List of longest-running video game franchises

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of notable longest-running video game franchises. To qualify for this list, a video game franchise must have seen regular releases, with no more than 10 year-long gaps in-between, for at least twenty-five years, from a franchise's first release to its most recent. Only franchises that started out as a video game are listed; therefore, licensed video games and video games based upon other media are not listed. Ports, translations, downloadable content, re-releases, and compilations are not considered new entries. Remakes (i.e., games with significant differences in graphics or game play) and expansion sets which received retail releases are considered new entries in a series.

Titles[]

Rank Franchise First release Latest release Publisher Length
1 The Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail
December 3, 1971 		The Oregon Trail
April 2, 2021 		MECC 49 years, 3 months
2 Mario Donkey Kong
July, 1981 		Mario Strikers: Battle League
June 10, 2022 		Nintendo 40 years, 11 months
3 Pac-Man Pac-Man
July 1980 		Pac-Man 99
April 7, 2021 		Bandai Namco Entertainment 40 years, 9 months
4 Galaxian Galaxian
October 1979 		Galaga Revenge
January 8, 2019 		Bandai Namco Entertainment 39 years, 3 months
5 Space Invaders Space Invaders
June 1978 		Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders
May 17, 2017 		Taito (Square Enix) 38 years, 11 months
6 Frogger Frogger
June 5, 1981 		Frogger In Toy Town
September 20, 2019 		Konami 38 years, 3 months
7 Elevator Action Elevator Action
May 23, 1983 		Elevator Action Invasion
June 2021 		UNIS 38 years
8 Wolfenstein Castle Wolfenstein
September 1981 		Wolfenstein: Youngblood
July 25, 2019 		id Software 37 years, 11 months
9 Bomberman Bomber Man
July 1983 		Super Bomberman R Online
May 26, 2021 		Konami 37 years, 10 months
10 Microsoft Flight Simulator Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0
November 1982 		Microsoft Flight Simulator
August 18, 2020 		Microsoft 37 years, 9 months
11 BurgerTime BurgerTime
August 25, 1982 		BurgerTime Party!
October 8, 2019 		Xseed Games 37 years, 1 month
12 Q*bert Q*bert
October 18, 1982 		Q*bert
October 11, 2019 		Gottlieb (original)
Sony Pictures (latest) 		36 years, 11 months
13 Ghosts 'n Goblins Ghosts 'n Goblins
July 7, 1985 		Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection
February 25, 2021 		Capcom 35 years, 7 months
14 Kunio-kun Renegade
May 1986 		Kunio-kun no Sangokushi dayo: Zeiin Shūgō!
December 16, 2021 		Arc System Works 35 years, 7 months
15 A-Train A-Train
December 1985 		A-Train All Aboard! Tourism
March 12, 2021 		Artdink 35 years, 3 months
16 Reader Rabbit Reader Rabbit
1983 		Reader Rabbit: Jumpsmarter
September 25, 2018 		The Learning Company 35 years, 2 months
16 Metroid Metroid
August 6, 1986 		Metroid Dread
October 8, 2021 		Nintendo 35 years, 2 months
18 Bubble Bobble Bubble Bobble
August 1986 		Puzzle Bobble VR: Vacation Odyssey
May 20, 2021 		Taito (Square Enix) 34 years, 9 months
19 Nobunaga's Ambition Nobunaga no Yabō
March 1983 		Nobunaga no Yabō: Taishi
November 30, 2017 		Koei Tecmo 34 years, 8 months
19 The Legend of Zelda The Legend of Zelda
February 21, 1986 		Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity
November 20, 2020 		Nintendo 34 years, 8 months
21 Street Fighter Street Fighter
August 12, 1987 		Street Fighter V: Champion Edition - All Characters Pack
December 9, 2021 		Capcom 34 years, 3 months
21 Daisenryaku Gendai Daisenryaku
November, 1985 		Gendai Daisenryaku 2020
February 27, 2020 		SystemSoft Alpha 34 years, 3 months
23 Megami Tensei Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei
September 11, 1987 		Shin Megami Tensei V
November 11, 2021 		Atlus 34 years, 2 months
24 Dragon Quest Dragon Quest
May 27, 1986 		Dragon Quest Tact
July 16, 2020 		Square Enix 34 years, 1 month
24 Ultima Akalabeth: World of Doom
1979 		Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar
August 7, 2013 		Origin Systems 34 years, 1 month
24 Romance of the Three Kingdoms Romance of the Three Kingdoms
December 1985 		Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIV
January 16, 2020 		Koei Tecmo 34 years, 1 month
27 Carmen Sandiego Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?
April 23, 1985 		Carmen Sandiego: The Crown Jewels Caper
March 14, 2019 		The Learning Company 33 years, 10 months
28 Leisure Suit Larry Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards
July 5, 1987 		Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice
October 23, 2020 		Assemble Entertainment 33 years, 3 months
28 Wizardry Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
September 1981 		Wizrogue: Labyrinth of Wizardry
December 22, 2014 		Gamepot 33 years, 3 months
30 Blaster Master Blaster Master
June 17, 1988 		Blaster Master Zero 3
July 29, 2021 		Sunsoft, Inti Creates 33 years, 1 month
31 Castlevania Castlevania
September 26, 1986 		Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls
September 20, 2019 		Konami 32 years, 11 months
31 Lode Runner Lode Runner
July 31, 1984 		Lode Runner Legacy
July 13, 2017 		Hudson Soft, Tozai Games 32 years, 11 months
33 Tetris Tetris
June 6, 1984 		Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
December 8, 2020 		The Tetris Company 32 years, 10 months
34 Contra Contra
February 21, 1987 		Contra: Rogue Corps
September 24, 2019 		Konami 32 years, 7 months
34 Donkey Kong Donkey Kong
July 9, 1981 		Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
February 14, 2014 		Nintendo 32 years, 7 months
36 Shanghai Shanghai
July, 1986 		Shanghai Refresh
November 29, 2018 		Sunsoft 32 years, 4 months
37 Final Fantasy Final Fantasy
December 18, 1987 		Final Fantasy VII Remake
April 10, 2020 		Square Enix 32 years, 3 months
37 Mega Man Mega Man
December 17, 1987 		Rockman X DiVE
March 24, 2020 		Capcom 32 years, 3 months
39 Fire Emblem Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light
April 20, 1990 		Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
June 24, 2022 		Nintendo 32 years, 2 months
40 Ys Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished
June 21, 1987 		Ys IX: Monstrum Nox
September 16, 2019 		Nihon Falcom 32 years, 2 months
41 Momotaro Dentetsu Momotaro Dentetsu
December 2, 1988 		Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa Mo Teiban!
November 19, 2020 		Konami 31 years, 11 months
42 Blaster Learning System Math Blaster!
1983 		Math Blaster Premium
May 15, 2015 		Knowledge Adventure 31 years, 10 months
43 The Legend of Heroes Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes
December 10, 1989 		The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki
September 30, 2021 		Nihon Falcom 31 years, 9 months
44 Family Stadium Pro Baseball: Family Stadium
December 10, 1986 		Pro Baseball: Famista Evolution
August 2, 2018 		Bandai Namco Entertainment 31 years, 7 months
45 SaGa The Final Fantasy Legend
December 15, 1989 		SaGa Frontier Remastered
April 29, 2021 		Square Enix 31 years, 4 months
46 Jake Hunter Tantei Jingūji Saburō: Shinjuku Chūō Kōen Satsujin Jiken
April 27, 1987 		Tantei Jingūji Saburō: Prism of Eyes
August 9, 2018 		Arc System Works 31 years, 3 months
46 Hammerin' Harry Hammerin' Harry
1990 		P Daiku no Gen-san:Chō-idaten LIGHT
April 5, 2021 		Irem
(Slot machine: Sanyo Bussan) 		31 years, 3 months
48 Raiden Raiden
April, 1990 		Raiden IV x Mikado Remix
May 6, 2021 		UFO Interactive Games 31 years, 1 month
49 Phantasy Star Phantasy Star
December 20, 1987 		Idola: Phantasy Star Saga
November 27, 2018 		Sega 30 years, 11 months
50 Arkanoid Arkanoid
July 1986 		Arkanoid vs. Space Invaders
May 17, 2017 		Taito (Square Enix) 30 years, 10 months
51 Golden Tee Golden Tee
1989 		Golden Tee Mobile
October 28, 2019 		Incredible Technologies 30 years, 9 months
52 Metal Gear Metal Gear
July 7, 1987 		Metal Gear Survive
February 20, 2018 		Konami 30 years, 7 months
53 Super Robot Wars Super Robot Taisen
April 20, 1991 		Super Robot Wars 30
October 28, 2021 		Bandai Namco Entertainment 30 years, 6 months
54 Gridrunner Gridrunner
1982 		Gridrunner
February 24, 2012 		Llamasoft 30 years, 1 month
55 Pitfall! Pitfall!
August 20, 1982 		Pitfall!
August 9, 2012 		Activision 29 years, 11 months
56 Xuan-Yuan Sword Xuan-Yuan Sword
October 13, 1990 		Xuan-Yuan Sword 7
October 6, 2020 		Softstar 29 years, 11 months
57 Kirby Kirby's Dream Land
April 27, 1992 		Kirby and the Forgotten Land
March 25, 2022 		Nintendo 29 years, 10 months
58 Double Dragon Double Dragon
April 22, 1987 		Double Dragon IV
January 29, 2017 		Arc System Works 29 years, 9 months
59 Choplifter Choplifter
May 21, 1982 		Choplifter HD
January 10, 2012 		inXile Entertainment 29 years, 7 months
60 Uncharted Waters Uncharted Waters
May, 1990 		Daikoukai Jidai VI
September 26, 2019 		Koei Tecmo 29 years, 4 months
61 Spy Hunter Spy Hunter
June 11, 1983 		Spy Hunter
October 9, 2012 		Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment 29 years, 3 months
62 Puyo Puyo Puyo Puyo
October 25, 1991 		Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
December 8, 2020 		Sega 29 years, 1 month
63 Derby Stallion Derby Stallion: Best Race
December 21, 1991 		Derby Stallion
December 3, 2020 		Kadokawa Corporation 28 years, 11 months
64 Gauntlet Gauntlet
October 15, 1985 		Gauntlet
September 23, 2014 		Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment 28 years, 11 months
65 Prince of Persia Prince of Persia
October 3, 1989 		Prince of Persia: Escape
September 27, 2018 		Ubisoft 28 years, 11 months
66 Darius Darius
February 1987 		Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours
November 30, 2015 		Taito 28 years, 9 months
66 Mana Final Fantasy Adventure
June 28, 1991 		Trials of Mana
April 24, 2020 		Square Enix 28 years, 9 months
68 Might and Magic Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum
1986 		Might & Magic Heroes VII
September 29, 2015 		Ubisoft 28 years, 8 months
69 Rance Rance: Hikari Quest
July 15, 1989 		Rance X: Decisive Battle
February 23, 2018 		Alicesoft 28 years, 7 months
70 Fire Pro Wrestling Fire Pro Wrestling Combination Tag
June 22, 1989 		Fire Pro Wrestling World
December 18, 2017 		Spike Chunsoft 28 years, 5 months
71 Winning Post Winning Post
January 14, 1993 		Winning Post 9 2021
April 15, 2021 		Koei Tecmo 28 years, 3 months
72 TwinBee TwinBee
March 5, 1985 		Line GoGo! TwinBee
May 20, 2013 		Konami 28 years, 2 months
73 Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog
June 23, 1991 		Team Sonic Racing
May 21, 2019 		Sega 27 years, 10 months
74 Hoyle Hoyle's Official Book of Games: Volume 1
1989 		Hoyle Official Casino Games
October 13, 2016 		Encore, Inc. 27 years, 9 months
75 Virtua Fighter Virtua Fighter
October, 1993 		Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown
June 1, 2021 		Sega 27 years, 8 months
76 Wario Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
January 21, 1994 		WarioWare: Get It Together!
September 10, 2021 		Nintendo 27 years, 7 months
77 The King of Fighters The King of Fighters '94
August 25, 1994 		The King of Fighters XV
February 17, 2022 		SNK 27 years, 5 months
77 Tokimeki Memorial Tokimeki Memorial
May 27, 1994 		Tokimeki Memorial: Girl's Side 4th Heart
October 28, 2021 		Konami 27 years, 5 months
77 Civilization Civilization
September 1991 		Civilization VI: Gathering Storm
February 14, 2019 		Take-Two Interactive 27 years, 5 months
80 Shining Shining in the Darkness
March 28, 1991 		Shining Resonance Refrain
July 10, 2018 		Sega 27 years, 3 months
80 Yoshi Yoshi
December 14, 1991 		Yoshi’s Crafted World
March 29, 2019 		Nintendo 27 years, 3 months
82 Star Soldier Star Soldier
June 13, 1986 		Star Soldier for GREE
June 20, 2013 		Konami 27 years
83 Metal Max Metal Max
May 24, 1991 		Metal Max Xeno
April 19, 2018 		Enterbrain 26 years, 10 months
84 Babylonian Castle Saga The Tower of Druaga
June 1984 		The Labyrinth of Druaga
January 13, 2011 		Bandai Namco Entertainment 26 years, 7 months
85 Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat
October 8, 1992 		Mortal Kombat 11
April 23, 2019 		Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment 26 years, 6 months
85 Itadaki Street Itadaki Street: Watashi no Omise no Yottette
March 21, 1991 		Itadaki Street: Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary
October 19, 2017 		Square Enix 26 years, 6 months
85 Microsoft Solitaire Microsoft Solitaire
May 22, 1990 		Microsoft Solitaire Collection
November 12, 2016 		Microsoft 26 years, 6 months
88 Buster Bros. Buster Bros.
November, 1989 		Pang Adventures
April 18, 2016 		Dotemu 26 years, 5 months
88 Micro Machines Micro Machines
1991 		Micro Machines World Series
June 29, 2017 		Codemasters 26 years, 5 months
88 Mystery Dungeon Torneko no Daibōken: Fushigi no Dungeon
September 19, 1993 		Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX
March 6, 2020 		Spike Chunsoft 26 years, 5 months
91 Power Pros Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū '94
March 11, 1994 		eBaseball Powerful Pro Yakyū 2020
July 9, 2020 		Konami 26 years, 3 months
91 Doom Doom
December 10, 1993 		Doom Eternal
March 20, 2020 		id Software 26 years, 3 months
91 Sword and Fairy The Legend of Sword and Fairy
July 7, 1995 		Sword and Fairy 7
October 22, 2021 		Softstar 26 years, 3 months
94 eFootball J.League Jikkyou Winning Eleven
July 21, 1995 		eFootball 2022
September 30, 2021 		Konami 26 years, 2 months
95 The Elder Scrolls The Elder Scrolls: Arena
March 25, 1994 		The Elder Scrolls: Blades
May 12, 2020 		Bethesda Game Studios 26 years, 1 month
95 Gradius Gradius
May 29, 1985 		Gradius the Slot
July 2011 		Konami 26 years, 1 month
95 XCOM X-COM: UFO Defense
March, 1994 		XCOM: Chimera Squad
April 24, 2020 		2K Games 26 years, 1 month
98 Warcraft Warcraft: Orcs & Humans
November 23, 1994 		World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
November 23, 2020 		Blizzard Entertainment 26 years
99 Pokémon Pokémon Red and Green (Blue)
February 27, 1996 		Pokémon Legends: Arceus
January 28, 2022 		Nintendo
The Pokémon Company 		25 years, 11 months
100 Samurai Shodown Samurai Shodown
July 7, 1993 		Samurai Shodown
June 25, 2019 		SNK 25 years, 11 months
101 Assault Suit Assault Suit Leynos
March 16, 1990 		Assault Suit Leynos
December 23, 2015 		Masaya Games (Extreme) 25 years, 9 months
101 The Black Bass The Black Bass
1986 		Super Black Bass 3D
October 6, 2011 		Rising Star Games 25 years, 9 months
101 Tales Tales of Phantasia
December 15, 1995 		Tales of Arise
September 10, 2021 		Bandai Namco Entertainment 25 years, 8 months
104 Test Drive Test Drive
1987 		Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends
July 3, 2012 		Rombax Games 25 years, 6 months
105 Ninja Gaiden Ninja Gaiden
October 1988 		Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z
March 27, 2014 		Koei Tecmo 25 years, 5 months
105 Umihara Kawase Umihara Kawase
December 23, 1994 		Umihara Kawase BaZooKa!
May 28, 2020 		Studio SaiZenSen 25 years, 5 months
107 Goemon Mr. Goemon
May 1986 		Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro 2
September 2011 		Konami 25 years, 4 months
107 Metal Slug Metal Slug
April 19, 1996 		Metal Slug: Commander
August 19, 2021 		SNK 25 years, 4 months
109 Duke Nukem Duke Nukem
July 1, 1991 		Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour
October 11, 2016 		Gearbox Publishing 25 years, 3 months
110 SimCity SimCity
October 3, 1989 		SimCity BuildIt
December 15, 2014 		Electronic Arts 25 years, 2 months
111 Resident Evil Resident Evil
March 22, 1996 		Resident Evil Village
May 7, 2021 		Capcom 25 years, 1 month
112 Worms Worms
November 17, 1995 		Worms Rumble
December 1, 2020 		Team17 25 years

See also[]

  • List of best-selling video game franchises
  • List of best-selling video games
  • List of video game franchises
  • History of video games
Retrieved from ""