One video game franchise has sold nearly 900 million copies, almost double its closest rival, and it has been doing so since 1983. Mario is not just the best-selling series in gaming, it is one of the most durable entertainment properties ever created.
The list below spans four decades, from franchises with hundreds of individual titles to one entry that is essentially a single game. Here are the ten best-selling video game franchises of all time, and what each total actually represents.
Best-Selling Video Game Franchises at a Glance
| Rank | Franchise | Units Sold | First Release | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario | 893.5 million | 1983 | Nintendo |
| 2 | Tetris | 520 million | 1988 | Various |
| 3 | Pokemon | 515 million | 1996 | Nintendo |
| 4 | Call of Duty | 500 million | 2003 | Activision |
| 5 | Grand Theft Auto | 470 million | 1997 | Rockstar Games |
| 6 | Minecraft | 400 million | 2011 | Mojang Studios |
| 7 | FIFA | 325 million | 1993 | Electronic Arts |
| 8 | Assassin’s Creed | 250 million | 2007 | Ubisoft |
| 9 | Resident Evil | 213 million | 1996 | Capcom |
| 10 | Final Fantasy | 212 million | 1987 | Square Enix |
The 10 Best-Selling Video Game Franchises of All Time
1. Mario: The Undisputed Leader
Units Sold: 893.5 million | First Release: 1983 | Publisher: Nintendo
The Mario franchise has sold roughly 893.5 million copies since 1983, approaching a billion and nearly doubling the second-place total. Its scale comes from breadth as much as popularity, spanning platformers, kart racing, party games, sports titles, and role-playing games.
That variety means Mario reaches audiences who would never buy the same type of game twice. More than four decades on, new entries still sell tens of millions, making it the most reliable property in the industry.
2. Tetris: The Puzzle That Sells Everywhere
Units Sold: 520 million | First Release: 1988 | Publisher: Various
Tetris has sold about 520 million copies, remarkable for a game with no characters, no story, and essentially unchanged mechanics for nearly forty years. Its simplicity is precisely why it travels so well.
The franchise has appeared on virtually every device capable of running software, from the original Game Boy to modern phones. Because it has been licensed to many publishers over the decades, its ownership history is unusually tangled.
3. Pokemon: The Multimedia Machine
Units Sold: 515 million | First Release: 1996 | Publisher: Nintendo
Pokemon has sold 515 million games since 1996, but the games are only part of the story. The wider franchise, including trading cards, animation, and merchandise, is frequently cited as the highest-grossing media property in the world.
Its release strategy of paired versions encouraged trading and, often, double purchases within households. Nintendo now holds two of the top three franchises on this list.
4. Call of Duty: The Annual Blockbuster
Units Sold: 500 million | First Release: 2003 | Publisher: Activision
Call of Duty has sold 500 million copies since 2003, achieving that in a shorter span than any franchise above it except Minecraft. Its model is a near-annual release cycle aimed squarely at competitive online play.
That consistency turned it into a fixture of console gaming, particularly in North America and Europe. Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision made it one of the most valuable assets in the industry.
5. Grand Theft Auto: Fewer Games, Enormous Sales
Units Sold: 470 million | First Release: 1997 | Publisher: Rockstar Games
Grand Theft Auto has sold 470 million copies across far fewer releases than its rivals, since Rockstar takes many years between major entries. Individual titles therefore sell at extraordinary volumes.
Grand Theft Auto V alone accounts for a large share of the franchise total, continuing to sell across three console generations. The strategy is the opposite of Call of Duty’s annual cadence and works just as well.
6. Minecraft: One Game, 400 Million Copies
Units Sold: 400 million | First Release: 2011 | Publisher: Mojang Studios
Minecraft is the anomaly on this list, because it is essentially a single continuously updated game rather than a series of sequels. That one title has sold 400 million copies since 2011.
It runs on nearly every device with a screen, which removed almost every barrier to purchase, and its creative sandbox has no natural ending. As the newest entry here, it is by far the fastest seller in the group.
7. FIFA: The Annual Sports Giant
Units Sold: 325 million | First Release: 1993 | Publisher: Electronic Arts
The FIFA series has sold 325 million copies since 1993, built on annual roster updates and the global popularity of football. It is the best-selling sports franchise in gaming by a wide margin.
Its dominance in Europe, South America, and Asia is what separates it from North American sports franchises. Ultimate Team, its card-collecting mode, generates enormous ongoing revenue beyond the initial sale.
8. Assassin’s Creed: Ubisoft’s Flagship
Units Sold: 250 million | First Release: 2007 | Publisher: Ubisoft
Assassin’s Creed has sold 250 million copies since 2007, the youngest franchise here apart from Minecraft. Each entry relocates to a different historical setting, from Renaissance Italy to ancient Greece and feudal Japan.
That formula lets Ubisoft reuse a proven structure while making every release feel new. It remains the company’s most important property by a considerable distance.
9. Resident Evil: Horror Goes Mainstream
Units Sold: 213 million | First Release: 1996 | Publisher: Capcom
Resident Evil has sold 213 million copies and effectively created the survival horror genre as a commercial category. It proved that a genre built on tension and scarcity could sell at blockbuster scale.
Capcom’s recent remakes of older entries have introduced the series to new players while satisfying long-time fans. Film adaptations extended the brand well beyond gaming.
10. Final Fantasy: The Role-Playing Standard
Units Sold: 212 million | First Release: 1987 | Publisher: Square Enix
Final Fantasy completes the top ten with 212 million copies sold since 1987, making it the second-oldest franchise here after Mario. Each numbered entry typically introduces an entirely new world and cast.
That reinvention has kept the series relevant across four decades while frustrating players who want continuity. It remains the benchmark against which Japanese role-playing games are measured.
Minecraft Sells Faster Than Anything Else
Total sales reward franchises that have existed longest, so the more revealing figure is copies sold per year since launch. On that measure Minecraft leads everything, averaging roughly 26.7 million copies a year since 2011.
Mario averages about 20.8 million a year and Call of Duty around 21.7 million, both spread across dozens of separate titles. Minecraft achieves its rate with essentially one game, which makes it the most commercially efficient product in gaming history.
Two Opposite Strategies Both Work
The list contains two contradictory approaches that succeed equally well. Call of Duty and FIFA release almost every year, accumulating sales through relentless cadence and roster updates.
Grand Theft Auto does the reverse, taking many years between entries so that each launch becomes a cultural event with sales to match. What unites the top performers is not release frequency but consistency of quality when they do arrive.
Why Nintendo Dominates the Top
Nintendo owns two of the top three franchises, with Mario first and Pokemon third, a position no other publisher approaches. Its advantage is that these characters are not tied to any single genre or generation.
Mario appears in racing, sports, puzzle, and party games, so the brand sells to audiences with completely different tastes. Nintendo also keeps its franchises exclusive to its own hardware, which drives console sales and game sales together.
How We Ranked the Best-Selling Franchises
This ranking uses total units sold across every game in each franchise, the standard measure for series-level success. It counts copies sold rather than revenue, players, or in-game spending.
Some totals combine closely related titles and re-releases, and figures for active franchises continue to climb. Free-to-play series are excluded since they generate revenue without meaningful copy sales.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-selling video game franchise of all time?
Mario, with roughly 893.5 million copies sold since 1983. That is nearly double the second-placed Tetris and spans platformers, racing, sports, and party games.
Which franchise sells fastest?
Minecraft, averaging about 26.7 million copies a year since 2011, ahead of Call of Duty at roughly 21.7 million and Mario at around 20.8 million, despite being essentially one game.
Is Pokemon bigger than Mario?
Not in game sales, where Mario leads 893.5 million to 515 million. Counting the wider franchise including trading cards, animation, and merchandise, Pokemon is often ranked the highest-grossing media property in the world.
Why is Grand Theft Auto so high with so few games?
Rockstar takes many years between entries, so each release sells at extraordinary volume. Grand Theft Auto V alone has sold across three console generations, accounting for much of the 470 million total.
Which publisher owns the most top franchises?
Nintendo, holding both Mario at first and Pokemon at third. No other publisher has two franchises in the top three, and Nintendo keeps them exclusive to its own hardware.