Top 10 Best-Selling Video Game Franchises of All Time
The ten best-selling video game series of all time, ranked by total software units sold — from Mario's 893 million to nearly 100 million for the franchises that round out the top ten.
Updated August 11, 202610 ranked5 sources
Quick answer: 1. Mario, 2. Pokémon, 3. Call of Duty, 4. Grand Theft Auto, 5. FIFA / EA Sports FC, 6. Minecraft, 7. Tetris, 8. Wii Sports, 9. The Sims, 10. Lego.
Video game franchises are the most durable force in interactive entertainment. The best-selling ones have sold hundreds of millions of copies across decades, multiple hardware generations, and dozens of individual titles. Mario alone has moved over 893 million copies since 1983 — more than the entire console install base of several generations combined.
This list ranks the top ten best-selling video game franchises of all time by total software unit sales, drawing on publisher-investor reports, Guinness World Records, and industry analyst compilations. Only franchises with confirmed, publisher-attributed sales figures are included. Franchise totals aggregate all mainline titles, spin-offs, and expansion packs within a series.
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Units sold (millions)
Units sold (millions)
Mario
893 million
Pokémon
500 million
Call of Duty
500 million
Grand Theft Auto
440 million
FIFA / EA Sports FC
380 million
Minecraft
350 million
Tetris
350 million
Wii Sports
82.9 million
The Sims
200 million
Lego
200 million
The ranking
1
Mario
Nintendo's mascot has been the face of the company since his 1983 debut in Donkey Kong. The Mario franchise spans platformers (Super Mario, 430 million), racing games (Mario Kart, 159 million), party games (Mario Party, 60 million), sports titles, and role-playing games across every Nintendo console. Mario is the best-selling video game franchise of all time by a wide margin, with over 893 million units sold.
Publisher: NintendoFirst release: 1983Notable sub-series: Super Mario, Mario Kart, Mario Party, Mario SportsTop-selling title: Mario Kart 8 / Deluxe (75M+)
2
Pokémon
Since Pokémon Red and Green launched in Japan in 1996, the franchise has sold over 500 million software units worldwide. The mainline role-playing games are the core, but spin-offs like Pokémon GO, Pokémon Snap, and the Pokémon Trading Card Game have expanded the franchise far beyond its Game Boy origins. The Pokémon Company reported 500 million+ units sold as of March 2026, driven by the massive success of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet on Nintendo Switch. Pokémon is tied with Call of Duty at 500 million units.
Publisher: Nintendo / The Pokémon CompanyFirst release: 1996Notable sub-series: Mainline RPGs, Pokémon GO, Mystery DungeonTop-selling title: Pokémon Red / Blue / Green (31M+)
3
Call of Duty
Activision's first-person shooter franchise has sold over 500 million copies since its 2003 debut, making it the best-selling FPS series of all time. The franchise releases annual premium titles and has built a massive free-to-play ecosystem with Warzone. Call of Duty has been the best-selling game in the US for over a decade. The franchise is tied with Pokémon at 500 million units, with both sharing the second-place position by volume.
Publisher: Activision (Microsoft)First release: 2003Notable sub-series: Modern Warfare, Black Ops, WarzoneTop-selling title: Call of Duty: Black Ops (30M+)
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4
Grand Theft Auto
Rockstar Games' open-world crime series has sold over 440 million copies since the original 1997 top-down title. The vast majority of that total comes from Grand Theft Auto V, which alone has sold over 205 million copies — making it the second best-selling individual game of all time. Take-Two Interactive's August 2026 investor presentation confirmed the franchise has reached 440 million units across all mainline entries.
Publisher: Rockstar Games (Take-Two)First release: 1997Notable sub-series: GTA III era, GTA V, GTA OnlineTop-selling title: Grand Theft Auto V (205M+)
5
FIFA / EA Sports FC
EA Sports' football simulation franchise has sold over 380 million copies since FIFA International Soccer debuted in 1993. The series rebranded as EA Sports FC in 2024 after EA's split with FIFA, but the gameplay remains the same. The franchise's annual release cycle and Ultimate Team mode have made it one of the most profitable video game franchises in history, generating billions in microtransaction revenue.
Publisher: Electronic ArtsFirst release: 1993Notable sub-series: FIFA, EA Sports FC, FIFA World CupTop-selling title: FIFA 18 (26M+)
6
Minecraft
Mojang's sandbox phenomenon has sold over 350 million copies since its 2011 official release, making it the best-selling single video game of all time. The franchise figure is attributed to the original game, as Microsoft has not released a separate franchise-wide total. Minecraft has been ported to virtually every platform, from consoles to smartphones to education editions, and remains one of the most-played games in the world with over 170 million monthly active users.
Alexey Pajitnov's 1984 puzzle game has sold over 350 million copies across hundreds of platforms, though the exact franchise total is complicated by the game's many free versions and bundled releases. The Tetris Company licenses the franchise to multiple publishers. The 2024 mobile title Tetris and the 2023 competitive game Tetris 99 have kept the franchise relevant, and the 2023 film Tetris introduced the story to a new generation.
Publisher: The Tetris Company (multiple licensees)First release: 1984Notable sub-series: Tetris, Tetris 99, Tetris EffectTop-selling title: Tetris (mobile)
8
Wii Sports
Nintendo's motion-control sports collection was bundled with the Wii console in most regions and has sold over 82.9 million copies. Wii Sports was the killer app for the Wii, demonstrating the console's innovative motion controls to a mass audience. Its sequel, Wii Sports Resort, added 15 million more sales. The franchise's casual appeal made it one of the most accessible games ever created, introducing non-gamers to video games in unprecedented numbers.
EA's life simulation franchise has sold over 200 million copies since the original 2000 game. The Sims 4 alone accounts for a significant portion of that total, with over 70 million players as of 2024. The franchise's success comes from its deep customization, expansion packs, and user-generated content ecosystem. The Sims is one of the best-selling PC game franchises of all time and has a dedicated fan base that spans generations.
Publisher: Electronic Arts (Maxis)First release: 2000Notable sub-series: The Sims, The Sims 2, The Sims 3, The Sims 4Top-selling title: The Sims 4 (70M+ players)
10
Lego
The Lego video game franchise, developed primarily by Traveller's Tales, has sold over 200 million copies since the first Lego Star Wars game in 2005. The franchise's winning formula — family-friendly gameplay, licensed IP, and irreverent humor — has been applied to Lego Star Wars, Lego Harry Potter, Lego Batman, Lego Marvel, Lego Jurassic World, and Lego City Undercover. The Lego franchise is one of the most successful licensed game series in history, tied with The Sims at 200 million units.
Publisher: Warner Bros. Games (multiple)First release: 2005Notable sub-series: Lego Star Wars, Lego Harry Potter, Lego Batman, Lego MarvelTop-selling title: Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (50M+)
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Full comparison
#
Name
Publisher
First release
Notable sub-series
Top-selling title
1
Mario
Nintendo
1983
Super Mario, Mario Kart, Mario Party, Mario Sports
Mario Kart 8 / Deluxe (75M+)
2
Pokémon
Nintendo / The Pokémon Company
1996
Mainline RPGs, Pokémon GO, Mystery Dungeon
Pokémon Red / Blue / Green (31M+)
3
Call of Duty
Activision (Microsoft)
2003
Modern Warfare, Black Ops, Warzone
Call of Duty: Black Ops (30M+)
4
Grand Theft Auto
Rockstar Games (Take-Two)
1997
GTA III era, GTA V, GTA Online
Grand Theft Auto V (205M+)
5
FIFA / EA Sports FC
Electronic Arts
1993
FIFA, EA Sports FC, FIFA World Cup
FIFA 18 (26M+)
6
Minecraft
Mojang (Microsoft)
2011
Minecraft, Minecraft Dungeons, Minecraft Legends
Minecraft (350M+)
7
Tetris
The Tetris Company (multiple licensees)
1984
Tetris, Tetris 99, Tetris Effect
Tetris (mobile)
8
Wii Sports
Nintendo
2006
Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Nintendo Switch Sports
Wii Sports (82.9M)
9
The Sims
Electronic Arts (Maxis)
2000
The Sims, The Sims 2, The Sims 3, The Sims 4
The Sims 4 (70M+ players)
10
Lego
Warner Bros. Games (multiple)
2005
Lego Star Wars, Lego Harry Potter, Lego Batman, Lego Marvel
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (50M+)
How we ranked this
Franchises are ranked by total worldwide software unit sales across all titles in the series, as reported by publishers in earnings reports, investor presentations, press releases, and Guinness World Records. Figures are sourced from publisher disclosures and compiled by Wikipedia's List of Best-Selling Video Game Franchises. Sales of expansion packs and episodic games are included. Metrics such as 'players' or 'installs' are excluded as they represent engagement, not sales. Where a franchise consists of sub-series (e.g., Super Mario, Mario Kart, Mario Party under the Mario umbrella), the total includes all sub-series. Rank 1 is the highest sales figure.
FAQ
What is the best-selling video game franchise of all time?
Mario is the best-selling video game franchise of all time, with over 893 million units sold since 1983. The franchise includes mainline Super Mario games, Mario Kart, Mario Party, and numerous spin-offs across every Nintendo console.
Why is Minecraft listed at 350 million while it's also the best-selling single game?
Minecraft has sold over 350 million copies as a single game — the best-selling individual game of all time. However, the franchise figure is attributed to the original game because Microsoft has not released a separate franchise-wide total that includes Minecraft Dungeons and Minecraft Legends.
How are video game franchise sales counted?
Franchise sales count the total cumulative copies sold of all titles in a series, including mainline games, expansions, spin-offs, and re-releases. Figures come from publisher earnings reports, investor briefings, Guinness World Records, and industry tracking. These are sales or shipments, not player counts or free-to-play downloads.