Ever wondered which game series have sold the most copies in history? A recent Reddit post shared a clear and updated graph of the best-selling video game franchises of all time, and the numbers are huge. Let’s take a look at the top-selling franchises as of now! Keep in mind that it takes into account only the number of units sold, and not the actual amount of revenue.
How These Numbers Were Counted
First of all, let’s make clear how the following chart was made, and how numbers were counted! The data in the chart comes from Wikipedia’s list of best-selling game franchises and reflects unit sales worldwide as of the end of 2024. It does not reflect millions of dollars, just amount of units sold, which explains why some names are missing, or why some have lower numbers. It does include expansion packs (like DLCs), but doesn’t count things like:
- Free-to-play downloads (like mobile gacha games)
- Microtransactions
- Arcade machines
- Subscription revenue (like from World of Warcraft)
It also focuses only on franchise-wide sales, not individual games. So while some franchises may feel like they are missing or underrated (Fortnite, WoW, etc.), it is usually because their success comes from other revenue models that are not part of this list.
Top 5 Most Successful Franchises
Here are the top 5 best-selling game franchises by total units sold:
- Mario – 957 million units
- Tetris – 520 million units
- Call of Duty – 500 million units
- Pokémon – 480 million units
- Grand Theft Auto – 410 million units
It is no surprise that two of Nintendo’s biggest franchises made the top five. And with GTA VI on the way, it’s safe to say that GTA could climb even higher on the list next year. Tetris continues to hold strong as a timeless classic, and Call of Duty has firmly secured its spot over the years.
Other Major Franchises on the List
The chart includes over 50 franchises, mixing long-running series with more recent titles. Here are some other highlights:
- Minecraft: 350M
- FIFA: 325M
- The Sims: 200M
- Final Fantasy & Assassin’s Creed: 200M each as well
- Zelda: 168M
- Grand Turismo: 90M
- Animal Crossing: 81M
- The Witcher: 75M
- Far Cry: 50M
A Few Notable Surprises
Some franchises are missing, like World of Warcraft, likely because its revenue comes mostly from subscriptions rather than game sales. Meanwhile, the list also brings a few unexpected names:
- Tetris being second may surprise newer players, but it had decades of ports and mobile versions.
- The Wii Series (like Wii Sports, Fit, Play) is quietly one of the biggest with over 200M units.
- Games like Pac-Man, Street Fighter, and Crash Bandicoot are still high on the list despite their age.
It is crazy to see how games we grew up with are still topping the charts today. From hunting Pokémon to stacking Tetris blocks, these franchises continue to change how we play, one generation at a time.
And with major releases like GTA VI, The Elder Scrolls VI, and more on the horizon, it will be exciting to see how this ranking shifts in the coming years. One thing is for sure: gaming’s biggest names are not done growing yet.
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