Video game franchises that stand the test of time to deliver hit after hit are a rare breed. But the most successful ones keep players coming back year after year, release after release, amassing huge profits along the way.
After analyzing historical sales data and researching franchise histories, I‘ve compiled a ranking of the 10 most profitable video game franchises ever based on total copies sold. These long-running series demonstrate the immense earning power tied to intellectual properties that continue to evolve while retaining the core elements that fans love.
Let‘s explore what catapulted these iconic video game franchises to the top of the profitability charts.
#10: The Sims
Kicking off the list is The Sims, the famed life and social simulation franchise published by Electronic Arts. The initial Sims game release in February 2000 built upon concept originally envisioned by game designer Will Wright in the 1980s.
| First Release | The Sims (February 4th, 2000) |
| Latest Release | The Sims 4: Growing Together (March 16th, 2023) |
| Available Platforms | PC, Mobile, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One |
| Genre | Simulation |
| Copies Sold | 200 million |
The Sims pioneered letting players control virtual people in houses and neighborhoods they designed. The franchise popularized the "sandbox" style of gameplay where open-ended creativity takes priority over predefined objectives.
Over 200 million copies sold later, The Sims retains immense appeal as a playground for designing dream homes and guiding characters through careers, relationships and daily life. It‘s the best selling PC gaming franchise ever.
#9: LEGO Games
Beloved children‘s construction toy LEGO entered the video game scene in 1995. After modest beginnings focused just on building, the LEGO game formula greatly expanded starting with 2005‘s LEGO Star Wars.
| First Release | LEGO Fun to Build (December 1995) |
| Latest Release | LEGO 2K Drive (May 19th, 2023) |
| Available Platforms | PC, Mobile, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
| Genre | Various, puzzle |
| Copies Sold | 200+ million |
Licensed LEGO video games now adapt gigantic entertainment properties like Star Wars, Marvel‘s Avengers, Jurassic World, and Harry Potter into family-friendly adventures. Gameplay blends building/construction elements with accessible action/adventure.
Top tier licenses plus LEGO‘s toy recognition propels the series to huge revenues, including over 200 million games sold. It appeals broadly to kids, parents, and adult collectors alike.
#8: Wii Series
Nintendo struck gold when it paired its motion-controlled Wii console with an iconic pack-in title in 2006: Wii Sports. This kicks off a series of mega-hit motion controlled sports, fitness and minigame collections.
| First Release | Wii Sports (November 19th, 2006) |
| Latest Release | Nintendo Switch Sports (April 29th, 2022) |
| Available Platforms | Wii, Wii U, Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | Simulation |
| Copies Sold | 207 million |
Simple motion-controlled sports gaming proved an incredible draw, and various entries in this series could be found in roughly one out of every three Wii consoles sold. The franchise successfully continued onto the Wii U console and recently the Nintendo Switch.
It‘s broad accessibility and innovative motion controls earn this series over 207 million games sold.
#7: Minecraft
One of the most influential video games ever, Minecraft began life as an indie PC game before exploding in popularity. Developer Mojang‘s open-ended sandbox creativity struck a chord with gamers of all ages.
| First Release | Minecraft (November 18th, 2011) |
| Latest Release | Minecraft Legends (April 18th, 2023) |
| Available Platforms | PC, Mobile, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Wii U, Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | Survival, sandbox |
| Copies Sold | 238 million |
Microsoft picked up Minecraft in 2014 as the game grew beyond just a traditional game. Expanding into books, LEGO sets, clothes and more, Minecraft became a massive cross-media hit. The franchise captures something timeless about unbounded creativity.
Over 238 million copies sold to date help cement Minecraft as both a powerhouse video game series and influential tool for promoting STEM skills.
#6: FIFA Soccer
EA Sports annualized FIFA soccer franchise is a sales juggernaut, dominating the association football genre since 1993. Iterating yearly allows continual updates to team rosters, gameplay and licensing.
| First Release | FIFA International Soccer (December 15th, 1993) |
| Latest Release | FIFA 23 (September 30th, 2022) |
| Available Platforms | PC, Mobile, Sega Genesis, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Portable/PlayStation Vita, Super NES, Nintendo 64, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Game Boy/Game Boy Color/Game Boy Advance, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
| Genre | Sports simulation |
| Copies Sold | 325 million |
With over 325 million games sold to date, FIFA is by far the best selling sports video game franchise ever. It enjoys strong appeal due to licensing real-world players and leagues each year and appealing to soccer fans globally.
#5: Grand Theft Auto
Rockstar Games‘ boundary-pushing Grand Theft Auto series redefined open world action games and pushed the industry to embrace mature themes. Beginning as a 2D crime-focused action game in 1997, GTA evolved into a blockbuster 3D open world franchise by 2001‘s Grand Theft Auto III.
| First Release | Grand Theft Auto (November 28th, 1997) |
| Latest Release | Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy ??? The Definitive Edition (November 11th, 2021) |
| Available Platforms | PC, Mobile, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Portable, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | Action adventure |
| Copies Sold | 395 million |
With over 395 million Grand Theft Auto games sold, it constitutes the 4th best selling video game franchise ever. Massive critical acclaim and boundary-pushing open world gameplay mixes with crime-ridden narratives to create a series that uniquely captivated mature gaming audiences.
#4: Call of Duty
Since invading homes in 2003, Activision‘s first person shooter series Call of Duty has honed quick, responsive and thrilling modern combat into an annualized sales giant. Originally exploring various 20th century wars, the series expanded into contemporary and future warfare settings.
| First Release | Call of Duty (October 29th, 2003) |
| Latest Release | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (October 28th, 2022) |
| Available Platforms | PC, Mobile, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Portable/PlayStation Vita, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, GameCube, Nintendo DS, Wii, Wii U |
| Genre | First-person shooter |
| Copies Sold | 400 million |
With well over 400 million total Call of Duty games sold, Activision found massive financial success in delivering annualized shooters with continually improving presentation, multiplayer and gameplay polish.
#3: Pok??mon
Japanese role playing game (JRPG) sensation Pok??mon incorporates collecting distinctive monsters and fantasy adventuring. The franchise encompasses video games, movies, toys and endless merchandise.
| First Release | Pocket Monsters Red & Pocket Monsters Green (February 27th, 1996) |
| Latest Release | Pok??mon Scarlet & Pok??mon Violet (November 18th, 2022) |
| Available Platforms | Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | Role-playing |
| Copies Sold | 440 million |
Pok??mon video games kicked off the multimedia phenomenon in 1996 which continues buzzing along today. An ever-growing stable of collectible Pok??mon creatures to catch and battle ensures enduring, renewed popularity with over 440 million games sold to date.
#2: Tetris
It‘s amazing that one of the biggest selling video game franchises ever is based entirely around falling tetromino shapes. Russian computer engineer Alexey Pajitnov originally programmed falling block puzzler Tetris in 1984. Publications eventually brought Tetris to western audiences on PCs and consoles by the late 1980s.
| First Release | Tetris (January 29th, 1988) |
| Latest Release | Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 (December 8th, 2020) |
| Available Platforms | PC, Mobile, Arcade, NES, Super NES, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 64, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
| Genre | Puzzle |
| Copies Sold | 495 million |
It‘s absolutely remarkable that this brainy puzzle game spanning over 30 years across countless platforms beats out so many flashy high-budget franchises. Tetris endures as one of the best selling video games ever with nearly 500 million copies sold. That cements its reputation as the second most profitable video game series in history.
#1: Mario
While not entirely surprising, Nintendo mascot Mario sits atop the list of most profitable video game franchises thanks to decades of mass appeal and top notch game design driving sales. Mario debuted alongside original arch nemesis Donkey Kong in 1981.
| First Release | Donkey Kong (July 9th, 1981) |
| Latest Release | Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope (October 20th, 2022) |
| Available Platforms | Arcade, PC, Mobile, Atari, NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Game Cube, Wii, Wii U, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | Various, platform |
| Copies Sold | 826 million |
Timeless Nintendo mascot Mario headlines over 200 games over the past 40+ years, selling an astounding 826 million copies combined. Mario led the charge in quality platformers on NES before branching out into sports, party games, RPGs and more. The franchise keeps going strong thanks to unmatched brand awareness. Mario‘s face remains synonymous with video gaming itself.
Evaluating the Top Franchises‘ Winning Strategies
This profitability hall of fame reveals some interesting patterns. Longevity is a key driver, with all the listed franchises starting at least 20 years ago. Tetris ??? almost 40 years old ??? shows even simple puzzle games can drive huge profits over time by iterating across generations of gaming platforms.
Most top series iterate intentionally, with annualized releases packed with improvements central to FIFA, Call of Duty and more. This tactic keeps gameplay fresh while minimizing risky changes to proven formulas.
Notable tech innovation has boosted multiple top franchises during console transitions. The Wii???s motion controls led to massive casual appeal. Call of Duty???s slick presentation kept it ahead of rival first-person shooters during the Xbox 360/PS3 generation.
Most importantly, each evergreen franchise nails down some universal truths about human interests or needs. FIFA taps global love for football/soccer. Mario and friends present aspirational, family-friendly characters. Sandbox creativity drives Minecraft. Catching ???em all in Pok??mon sparks competitive collecting obsession. By tying into core human motivations, the top franchises achieve lasting success.
