Skyrim and The Witcher 3 have each reached sales of 65 million copies, a milestone that underlines the extraordinary and enduring commercial success of both role-playing games years after their original releases. However, CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 3 achieved this figure in a shorter period than Bethesda's Skyrim, highlighting the strength of its continued sales through re-releases, ports and word-of-mouth popularity even as it faces stiffer competition in the RPG market.

Skyrim was originally released in 2011 and has since been re-released on multiple platforms, including a Special Edition and Anniversary Edition, helping it rack up sales over roughly a decade and a half. The Witcher 3, launched in 2015, reached the same 65 million sales mark in less time, aided by strong ports to newer consoles, a Netflix adaptation boosting interest in the franchise, and next-gen updates. The comparison illustrates how CD Projekt Red has managed to sustain and accelerate sales momentum more quickly than Bethesda did with its flagship title.