In Pics: The best-selling video game franchises

Video games are a cornerstone of modern pop culture, and one of the most popular forms of entertainment, particularly in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, with at least 30 billion hours spent on gaming worldwide in 2020.In light of this, we take a look at some of the best-selling video game franchises of all time.Source: Nintendo, Statista, The Pokémon Company

1. Mario: To the surprise of no one, Mario rules the chart of best-selling video game franchises, with well over 750 million copies sold ever since the first game that released in 1981. Credit: AFP Photo

2: Tetris: The classic puzzle game, Tetris, published first in 1984 and popularised by Sega and Atari, has sold over 495 million copies, a majority of which are paid mobile downloads. Credit: YouTube/Acmlm1

3. Call of Duty: Though regularly criticised for being too formulaic, Activision's Call of Duty franchise is nonetheless a major video game behemoth, with nearly every entry selling millions of units just hours or days after release. In all, the franchise has moved 400 million copies into the hands of gamers. Credit: USA Today Sports

4. Pokémon: Many people probably knows Pokémon from the classic TV anime or the films, but the games are a bonafide cultural phenomenon, having sold 380 million copies ever since the first game made waves on the Game Boy and has since expanded into several genres. Credit: YouTube/Pokémon Asia ENG

5. Grand Theft Auto:

6: FIFA: Though recent entries in Electronic Arts' FIFA franchise have received less-than-stellar reviews and the series is facing threats from competitors, the football video game series has still held its own, selling over 325 million copies. Credit: YouTube/EA Sports FIFA

7: Minecraft: Who would have thought that a game with no goals, no story and gameplay literally built around just doing whatever you want to do with small blocks would become one of the most popular franchises of all time? But it did, and as of 2021, it has sold 238 million copies worldwide. Credit: YouTube/Minecraft