List of longest-running video game franchises
This is a list of the longest-running video game franchises. To qualify for this list, a franchise must have seen regular releases for at least twenty years, from a franchise's first title to its most recent release.
- This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Longest-running video games franchises
| Rank | Franchise | First release | Latest/upcoming release | Length | Franchise owner | List of games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Space Invaders | Space Invaders
June 1978 |
Space Invaders Infinity Gene
September 20, 2013 |
35 years | Taito (Square Enix) | List of Space Invaders video games |
| 2 | Superman | Superman
1979 |
Infinite Crisis
September 24, 2014 |
34 years | DC Comics | List of Superman video games |
| 3 | Pac-Man | Pac-Man
May 1980 |
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
December 6, 2014 |
34 years | Namco (Namco Bandai) | List of Pac-Man video games |
| 4 | Mario | Donkey Kong
July 9, 1981 |
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
December 6, 2014 |
33 years | Nintendo | Mario franchise |
| 5 | Donkey Kong | Donkey Kong
July 9, 1981 |
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
December 6, 2014 |
33 years | Nintendo | List of Donkey Kong video games |
| 6 | Galaxian | Galaxian
October 1979 |
Galaga Legions DX
August 28, 2012 |
32 years | Namco (Namco Bandai) | Galaxian series |
| 7 | Wolfenstein | Castle Wolfenstein
September 1981 |
Wolfenstein: The New Order
May 20, 2014 |
32 years | Id Software | Wolfenstein series: Games |
| 8 | Frogger | Frogger
June 1981 |
Frogger's Crackout
2013 |
32 years | Konami | Frogger: Sequels |
| 9 | Bomberman | Bomberman
1983 |
Bomberman
2014 |
31 years | Hudson Soft | List of Bomberman video games |
| 10 | Gundam | Kidou Senshi Gundam Part 1: Gundam Daishi ni Tatsu
November 1983 |
Gundam Breaker 2
December 18, 2014 |
31 years | Sunrise | List of Gundam video games |
| 11 | Spider-Man | Spider-Man
Q4 1982 |
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
April 29, 2014 |
31 years | Marvel Comics | List of Spider-Man video games |
| 12 | Star Wars | Star Wars
May 1983 |
Star Wars: Battlefront
Q2/Q3 2015 |
31 years | Lucasfilm | |
| 13 | Barbie | Barbie
1984 |
Barbie Dreamhouse Party
November 19, 2013 |
29 years | Mattel | |
| 14 | James Bond | James Bond 007
1983 |
007 Legends
16 October 2012 |
29 years | Danjaq | |
| 15 | Tetris | Tetris
June 6, 1984 |
Puyo Puyo Tetris
February 6, 2014 |
29 years | The Tetris Company | |
| 16 | Batman | Batman
1986 |
Batman: Arkham Knight
June 2, 2015 |
28 years | DC Comics | |
| 17 | Dragon Quest | Dragon Warrior
May 27, 1986 |
Dragon Quest III (iOS/Android)
September 25, 2014 |
28 years | Dragon Quest | |
| 18 | Dragon Ball | Dragon Ball: Dragon Daihikyō
September 27, 1986 |
Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission 2
August 7, 2014 |
27 years | Toei Animation | |
| 19 | The Legend of Zelda | The Legend of Zelda
February 21, 1986 |
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
December 6, 2014 |
27 years | Nintendo | |
| 20 | Metroid | Metroid
August 6, 1986 |
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
December 6, 2014 |
27 years | Nintendo | |
| 21 | Metal Gear | Metal Gear
July 7, 1987 |
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
September 1, 2015 |
27 years | Konami | |
| 22 | Final Fantasy | Final Fantasy
December 18, 1987 |
Final Fantasy Type-0
March 20, 2015 |
27 years | Square Enix | |
| 23 | Family Stadium | R.B.I. Baseball
December 1986 |
R.B.I. Baseball 14
April 9, 2014 |
26 years | Namco Bandai | |
| 24 | Sangokushi | Sangokushi
December 1985 |
Sangokushi 12
February, 2012 |
26 years | Koei | |
| 25 | Test Drive | Test Drive
1987 |
Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends
July 3, 2012 |
25 years | Atari, Inc. | |
| 26 | Ninja Gaiden | Ninja Gaiden
October 1988 |
Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z
March 27, 2014 |
25 years | Tecmo Koei | |
| 27 | Madden NFL | John Madden Football
June 1, 1988 |
Madden NFL 25
August 27, 2013 |
25 years | EA Tiburon | |
| 28 | Mega Man | Mega Man
December 17, 1987 |
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
December 6, 2014 |
25 years | Capcom | |
| 29 | Phantasy Star | Phantasy Star
December 20, 1987 |
Phantasy Star Online 2
July 4, 2012 |
24 years | Sega | |
| 30 | Street Fighter | Street Fighter
August 30, 1987 |
Street Fighter X Tekken
March 8, 2012 |
24 years | Capcom | |
| 31 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
May 12, 1989 |
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
October 22, 2013 |
24 years | Mirage Studios | |
| 32 | Castlevania | Castlevania
September 26, 1986 |
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
February 25, 2014 |
24 years | Konami | |
| 33 | Jetpac | Jetpac
May, 1983 |
Jetpac Refuelled
March 28, 2007 |
23 years | Ultimate Play The Game and Rare Ltd. | |
| 34 | SimCity | SimCity
October 3, 1989 |
SimCity
March 5, 2013 |
23 years | Maxis | |
| 35 | Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog
June 23, 1991 |
Sonic Runners
February 25, 2015 |
23 years | Sega | List of Sonic the Hedgehog video games |
| 36 | SaGa | The Final Fantasy Legend
December 15, 1989 |
Emperors SaGa
September 18, 2012 |
22 years | Square Enix | |
| 37 | Prince of Persia | Prince of Persia
October 3, 1989 |
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
May 18, 2010 |
20 years | Ubisoft |