The Most Popular Video Game Franchises of All Time

To mention that there is large cash in video video games would in all probability be a little bit of an irony, with the business producing masses of billions of greenbacks every and once a year. A vital percentage of this cash comes from microtransactions and cellular video games, however conventional online game gross sales nonetheless play the most important position within the business’s runaway luck.

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The ten Largest Gaming Franchises, Ranked Via Quantity Of Titles

Some gaming franchises are so large that they vary from 20 to 100+ entries. Those are those with probably the most titles.

The most productive-selling online game franchises have bought masses of tens of millions of copies over time; producing billions of greenbacks for his or her respective publishers and builders within the procedure. Unsurprisingly, a lot of the most well liked online game sequence additionally occur to be probably the most longest-running, as, typically the longer a sequence is round, the extra sequels and spin-offs get launched.

Up to date September 12, 2024, through Tom Bowen: Probably the most a success online game franchises have bought billions of copies between them and feature been accountable for probably the most perfect video video games of all time. They have constantly introduced up innovation and creativity that has in flip long past directly to encourage numerous others, serving to to form and outline the business and lots of the genres that it is created from. Their reputation is unequalled and their have an effect on is immeasurable, thus explaining their standing because the best-selling online game sequence of all time.

12 Sonic the Hedgehog

160 Million+ Gross sales (June 1991 – Provide)

Sonic will have fallen off somewhat lately, however there was once as soon as a time when Sega’s blue blur was once ready to move toe-to-toe with Mario. That is in all probability evidenced through the truth that round part of the sequence’ general gross sales may also be attributed to the primary two Sonic video games, that have bought round 50 and 25 million copies respectively over time.

Since then, Sonic 3 & Knuckles is the one recreation to have cleared ten million devices, even supposing the 2 Sonic Journey video games for the Sega Dreamcast each got here shut, as too did 2017’s Sonic Mania. The enduring hedgehog nonetheless stays fashionable regardless of this decline in gross sales although, having controlled to search out nice luck at the silver display screen lately.

11 Ultimate Fable

185 Million+ Gross sales (December 1987 – Provide)

Hironobu Sakaguchi’s Ultimate Fable franchise has had a profound have an effect on at the JRPG style. It is impressed numerous different titles over time and performed an enormous position within the style’s upward thrust in reputation on Western shores. With this in thoughts, it will have to come as no wonder to be told that it is probably the most best-selling online game franchises of all time.

Ultimate Fable 10 and its 2003 sequel make up a good portion of the franchise’s gross sales, with greater than 20 million devices shipped between them. The sequence’ 7th, 8th, and 13th installments have additionally confirmed well-liked by avid gamers, having shipped neatly over 40 million copies mixed as soon as remakes, remasters, and rereleases are taken under consideration.

10 Murderer’s Creed

200 Million+ Gross sales (November 2007 – Provide)

For the reason that lots of the best-selling online game franchises were round since sooner than the flip of the century, for Murderer’s Creed to have shifted greater than 200 million devices since its 2007 debut is relatively the fulfillment. In fact, it unquestionably is helping that – together with spin-offs – the sequence has averaged simply shy of 2 new titles a yr since the first actual Murderer’s Creed recreation.

Relating to the best-selling Murderer’s Creed video games, there are a few other contenders for the highest spot. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag bought round 15 million copies, whilst in early 2022, Ubisoft published that Murderer’s Creed Valhalla had generated over one billion bucks in shopper earnings. Alternatively, it stays unclear how a lot DLC and microtransactions figured into this quantity.

9 The Sims

200 Million+ Gross sales (February 2000 – Provide)

For The Sims to have racked up over 200 million gross sales is an excellent feat certainly, particularly when one considers that there have best been 4 mainline titles. It is price noting although that this determine does seem to incorporate gross sales of the numerous expansions which were launched over time, with The Sims 4 lately sitting at 14 and counting.

In relation to the best-selling Sims video games, The Sims 4 surpassed 20 million avid gamers in early 2020, making it the most-played name within the franchise’s wealthy historical past. In 2nd position sits the sequence’ first actual installment, which is believed to have bought round 11 million copies, with the opposite two Sims video games having introduced in round 13 million gross sales between them.

8 LEGO

200 Million+ Gross sales (September 1997 – Provide)

Despite the fact that there were one or two large dealers, the luck of LEGO video video games is extra to do with energy in numbers than it’s person brilliance. There were greater than 100 LEGO video games because the flip of the century, starting from cheesy cellular titles to approved video games in keeping with probably the most international’s greatest media IPs.

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In combination, LEGO video games are estimated to have bought greater than 200 million copies, with approved video games making up an important percentage of this quantity. A few of the maximum a success houses are LEGO Celebrity Wars, LEGO Indiana Jones, and LEGO Batman, which, between them, have shifted neatly over 50 million devices over time.

7 Minecraft

350 Million+ Gross sales (November 2011 – Provide)

In addition to being probably the most best-selling online game franchises of all time, Minecraft additionally holds the respect of being probably the most best-selling video games. Just about all the quarter of one billion gross sales or in order that the sequence has completed may also be attributed to the influential sandbox name, with Minecraft Dungeons attracting some other 10 million avid gamers or so.

Given the massive luck of the franchise, it is no surprise that Microsoft was once prepared to phase with such a lot cash to procure Mojang in 2014, with the tech massive delivering $2.5 billion to make the deal occur. That can appear to be so much, however for the reason that the sequence has generated greater than $3 billion thru recreation gross sales by myself, maximum will most likely see this as cash neatly invested.

6 FIFA

325 Million+ Gross sales (December 1993 – September 2022)

Making an allowance for North American citizens are best simply now starting to admire the fun of soccer, the luck of EA’s FIFA franchise was once the entire extra spectacular. The sequence won annual multiplatform releases for just about 3 complete a long time, with the lion’s percentage of its 325 million-plus gross sales having come from Ecu and South American international locations.

The most productive-selling FIFA recreation is FIFA 18, which bought greater than 26 million copies. There have been greater than ten FIFA video games that experience powered previous the 10 million mark although, making it simple to look the place that staggering general got here from. Alternatively, after failing to agree a brand new maintain the group from which the sequence took its identify, EA was once compelled to rebrand the franchise to EA Sports activities FC in 2023.

5 Name of Responsibility

425 Million+ Gross sales (October 2003 – Provide)

Having overwhelmed off robust pageant from the likes of Medal of Honor and Battlefield, Name of Responsibility is now extensively thought to be being the highest canine in terms of multiplayer FPS video games. Unsurprisingly, this has ended in extraordinary gross sales over time, with the franchise having shifted greater than 425 million devices since its 2003 debut.

Of the 12 Name of Responsibility titles to have damaged throughout the 10 million unit mark, it is Name of Responsibility: Black Ops that leads the best way with an excellent 30.72 million gross sales. Name of Responsibility: Fashionable War 3 (30.71 million) and Name of Responsibility: Black Ops 2 (29.59 million) take 2nd and 3rd position respectively and assist to show simply how dominant COD was once on the top of its reputation.

4 Grand Robbery Auto

430 Million+ Gross sales (November 1997 – Provide)

Rockstar Video games apparently has the Midas contact, with with regards to the whole thing that the studio touches turning to gold. This all began with the Grand Robbery Auto sequence, which, after its fairly humble beginnings again within the nineties, has long past directly to turn out to be probably the most greatest online game franchises round.

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A vital percentage of the sequence’ 400 million-plus gross sales may also be attributed to its 5th mainline installment, with GTA 5 having bought greater than 200 million copies international within the decade or so since its preliminary free up. For the ones questioning, that is greater than two times as many because the 4 earlier mainline GTA video games controlled between them.

3 Pokemon

480 Million+ Gross sales (February 1996 – Provide)

Pokemon has generated greater than $88 billion since its inception again in 1996, making it the highest-grossing media franchise of all time through some substantial margin. It falls a way in need of being the best-selling online game sequence although, with Pokemon video games best accounting for a small percentage of the franchise’s total earnings.

In general, Pokemon has shifted greater than 480 million devices, with the Gen 1 titles accounting for round 31 million of those. Pokemon Sword & Protect are available 2nd position with 25 million gross sales, whilst Gold & Silver take the bronze with 23 million. Scarlet & Violet (20.61 million) don’t seem to be too a long way at the back of although and can most likely finally end up breaking into the highest 3 sooner than all is alleged and completed.

2 Tetris

490 Million+ Gross sales (November 1987 – Provide)

Given its many rereleases and the truth that copies of Tetris have been steadily bundled with the unique Recreation Boy, it is simple to look how the name has gathered greater than 70 million bodily gross sales over time. Alternatively, the sport’s luck as a paid cellular app might come as a wonder to many, with experiences suggesting that greater than 425 million other people had bought it for his or her telephones as of 2014.

This no longer best cements Tetris‘ place because the best-selling puzzle recreation of all time but in addition makes it one of the fashionable online game franchises thus far. Its easy but addictive gameplay stays undying even nowadays and inventive reimaginings like Tetris Impact: Hooked up have helped it to stay quite related regardless of many a long time having now handed since its preliminary free up.

1 Mario

875 Million+ Gross sales (September 1985 – Provide)

It mustn’t come as an excessive amount of of a wonder to be told that Mario is the best-selling online game franchise of all time. Its 879 million unit gross sales position it neatly forward of the closest contender and are strengthened through quite a lot of vastly a success spin-off sequence, which come with Mario Kart, Mario Phase y, and Mario Sports activities.

Those 3 sequence by myself have collected round 300 million gross sales, although the majority of the franchise’s profits come from the mainline Tremendous Mario titles themselves. Tremendous Mario Bros. (40.4 million) and New Tremendous Mario Bros. (30.8 million) are a few of the best-selling Mario video games, although it is if truth be told Mario Kart 8 that leads the best way with over 70 million gross sales.