Introduction
The gaming industry offers plenty of choices for enthusiastic gamers. Whether you like playing at the best mobile platforms, desktop sites or trying out the latest video games, the options are endless. From the time of the Commodore 64 to the latest generation of consoles, there has certainly been a paradigm shift not only in terms of the quality of games, graphics, storylines and features, but also in the various mediums and genres.
Nowadays, you can essentially find a smartphone game version within any genre, the online casino industry is a great example of this, with games ranging from sports to history, to sci-fi. If you do go this route, please make sure to visit a platform that offers safe payment methods, like Apple Pay casino. Preferably, all transactions approved with QR Code or fingerprint are considered as more secure.
Concerning the video game sector, it is mostly controlled by the biggest franchises. The games are quite popular, with many households owning one or multiple consoles. Over the past decades, some franchises have stood out from the crowd in terms of sales of each release. The following are 5 of the highest grossing video game franchises of all time.
1. Mario
This is easily the highest grossing video game of all time. Created by Nintendo, the game features Mario, the fictional Italian plumber who debuted in Donkey Kong back in 1981. The franchise has released many other games including Mario Kart, Paper Mario, Mario & Luigi, Super Mario Galaxy and New Super Mario Bros.
Today, the franchise has sold over 550 million copies worldwide. From his exemplary skills on the racetrack to his mission to save Princess Peach, Mario has definitely dominated the video gaming world. With more games featuring the plumber being released regularly, the numbers will soon hit the 700 million mark.
2. Tetris
Tetris is one of the video games whose gameplay has remained largely unchanged over the years. Created originally by Alexey Pajitnov in 1984, it is one of the retro games that are popular among players. This simple but addictive game involves controlling and placing geometric shapes in a line to clear them from the screen.
Tetris is one of the highest grossing games in history, selling over 170 million copies to date. Its popularity rose higher after it was included as an extra game in the Nintendo Entertainment System. The franchise has produced popular games like Wordtris, Hatris, and Tetrisphere, all of which are versions on its console gameplay.
3. Call of Duty
This first-person shooter video game franchise is owned and was created by Activision. It began with its first game in 2003 on PC platforms but later extended to handheld gaming systems and consoles. Popular games produced by the franchise include Modern Warfare, Black Ops and World at War.
Call of Duty continues to make good sales since it released its first game. To date, it has sold more than 275 million copies across multiple gaming platforms, hence overtaking other shooter franchises. Although it is often criticized for having a repetitive formula, it is still one of the highest-grossing games of all time.
4. Pokémon
This video game series began when Pokémon Blue and Red was released in 1996. Created by Satoshi Tajiri, Pokémon has risen to become one of the top franchises in the world of video gaming. Although the game has gone through multiple changes in recent times, it still retains its roots which are influenced by pop culture.
Pokémon is available on handhelds, consoles as well as on cell phones. The video game franchise has produced popular games such as Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Go. Additionally, it has sold more than 300 million copies to date, making it among the highest grossing franchises in history.
5. FIFA
Football is no doubt the most popular sport across the globe. It is therefore no coincidence that the FIFA video game franchise is one of the highest grossing of all time. Created by Electronic Arts, this franchise published its first game, FIFA International Soccer back in 1993. In fact, the game was the first to receive the official FIFA licence.
Since then, there have been several releases with each becoming more realistic and complex. Today, the franchise owns licences from leagues such as the Premier League and features animations of top football players. Sales are not slowing down either as the latest game, FIFA 22, has already exceeded the 325 million mark.
Conclusion
The video gaming market is incredibly competitive. While games that are poorly developed fail to impress, those that are made with quality in mind earn their place on the charts and go on to make massive sales. After all, a developer must play their cards right if they want to join the big league.
The aforementioned are the highest grossing video game franchises in history. Others include Final Fantasy, Need For Speed, The Sims and Grand Theft Auto. While some franchises in this list are surprising entries and others no-brainers, the fact is that all of them have put their time and resources to get to the top.
