The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →In a ranking published September 7, 2025, The Filibuster Blog puts Pokémon first with 27 reported mainline entries, followed by Call of Duty with 22 and The Legend of Zelda with 20. These are that article’s editorial counts—not an official, independently audited census—and the order depends on what qualifies as “mainline.”
Top 10 franchises by reported mainline count
The table reproduces The Filibuster Blog’s September 7, 2025 ranking. Its author says the list draws on MobyGames analyses, personal experience, and fan discussion, but does not provide a complete title-by-title ledger or a uniform rule for every borderline game. Treat the numbers as a dated editorial tally, rather than definitive franchise totals. Read the ranking.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Trapped in a Video Game: The Complete Series | $26.01 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Escape from a Video Game: The Complete Series | $20.52 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![The Hunger Games: 4-Movie Collection [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51awED+QlZL._SL160_.jpg)
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The Hunger Games: 4-Movie Collection [DVD] | $8.92 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 (PS5) | $33.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Assassin's Creed The Ezio Collection - PlayStation 4 | $18.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| Rank | Franchise | Reported mainline count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pokémon | 27 |
| 2 | Call of Duty | 22 |
| 3 | The Legend of Zelda | 20 |
| 4 | Sonic the Hedgehog | 16 |
| 5 | Assassin’s Creed | 14 |
| 6 | Kingdom Hearts | 11 |
| 7 | Mega Man | 11 |
| 8 | Resident Evil | 10 |
| 9 | Metal Gear | 9 |
| 10 | Yakuza | 9 |
What “mainline” means—and why counts differ
There is no single cross-publisher standard for counting a franchise’s mainline games. A list might include core entries while leaving out spin-offs, but totals can still change depending on how it treats remakes, enhanced editions, expansions, portable releases, online games, or games within subseries. The 2025 ranking does not spell out all those decisions, so its figures should not be read as the result of one fully reproducible counting rule.
For a like-for-like comparison, any ranking needs to apply the same inclusion rules to every franchise and state its release cutoff. The figures here belong to the source’s own editorial method; they are useful for seeing its comparison, not for resolving every catalog edge case. New releases may also affect counts or ordering after the article’s publication date.
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Sequel count is not the same as franchise longevity
A series can hold a longevity record without having the most sequels. Guinness World Records describes Dragon Quest as the longest-running RPG videogame series, measuring a release span of 33 years and 123 days through September 27, 2019. That is a duration-based record stated as of March 5, 2020—not a count of mainline entries. See the Guinness World Records entry.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Mario is not added to this ranking
Mario is an obvious candidate for a list of long-running game franchises, but the umbrella covers many kinds of games and subseries. Nintendo’s official history page provides franchise context; it does not establish a comprehensive rule or exact total for Mario mainline sequels. Adding a number without defining the scope would make this comparison less consistent, not more authoritative. Nintendo’s official Mario history.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Play through three of the greatest entries in the acclaimed Assassin’s Creed series, featuring the franchise’s most iconic hero, Ezio Auditore.
- Immerse yourself in three classic adventures featuring enhanced visuals on the current generation of consoles.
- Experience every moment in legendary Assassin Ezio’s epic journey from a young nobleman to fearless leader of the Brotherhood of Assassins.
- Explore deeper into Ezio’s incredible saga with two bonus short films that go beyond the trilogy.
- Make history across 80 hours of gameplay including three complete games and all single-player add-on content previously released.
Rank #4
- This innovative game series was born from the idea of avoiding combat and infiltrating enemy territory undetected
- Title line up: Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2, Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, Metal Gear (NES/FC version), and Snake’s Revenge
- Digital books: Metal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2, Metal Gear Solid 3, Metal Gear, and Metal Gear; Screenplay and Master Books included
- Video: Metal Gear Solid; Digital Graphic Novel and Metal Gear Solid 2; Digital Graphic Novel
- Includes Metal Gear Solid: Digital Soundtrack
Rank #3
Rank #2
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