The Greatest Game Franchises of the Modern Era

The gaming industry is now a global media phenomenon on track to be worth $314 billion by 2026. From humble origins it has risen to claim the crown of the dominant entertainment sector of our age. With modern blockbuster series like Call of Duty able to pull in more revenue alone than the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe it’s easy to forget that gaming has a long and prestigious history dating back to the earliest days of computing. Many of the early titles that helped craft what videogames would become, from Space Invaders to PAC-MAN, are now left to gather dust in the annals of gaming history. Others though, have gone from strength to strength, reinventing themselves with each successive generation and technological leap forward. Below we’re taking a look at some of the greatest game franchises of the modern era. From iconic characters to historic gameplay innovations, these series have left their mark on gaming history and continue to produce top tier titles that surpass the competition even today.

Final Fantasy

Square Enix’s Final Fantasy series is not only one of the longest running game series ever, with its latest mainline entry clocking in at number 16, but it has spawned dozens of spin-offs, adaptations and reboots along the way. What the majority of these share in common is a focus on compelling turn based RPG gameplay, rich storylines, dazzling attacks and monstrous antagonists. Traditionalists are fond of stating that Final Fantasy VII, one of the supreme console experiences of the 90s, remains the series’ high point. However the franchises’ ceaseless forward march points to its ability to evolve with the times and continue delivering the kind of RPG action that leaves fans hungry for more, right up to the present. Noteworthy entries include the SNES’ pixel-tastic Final Fantasy VI from 1994, Final Fantasy IX - the crowning achievement of the early 3D PlayStation iterations, and 2013’s Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, the MMORPG reboot on the PlayStation 3.

Gran Turismo

Long before Project Cars, GRID, Toca or Forza Motorsport, there was Gran Turismo. Gran Turismo certainly wasn’t the first true racing simulator, but it was instantly the best when it was released in 1997 on the PlayStation after 5 years in development. It gave players unprecedented access behind the wheel, and under the hood, of 180 different cars ranging from the Fiat 500 L to the Mitsubishi GTO Twin Turbo, and everything in between. It sold over 10 million units, making it the best selling PlayStation 1 game ever, with Gran Turismo 2 coming in close behind. The series has had a close relationship with Sony’s gaming platform ever since. Now that Gran Turismo 7 has just been released for the PlayStation 5 the hopes are that it will continue to carry the series forward, with 400+ new stunningly rendered vehicles and 35 tracks to get to grips with.

Street Fighter

Street Fighter II is generally considered the true birth of the series as it was the first time a Street Fighter game, or any fighting game for that matter, offered two player local combat. This innovation leads to it being considered, in the eyes of many, the first true esport. Given that there are still international tournaments for it today, this is a reasonable opinion. Street Fighter is one of the highest grossing games series of all time, and far and out the most successful beat ‘em up. Many gameplay mechanics associated with the genre, from a range of characters with unique moves, to button combos, first appeared in Street Fighter II. To date the franchise is worth over $12 billion globally, and has given rise to a succession of immensely popular competitive fighting games. The current entry, Street Fighter V, is one of the most popular esports played today. That may be set to change soon though, as Street Fighter 6 is set for release in Q3 2022 and looks ready to bring the franchise crashing into the next generation.