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 25 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 or some new features) and expansion sets which received retail releases are considered new entries in a series.

Titles[edit]

Rank Franchise First release Latest release Owner Length
1 Space Invaders Space Invaders
June 1978
Space Invaders: World Defense
July 18, 2023
Taito (Square Enix) 45 years, 1 month
2 The Oregon Trail The Oregon Trail
May 1978[Note 1]
The Oregon Trail
April 2, 2021
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 42 years, 11 months
3 Mario Donkey Kong
July 9, 1981
Princess Peach: Showtime!
March 22, 2024
Nintendo 42 years, 8 months
4 Donkey Kong Donkey Kong
July 9, 1981
Mario vs. Donkey Kong
February 16, 2024
Nintendo 42 years, 7 months
5 Pac-Man Pac-Man
July 1980
Pac-Man World Re-Pac
August 25, 2022
Bandai Namco Entertainment 42 years, 1 month
6 Wizardry Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
September 1981
Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
September 15, 2023
Drecom 42 years
7 Bomberman Bomber Man
July 1983
Super Bomberman R 2
September 13, 2023
Konami 40 years, 2 months
8 Nobunaga's Ambition Nobunaga no Yabō
March 1983
Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening
July 20, 2022
Koei Tecmo 39 years, 4 months
9 Galaxian Galaxian
October 1979
Galaga Revenge
January 8, 2019
Bandai Namco Entertainment 39 years, 3 months
10 Dragon Slayer Dragon Slayer
September 10, 1984
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II
September 29, 2022
Nihon Falcom 38 years
11 Wolfenstein Castle Wolfenstein
September 1981
Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot and Wolfenstein: Youngblood
July 25, 2019
id Software 37 years, 10 months
12 Microsoft Flight Simulator Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0
November 1982
Microsoft Flight Simulator
August 10, 2020
Microsoft 37 years, 9 months
13 Dragon Quest Dragon Quest
May 27, 1986
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
December 1, 2023
Square Enix 37 years, 6 months
14 The Legend of Zelda The Legend of Zelda
February 21, 1986
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
May 12, 2023
Nintendo 37 years, 2 months
15 BurgerTime BurgerTime
August 25, 1982
BurgerTime Party!
October 8, 2019
Marvelous Entertainment 37 years, 1 month
16 Contra Contra
February 21, 1987
Contra: Operation Galuga
March 12, 2024
Konami 37 years
17 Q*bert Q*bert
October 18, 1982
Q*bert
October 11, 2019
Sony Pictures Entertainment 36 years, 11 months
18 Bubble Bobble Bubble Bobble
August 1986
Puzzle Bobble Everybubble!
May 23, 2023
Taito (Square Enix) 36 years, 9 months
19 Kunio-kun Renegade
May 1986
River City Girls 2
December 1, 2022
Arc System Works 36 years, 7 months
20 Arkanoid Arkanoid
April 26, 1986
Arkanoid: Eternal Battle
October 27, 2022
Taito (Square Enix) 36 years, 6 months
21 Metroid Metroid
August 6, 1986
Metroid Prime Remastered
February 8, 2023
Nintendo 36 years, 6 months
22 Megami Tensei Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei
September 11, 1987
Persona 3 Reload
February 2, 2024
Atlus 36 years, 4 months
23 Daisenryaku Gendai Daisenryaku
November, 1985
Daisenryaku Supreme Strategic Battles
February 3, 2022
SystemSoft Alpha 36 years, 3 months
24 Double Dragon Double Dragon
April 22, 1987
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons
July 27, 2023
Arc System Works 36 years, 3 months
25 Ys Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished
June 21, 1987
Ys X: Nordics
September 28, 2023
Nihon Falcom 36 years, 3 months
26 Might and Magic Might and Magic Book One: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum
1986
Might & Magic: Armies
March 29, 2022
Ubisoft 36 years, 2 months
27 Street Fighter Street Fighter
August 12, 1987
Street Fighter 6
June 2, 2023
Capcom 35 years, 9 months
28 Final Fantasy Final Fantasy
December 18, 1987
Final Fantasy XVI
June 22, 2023
Square Enix 35 years, 6 months
29 A-Train A-Train
December 1985
A-Train All Aboard! Tourism
March 12, 2021
Artdink 35 years, 3 months
30 Momotaro Dentetsu Momotaro Dentetsu
December 2, 1988
Momotaro Dentetsu World: Chikyuu wa Kibou de Mawatteru!
November 16, 2023
Konami 34 years, 11 months
31 Reader Rabbit Reader Rabbit
1984
Reader Rabbit: Jumpsmarter
September 25, 2018
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 34 years, 8 months
32 SaGa The Final Fantasy Legend
December 15, 1989
SaGa: Emerald Beyond
April 25, 2024
Square Enix 34 years, 4 months
33 Prince of Persia Prince of Persia
October 3, 1989
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown
January 18, 2024
Ubisoft 34 years, 3 months
34 Shadowgate Shadowgate
July 30, 1987
Shadowgate VR: The Mines of Mythrok
October 7, 2021
Zojoi 34 years, 1 month
35 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
36 Lode Runner Lode Runner
June 23, 1983
Lode Runner Legacy
July 13, 2017
Tozai Games 34 years
37 Ninja Jajamaru Ninja JaJaMaru-kun
November 15, 1985
Ninja Jajamaru: The Great Yokai Battle
December 12, 2019
City Connection 34 years
38 Carmen Sandiego Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?
April 23, 1985
Carmen Sandiego: The Crown Jewels Caper
March 14, 2019
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 33 years, 10 months
39 Family Stadium Pro Baseball: Family Stadium
December 10, 1986
Pro Baseball: Famista 2020
September 17, 2020
Bandai Namco Entertainment 33 years, 9 months
40 Golden Tee Golden Tee Golf
1989
Golden Tee PGA Tour 2022 Home Edition
October 24, 2022
Incredible Technologies 33 years, 9 months
41 Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing!
October 1987
Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing 2020
July 5, 2021
Encore, Inc. 33 years, 9 months
42 Phantasy Star Phantasy Star
December 20, 1987
Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis
June 9, 2021
Sega 33 years, 5 months
43 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
44 Blaster Master Blaster Master
June 17, 1988
Blaster Master Zero 3
July 29, 2021
Sunsoft, Inti Creates 33 years, 1 month
45 Castlevania Castlevania
September 26, 1986
Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls
September 20, 2019
Konami 32 years, 11 months
46 Richman Richman
November 28, 1989
Richman 11
October 19, 2022
Softstar 32 years, 10 months
47 Tetris Tetris
January 29, 1988
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
December 8, 2020
The Tetris Company 32 years, 10 months
48 Uncharted Waters Uncharted Waters
May 1990
Uncharted Waters Origin
March 7, 2023
Koei Tecmo 32 years, 10 months
49 Fire Emblem Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light
April 20, 1990
Fire Emblem Engage
January 20, 2023
Nintendo
Intelligent Systems
32 years, 9 months
50 The Legend of Heroes Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes
December 10, 1989
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II
September 29, 2022
Nihon Falcom 32 years, 9 months
51 Sonic the Hedgehog Sonic the Hedgehog
June 23, 1991
Sonic Dream Team
December 5, 2023
Sega 32 years, 5 months
52 Mega Man Mega Man
December 17, 1987
Rockman X DiVE
March 24, 2020
Capcom 32 years, 3 months
53 Alone in the Dark Alone in the Dark
1992
Alone in the Dark
March 20, 2024
Embracer Group 32 years, 2 months
54 Ultima Ultima I: The First Age of Darkness
June 1981
Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar
August 7, 2013
Electronic Arts 32 years, 2 months
55 Blaster Learning System Math Blaster!
1983
Math Blaster Premium
May 15, 2015
JumpStart Games 31 years, 10 months
56 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
57 Raiden Raiden
April 1990
Raiden IV x Mikado Remix
May 6, 2021
MOSS 31 years, 1 month
58 Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat
October 8, 1992
Mortal Kombat 1
September 19, 2023
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment 30 years, 11 months
59 Metal Max Metal Max
May 24, 1991
Metal Dogs
April 8, 2022
Cygames 30 years, 10 months
60 Kirby Kirby's Dream Land
April 27, 1992
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
February 24, 2023
Nintendo
HAL Laboratory
30 years, 9 months
61 Mana Final Fantasy Adventure
June 28, 1991
Echoes of Mana
April 27, 2022
Square Enix 30 years, 9 months
62 Metal Gear Metal Gear
July 7, 1987
Metal Gear Survive
February 20, 2018
Konami 30 years, 7 months
63 Super Robot Wars Super Robot Taisen
April 20, 1991
Super Robot Wars 30
October 28, 2021
Bandai Namco Entertainment 30 years, 6 months
64 Fritz Fritz
November 1991
Fritz 18 Neuronal
March 30, 2022
ChessBase 30 years, 4 months
65 Mystery Dungeon Torneko's Great Adventure: Mystery Dungeon
September 19, 1993
Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island
January 25, 2024
Kadokawa Corporation (Spike Chunsoft) 30 years, 4 months
66 Winning Post Winning Post
January 14, 1993
Winning Post 10
March 30, 2023
Koei Tecmo 30 years, 2 months
67 Xanadu Xanadu
October 27, 1985
Tokyo Xanadu
September 30, 2015
Nihon Falcom 29 years, 11 months
68 Xuan-Yuan Sword Xuan-Yuan Sword
October 13, 1990
Xuan-Yuan Sword 7
October 6, 2020
Softstar 29 years, 11 months
69 Tekken Tekken
September 21, 1994
Tekken 8
January 26, 2024
Bandai Namco Entertainment 29 years, 4 months
70 Dokapon Kessen! Dokapon Oukoku IV: Densetsu no Yuusha Tachi
December 10, 1993
Dokapon Kingdom: Connect
April 13, 2023
Sting Entertainment 29 years, 4 months
71 Spy Hunter Spy Hunter
June 11, 1983
Spy Hunter
October 9, 2012
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment 29 years, 3 months
72 Doom Doom
December 10, 1993
Mighty Doom
March 21, 2023
id Software 29 years, 3 months
73 Puyo Puyo Puyo Puyo
October 25, 1991
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2
December 8, 2020
Sega 29 years, 1 month
74 Derby Stallion Derby Stallion: Best Race
December 21, 1991
Derby Stallion
December 3, 2020
Kadokawa Corporation 28 years, 11 months
75 Gauntlet Gauntlet
October 15, 1985
Gauntlet
September 23, 2014
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment 28 years, 11 months
76 Power Pros Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū '94
March 11, 1994
WBSC eBaseball: Power Pros
February 8, 2023
Konami 28 years, 10 months
77 Wario Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
January 21, 1994
WarioWare: Move It!
November 3, 2023
Nintendo 28 years, 9 months
78 Darius Darius
February 1987
Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours
November 30, 2015
Taito (Square Enix) 28 years, 9 months
79 Rance Rance: Hikari Quest
July 15, 1989
Rance X: Decisive Battle
February 23, 2018
Alicesoft 28 years, 7 months
80 Fire Pro Wrestling Fire Pro Wrestling Combination Tag
June 22, 1989
Fire Pro Wrestling World
December 18, 2017
Kadokawa Corporation 28 years, 5 months
81 Jagged Alliance Jagged Alliance
April 1995
Jagged Alliance 3
July 14, 2023
Embracer Group 28 years, 3 months
82 Need for Speed The Need for Speed
August 31, 1994
Need for Speed Unbound
December 2, 2022
Electronic Arts 28 years, 3 months
83 TwinBee TwinBee
March 5, 1985
Line GoGo! TwinBee
May 20, 2013
Konami 28 years, 2 months
84 Warcraft Warcraft: Orcs & Humans
November 23, 1994
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
November 28, 2022
Activision Blizzard 28 years
85 Lemmings Lemmings
February 14, 1991
Lemmings
December 20, 2018
Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe 27 years, 10 months
86 Picross Mario's Picross
March 14, 1995
Picross X: Picbits vs Uzboross
December 19, 2022
Jupiter Corporation 27 years, 9 months
87 Front Mission Front Mission
February 24, 1995
Front Mission 1st: Remake
November 30, 2022
Square Enix 27 years, 9 months
88 Hoyle Hoyle's Official Book of Games: Volume 1
1989
Hoyle Official Casino Games
October 14, 2016
Encore, Inc. 27 years, 9 months
89 Virtua Fighter Virtua Fighter
October, 1993
Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown
June 1, 2021
Sega 27 years, 8 months
90 Galactic Civilizations Galactic Civilizations
Fall 1994
Galactic Civilizations IV
April 26, 2022
Stardock 27 years, 7 months
91 EVE EVE Burst Error
1995
EVE ghost enemies
June 29, 2022
Red Flag Ship 27 years, 5 months
92 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
93 Tokimeki Memorial Tokimeki Memorial
May 27, 1994
Tokimeki Memorial: Girl's Side 4th Heart
October 28, 2021
Konami 27 years, 5 months
94 Civilization Civilization
September 1991
Civilization VI: Gathering Storm
February 14, 2019
Take-Two Interactive 27 years, 5 months
95 Shining Shining in the Darkness
March 28, 1991
Shining Resonance Refrain
July 10, 2018
Sega 27 years, 3 months
96 Yoshi Yoshi
December 14, 1991
Yoshi's Crafted World
March 29, 2019
Nintendo 27 years, 3 months
97 The Black Bass The Black Bass
August 1984
Super Black Bass 3D
October 6, 2011
Starfish SD 27 years, 2 months
98 Myst Myst
September 24, 1993
Myst
December 20, 2020
Cyan Worlds 27 years, 2 months
99 Resident Evil Resident Evil
March 22, 1996
Resident Evil 4
March 24, 2023
Capcom 27 years
100 Star Soldier Star Soldier
June 13, 1986
Star Soldier for GREE
June 20, 2013
Konami 27 years
101 Story of Seasons Harvest Moon
August 9, 1996
Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life
June 27, 2023
Marvelous Entertainment 26 years, 10 months
102 Crash Bandicoot Crash Bandicoot
September 9, 1996
Crash Team Rumble
June 20, 2023
Activision Blizzard 26 years, 9 months
103 Pokémon Pokémon Red and Green (Blue)
February 27, 1996
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
November 18, 2022
Nintendo
The Pokémon Company
26 years, 8 months
104 Angelique Angelique
September 23, 1994
Angelique Luminarise
May 20, 2021
Koei Tecmo 26 years, 7 months
105 Babylonian Castle Saga The Tower of Druaga
June 1984
The Labyrinth of Druaga
January 13, 2011
Bandai Namco Entertainment 26 years, 7 months
106 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
Kadokawa Corporation
26 years, 6 months
107 Star Ocean Star Ocean
July 19, 1996
Star Ocean: The Divine Force
October 27, 2022
Square Enix 26 years, 3 months
108 Sword and Fairy The Legend of Sword and Fairy
July 7, 1995
Sword and Fairy 7
October 22, 2021
Softstar 26 years, 3 months
109 Tomb Raider Tomb Raider
October 25, 1996
Tomb Raider Reloaded
February 14, 2023
Embracer Group 26 years, 3 months
110 Wipeout Wipeout
September 29, 1995
Wipeout Merge
January 18, 2022
Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe 26 years, 3 months
111 eFootball J.League Jikkyou Winning Eleven
July 21, 1995
eFootball 2022
September 30, 2021
Konami 26 years, 2 months
112 Armored Core Armored Core
July 10, 1997
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
August 25, 2023
Kadokawa Corporation 26 years, 1 month
113 The Elder Scrolls The Elder Scrolls: Arena
March 25, 1994
The Elder Scrolls: Blades
May 12, 2020
Bethesda Softworks 26 years, 1 month
114 Gradius Gradius
May 29, 1985
Gradius the Slot
July 2011
Konami 26 years, 1 month
115 Samurai Shodown Samurai Shodown
July 7, 1993
Samurai Shodown
June 25, 2019
SNK 25 years, 11 months
116 Touhou Project Highly Responsive to Prayers
August 15, 1997
Unfinished Dream of All Living Ghost
August 13, 2023
Team Shanghai Alice 25 years, 11 months
117 Atelier Atelier Marie: The Alchemist of Salburg
May 23, 1997
Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key
March 23, 2023
Koei Tecmo 25 years, 10 months
118 Beatmania Beatmania
December 10, 1997
Beatmania IIDX 31: EPOLIS
October 18, 2023
Konami 25 years, 10 months
119 Tales Tales of Phantasia
December 15, 1995
Tales of Luminaria
November 3, 2021
Bandai Namco Entertainment 25 years, 10 months
120 5-Star General Panzer General
1994
Fantasy General II: Invasion
September 5, 2019
Slitherine Software 25 years, 8 months
121 194X 1942
November 30, 1984
1942: First Strike
July 1, 2010
Capcom 25 years, 7 months
122 The House of the Dead The House of the Dead
September 13, 1996
The House of the Dead: Remake
April 7, 2022
Sega 25 years, 6 months
123 Postal Postal
September 24, 1997
POOSTALL Royale
April 1, 2023
Running with Scissors 25 years, 6 months
124 Test Drive Test Drive
1987
Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends
July 3, 2012
Atari 25 years, 6 months
125 Ganbare Goemon Mr. Goemon
May 1986
Ganbare Goemon Pachisuro 2
September 2011
Konami 25 years, 4 months
126 Metal Slug Metal Slug
April 19, 1996
Metal Slug: Commander
August 19, 2021
SNK 25 years, 4 months
127 Warriors Dynasty Warriors
February 28, 1997
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
June 24, 2022
Koei Tecmo 25 years, 3 months
128 Emergency Emergency: Fighters for Life
June 5, 1998
Emergency
August 15, 2023
Embracer Group 25 years, 2 months
129 SimCity SimCity
October 3, 1989
SimCity BuildIt
December 15, 2014
Electronic Arts 25 years, 2 months
130 Worms Worms
November 17, 1995
Worms Rumble
December 1, 2020
Team17 25 years

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The game was first made available within one US school in December 1971, which would amount to 49 years, 4 months, but its first public release was in May 1978.

See also[edit]