Chris Trottier on Nostr: Mobygames has a list of all video game platforms, and it’s ordered by how many ...
Mobygames has a list of all video game platforms, and it’s ordered by how many games are in their library. It’s truly eye-opening.
Here’s the 10 platforms with largest library in descending order, along with commentary – although I’m not going to count “Windows Apps” because that platform is still Windows.
10. Android - 10,930 games
I find this hard to believe. There are 3.3 million apps on Android. Proportionally, there must be more games.
9. iPad - 11,101 games
It shocks me that iPad would have more games than Android.
8. LInux - 11,365 games
How does Linux have that many games with native compatibility? And no, this does not count Windows games playable through Proton.
7. iPhone - 11,728 games
Frankly, I don’t believe this. This has to be a fraction of all the games released on iPhone. Especially since there are 2 million apps on iPhone.
6. Nintendo Switch - 12,465 games
I believe this is accurate because Switch is now six-years-old, and a good portion of the library are downloadable indie games ported from PC.
5. PlayStation 3 - 15,149 games
I find this believable because, again, downloadable indie games. What surprises me, though, is that PS3 has a bigger library than Xbox 360 – which didn’t crack the top 20.
4. Xbox One - 16,635 games
Believable because, again, downloadable indie games.
3. PlayStation 4 - 22,818 games
Also believable.
2. Macintosh - 24,027 games
Now I couldn’t believe that Mac has the 2nd largest game library of all time – especially since so many people complain about its small library. However, Mac games have been made since 1984, and it’s the oldest platform on this list. There’s a caveat here, though. So much of the Mac’s game library is inaccessible because Apple keeps making drastic changes to the hardware and operating system. Even games made 10 years ago are not compatible on modern Macs. So the real story here are all the Mac games – some of them exclusives – that are now completely unplayable.
1. Windows - 80,119 games
I knew Windows was going to be at the top of this list – there was no question. However, I also know that this number is severely undercounted. For example, on Steam alone, there are around 130,000 games listed. But also, there’s lots of games that aren’t sold on Steam. There’s lots of games on GOG.com and itch.io as well. There are games you can out of print and aren’t being legally sold anymore, such as Lost Planet. I, personally, own several PC games that don’t have an entry on MobyGames.
For me, the biggest shocker is that Linux has more games made natively for it than Android. I’m kind of skeptical of this.
Here’s the 10 platforms with largest library in descending order, along with commentary – although I’m not going to count “Windows Apps” because that platform is still Windows.
10. Android - 10,930 games
I find this hard to believe. There are 3.3 million apps on Android. Proportionally, there must be more games.
9. iPad - 11,101 games
It shocks me that iPad would have more games than Android.
8. LInux - 11,365 games
How does Linux have that many games with native compatibility? And no, this does not count Windows games playable through Proton.
7. iPhone - 11,728 games
Frankly, I don’t believe this. This has to be a fraction of all the games released on iPhone. Especially since there are 2 million apps on iPhone.
6. Nintendo Switch - 12,465 games
I believe this is accurate because Switch is now six-years-old, and a good portion of the library are downloadable indie games ported from PC.
5. PlayStation 3 - 15,149 games
I find this believable because, again, downloadable indie games. What surprises me, though, is that PS3 has a bigger library than Xbox 360 – which didn’t crack the top 20.
4. Xbox One - 16,635 games
Believable because, again, downloadable indie games.
3. PlayStation 4 - 22,818 games
Also believable.
2. Macintosh - 24,027 games
Now I couldn’t believe that Mac has the 2nd largest game library of all time – especially since so many people complain about its small library. However, Mac games have been made since 1984, and it’s the oldest platform on this list. There’s a caveat here, though. So much of the Mac’s game library is inaccessible because Apple keeps making drastic changes to the hardware and operating system. Even games made 10 years ago are not compatible on modern Macs. So the real story here are all the Mac games – some of them exclusives – that are now completely unplayable.
1. Windows - 80,119 games
I knew Windows was going to be at the top of this list – there was no question. However, I also know that this number is severely undercounted. For example, on Steam alone, there are around 130,000 games listed. But also, there’s lots of games that aren’t sold on Steam. There’s lots of games on GOG.com and itch.io as well. There are games you can out of print and aren’t being legally sold anymore, such as Lost Planet. I, personally, own several PC games that don’t have an entry on MobyGames.
For me, the biggest shocker is that Linux has more games made natively for it than Android. I’m kind of skeptical of this.