
EA has been around since 1982 and is known for their sports games like FIFA. They also developed some underrated classics like Rare’s Banjo Kazooie and Goldeneye 007!
1. Electronic Arts
Unlike some of the other video game companies on this list, Electronic Arts deviates from most of the market by manufacturing and releasing software that can be used by different hardware like video games consoles, PCs, laptops, and desktop computers. This allowed them to adapt to the changing gaming market and quickly release games that are compatible with the most popular hardware.
Its big names include Madden NFL, FIFA, Battlefield, The Sims, and Apex Legends. They also have a large number of massively multiplayer online role-playing games including Guild Wars and Lineage. These “live services” as EA dubs them accounted for 59% of their total revenue last year.
2. Ubisoft
The world-class games developed by Ubisoft are wildly popular with millions of players. Founded more than 30 years ago in France, this video game publisher is known for the Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s series, Rayman, and Watch Dogs franchises.
The company’s story is an example of how a dedicated team can build one of the most celebrated gaming companies in the world. Brothers Christian, Claude, Michel, and Gerard Guillemot started the business as a reseller of computer components in the small region of Brittany.
The business grew through the Guillemots’ hard work and by hiring talented self-taught and schooled developers.
3. Sony
Ubisoft is another big name in the gaming industry with popular franchises such as Far Cry and Assassin’s Creed. Their revenue was up in 2022 thanks to the re-release of the Ezio Collection and DLC sales for both the recent Assassin’s Creed games.
Sony’s PlayStation console line has been one of the most successful video game hardware and software in history. It has made Sony a gaming pillar that also has successful multimedia ventures in the movie and TV world.
Sega may be known for their Sonic the Hedgehog and Tekken games but their current success is mainly based on the massively multiplayer online role-playing games like Guild Wars, Lineage, and Aion. This is thanks to the company’s Unreal Engine which is widely used by other developers.
4. Nintendo
Nintendo was originally founded in 1889 as a maker of hand-drawn pictorial playing cards for the game Hanafuda. The company eventually pivoted to producing home video game consoles starting in 1977 with the Color TV Game series. They went on to produce numerous types of handheld consoles as well including the Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and Game Cube series.
Their success led to more competition and, by the mid-90s, they faced significant market pressure from new entrants such as Sega and Sony. This resulted in a shift from traditional disk-based consoles to digital downloads and subscription models.
5. Bethesda
Bethesda Softworks was founded in 1986 in Bethesda, Maryland, to see if the computer gaming industry could sustain a viable business. Its first game was a physics-based sports simulation called Gridiron!, which was well-received by the gaming press.
In 1994, the company released The Elder Scrolls: Arena, which launched the popular role-playing video games series. Several sequels followed.
In 2004, the company bought Interplay Entertainment and its Fallout franchise for one million dollars. Afterwards, Bethesda took over development of the series from the company and has published five downloadable content packs. The studio also worked on a Fallout MMO project that was shelved in 2009. In 2020, Bethesda opened MachineGames, a developer known for their story-driven shooters.
6. Capcom
Founded in 1984, Capcom has developed many popular franchises like Street Fighter, Mega Man, Devil May Cry, and Monster Hunter. The company is known for pushing technical and creative limits with its games.
Their first game was Vulgus, a vertical scrolling shooter, which launched them to video game stardom in Japan. They moved to home consoles with the success of their arcade games in the mid-eighties, and then began targeting global markets after the release of the NES port of 1942 in 1985.
Their best-selling series is Resident Evil, and they also have the Monster Hunter and Dragon’s Dogma games. In addition to their in-house teams, they also contract outside development studios for specific projects.
7. Sony
Sony (, Soni GurupuZhu Shikabushiki Gjutsu / , SOH-nee) is one of the biggest video game companies in the world thanks to its PlayStation console series. The company also publishes a huge number of first-party games and has a strong presence in the mobile gaming market.
The makers of modern classics such as Assassin’s Creed and League of Legends have a healthy $7.2 billion in revenue thanks to their high-quality PC titles and esports gaming. This is the only company on the list that has a business that is not solely dedicated to gaming. The company focuses on creating graphically rich and story-centric games for gamers to enjoy.
8. Tencent
Tencent has been aggressively acquiring Western video game companies over the past few years. It has a piece of both Fortnite and PUBG, the two dominant battle royales in the industry, as well as a stake in the company behind Call of Duty, Blizzard.
They also have financial stakes in other big-name gaming companies, including Riot Games and Epic Games. In a bid to get into the AAA console and PC space, they have studios in both Los Angeles and Seattle. They are known for making a lot of free-to-play mobile games that rely on monetization rather than a traditional subscription model.
9. Nexon
One of the pioneers of the Free to Play model, Nexon makes a lot of money off its online games. The company has developed popular franchises like Dungeon and Fighter, MapleStory, Sudden Attack, and KartRider.
The company also has a foothold in MMORPGs with titles like Guild Wars and Lineage. In February 2022, it was reported by Bloomberg that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund had purchased a little more than 5% of Capcom and Nexon, reportedly worth $883 million, while American investment organization KKR acquired an 8.5% stake.
The company is best known for its Unreal game development engine, which is used by a number of game developers worldwide. It has a number of different gaming studios that help it create its games, including Psyonix and Harmonix.
