The Devil May Cry series is known for its over-the-top action and intense gameplay. In each of these games, players fight against powerful demons and prevent world-ending events, dishing out stylish attacks and snarky-yet-endearing dialogue. To date, the series has reached a total of five mainline entries with an experimental reboot title that changed the tone of the franchise drastically. It’s interesting to see how the series has changed as well as what exactly led to it changing so much. That’s why this article will take a look at all Devil May Cry games ranked by copies sold.
All information was taken from Capcom’s Platinum Titles list. Mainline games will be grouped together with their Special Editions, but the HD Collection will not be included on this list due to mostly being a simple port of the original three games.
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All Games in the Devil May Cry Series Ranked by Copies Sold
- 6. Devil May Cry 2
- 5. Devil May Cry
- 4. Devil May Cry 3
- 3. DmC Devil May Cry
- 2. Devil May Cry 4
- 1. Devil May Cry 5
6. Devil May Cry 2 — 1.7 Million Copies Sold
This sequel to the original Devil May Cry is infamous for its rushed production and poor design choices. Even with its introduction of mechanics that would be used later down the line, the actual gameplay of Devil May Cry 2 was simply abysmal. It can be nearly impossible to get good rankings for stylish combos, and many fights can simply be won by blindly firing bullets at everything. The plot of this game is barely connected to any title before or after it, as even Devil May Cry 4 and 5 almost completely ignore its events. It’s no wonder why this title performed so poorly in the end, making it the worst-selling game of the franchise — and possibly the least-enjoyed, as well.
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5. Devil May Cry — 2.16 Million Copies Sold
Notably, the very first Devil May Cry was directed by Hideki Kamiya, current vice-president of PlatinumGames. In many ways, this made it the predecessor to countless other stylish action games, and it set a great deal of groundwork to make the most of it. Puzzle-solving and exploration were two features mixed with the level-based action combat of the franchise, providing an incredibly unique experience. This would be retained in certain future entries, even if many of them would send players down more linear roads.
All other Devil May Cry games are built around this one. From Dante and his twin brother Vergil to the ever-present threat of Mundus and the power of Sparda, some of the most important elements to the franchise’s lore began here. Though its gameplay is quite unrefined in comparison to future entries, the original Devil May Cry is a must-play for anyone invested in the stories and characters from this series.
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4. Devil May Cry 3 — ~2.3 Million Total Copies Sold
If the first game was the one to establish the franchise’s lore, Devil May Cry 3 was the one to establish its tone and gameplay. The additional “styles” gave Dante a moveset that was truly unique, allowing him to choose between quick dodges, careful parries, or expanded attacking moves. Bosses were more intense and varied than ever, with the showdowns against Vergil being some of the most beloved battles in the whole series. To top it all off, the story, music, and characters were more phenomenal than ever before, ensuring the series would continue on with millions of fans at its side.
Devil May Cry 3 was the first game to feature a Special Edition. This added some quality-of-life features alongside Vergil as a new playable character. Such “enhanced” packages would become a staple of future entries in the series, from the additional features to the inclusion of Vergil — even in the controversial reboot.
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3. DmC: Devil May Cry — ~4 Million Total Copies Sold
DmC is a reboot of the Devil May Cry franchise. On one hand, this has led to redesigned and refined gameplay, providing foundations that Devil May Cry 5 would build on. Unfortunately, this also led to a drastic shift in tone, with the entirety of the game featuring grotesque character designs, profanity, and even jabs at fans of previous entries. It’s actually quite easy to make connections between it and many other mean-spirited reboots found in the modern era, turning many fans off from the game before they even decided to try it.
While pretty much all other games in the franchise had lower sales for their Special Editions, DmC’s “Definitive Edition” ended up with perhaps the worst drop-off of any game barring Devil May Cry 5. Its overall sales went from around 2.8 million to just 1.2, a bigger gap than 3’s and 4’s combined. It goes to show that even if you have a solid game to make a reboot out of, it won’t go very far if it doesn’t appeal to fans of the original.
2. Devil May Cry 4 — ~5.1 Million Total Copies Sold
Devil May Cry 4 sought to expand Dante’s family in some unique ways. The game introduces Nero, a hotheaded fighter with demonic powers and connections to the power of Sparda. His unique powers gave a bit of variety to the game’s combat, even without considering the improvements to Dante’s Styles and brand-new weapons found throughout the story. The game had some questionable design through its use of puzzles and backtracking, but up until the release of 5, Devil May Cry 4 was arguably the best title you’d find from the franchise.
This game also had a Special Edition, including not just Vergil but Trish and Lady as playable characters too. There were also some interesting story additions hinting at Nero’s origins and overall connections to the Sparda family. Even players that don’t care about the gameplay improvements will be pleased with the Special Edition as a result, satiating their hunger for some deeper world-building.
1. Devil May Cry 5 — ~6.1 Million Copies Sold
Devil May Cry 5 is, in many ways, the culmination of everything in the franchise up until its release. Characters from 4, the over-the-top tone from 3, and even gameplay improvements from DmC are all present here, creating an exciting experience from start to finish. Players have access to more attacks alongside classic weapons and can even face bosses that call back to previous games, with everything coming to an end as a returning character is reestablished in the franchise’s lore. Devil May Cry 5 isn’t just a must-play for long-time fans; it’s something every action game fan should try for themselves.
Devil May Cry 5 also received a Special Edition featuring Vergil, but this edition wasn’t released on PC. Instead, Vergil was added as a separate DLC purchase. Possibly as a result of this odd method of release, there is no sales data on the Special Edition of this game. It’s still worth checking out if you have a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X or S, but PC players can always mod the game as they have for many others.
Final Thoughts
Devil May Cry has only managed to improve in terms of mechanics as the series went on. While it had some dips in story — partially thanks to the reboot — it seems to have found its own identity as of the latest release. Should another game in the series be released soon, it has the potential to top all of its predecessors. One can only hope Capcom will realize that potential when that time comes.
