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Forums - Sales Discussion - Is your favorite franchise in a period of growth or decline?

 

Is your favorite franchise in a period of growth or decline?

My favorite franchise is in growth. 40 44.94%
 
My favorite franchise is in decline. 38 42.70%
 
My favorite franchise is ... 11 12.36%
 
Total:89
Mike_L on 24 March 2016

How is your favorite video game franchise doing sales wise? Is it in a period of growth or decline?

 

In order to find out I've listed the first week, first year and life to date sales numbers for several prominent franchises in the table below. Percentage growth or decline in first year sales in the newest game in a franchise compared to the preceding installment is given in ().

 

In the far right column I’ve tried to project lifetime sales of the newest game in each franchise with the help of these first year percentages. I know some projections are off like Halo 5, Skyrim, Fallout 4 and Mario Kart 8 but it's just for fun. When a new mainline game in a franchise releases I’ll update the projections (e.g. lifetime projection will be given for Uncharted 4 instead of Uncharted 3).

 

In this thread I've primarily focused on home console franchises. Additionally, the numbers do not include digital sales. I figured this would be the right time before the missing digital sales numbers makes any kind of discussion centered around VG numbers completely irrelevant. All numbers are in millions.

 

Game

First week sales

First year sales

Life to date sales

Projected lifetime sales
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves 0.88 2.77 6.72  
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception 1.35 3.41 6.80
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End 2.20 (1st month +42%) 2.98 (6.82*1.42 =) 9.68
Gears of War 0.61 2.97 6.10  
Gears of War 2 1.87 4.22 6.76  
Gears of War 3 2.96 5.00 (+18%) 6.24 (6.75*1.18 =) 7.97
God of War - - 4.45  
God of War 2 - - 4.07  
God of War 3 1.23 3.57 4.83 -
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker - - 4.60  
The Legend of Zelda: Twillight Princess - - 8.86  
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword 0.28 2.85 4.09 -
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - - 4.23  
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots 1.82 3.98 6.02  
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain 2.08 4.18 (+5%) 4.89 6.31
Yakuza 3 0.36 0.53 1.12  
Yakuza 4 0.38 0.57 0.96  
Yakuza 5 0.36 0.52 (-9%) 0.59 0.86
Resident Evil 4 - - 5.31
Resident Evil 5 0.40 5.28 8.59  
Resident Evil 6 2.27 3.78 (-28%) 5.25 6.18
Tomb Raider: Underworld - - 3.44  
Tomb Raider (2013) 1.35 4.82 6.77  
Rise of the Tomb Raider 0.31 1.29 (-73%) 1.69 1.83
Hitman: Blood Money - - 1.04  
Hitman: Absolution 0.98 2.55 4.18  
Hitman (2016) - - - -
Deus Ex: Invisible War - - 0.33  
Deus Ex: Human Revolution 0.57 1.84 3.47  
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided - - - -
Just Cause - - 0.16  
Just Cause 2 0.39 1.81 3.38  
Just Cause 3 0.83 2.04 (+13%) 2.77 3.82
Infamous 0.26 1.32 2.92  
Infamous 2 0.32 1.08 1.83  
Infamous: Second Son 0.77 2.10 (+94%) 2.75 3.55
Grand Theft Auto III - - 15.59  
Grand Theft Auto IV 5.77 12.23 21.50  
Grand Theft Auto V 19.81 37.98 (+211%) 54.40 66.87
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag 2.06 6.64 13.16  
Assassin's Creed: Unity 1.45 5.17 7.84  
Assassin's Creed: Syndicate 0.88 3.81 (-26%) 4.55 5.80
Batman: Arkham City 1.83 5.27 11.17  
Batman: Arkham Origins 1.09 2.92 4.94  
Batman: Arkham Knight 2.13 4.68 (+60%) 5.18 7.90
Mafia - - 0.70  
Mafia II 0.47 1.53 3.45  
Mafia III - - - -
Halo 3 3.81 6.84 12.14  
Halo 4 3.66 7.20 9.74  
Halo 5: Guardians 1.54 3.46 (-52%) 3.98 4.68
Call of Duty: Ghosts 7.93 18.21 27.72  
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare 6.73 16.67 21.78  
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 6.28 19.66 (+18%) 23.88 25.70
Battlefield 3 4.00 9.45 17.35  
Battlefield 4 2.32 7.12 13.93  
Battlefield 5 - - - -
Star Wars: Battlefront - - 5.36
Star Wars: Battlefront 2 - - 6.48
Star Wars: Battlefront (2015) 3.93 9.42 11.37 -
Far Cry 2 0.41 1.93 3.48  
Far Cry 3 0.40 2.90 7.46  
Far Cry 4 1.51 4.76 (+64%) 8.53 12.23
Borderlands 0.43 1.99 5.71  
Borderlands 2 1.60 3.86 7.08
Borderlands 3 - - - -
Bioshock 0.57 1.67 4.69  
Bioshock 2 0.82 2.52 3.99  
Bioshock: Infinite 1.17 2.93 (+16%) 4.37 4.63
DOOM 3 0.29 0.92 1.34  
DOOM 3 BFG 0.16 0.56 1.09  
DOOM (2016) 0.65 (1st month +341%) 1.28 4.81
Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in Time 0.10 0.72 1.88  
Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus 0.10 0.39 0.70  
Ratchet & Clank (2016) 0.20 (1st month +186%) 0.87 2.00
Super Mario: Sunshine - - 6.31  
Super Mario: Galaxy 0.25 4.2 11.51  
Super Mario: 3D World 0.27 1.61 (-62%) 4.20 4.37
Sonic: Generations 0.32 1.48 4.13  
Sonic: Lost World 0.02 0.44 0.88  
Sonic: Boom 0.03 0.35 (-21%) 0.60 0.70
Donkey Kong 64 - - 5.27  
Donkey Kong Country: Returns 0.54 3.60 6.57  
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze 0.04 0.97 (-73%) 1.48 1.77
Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc - - 0.57  
Rayman: Origins 0.10 1.13 3.21  
Rayman: Legends 0.12 1.49 (+32%) 3.28 4.24
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - - 2.86  
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion 0.38 2.17 7.76  
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 2.78 7.77 (+258%) 19.20 27.78
Dragon Age: Origins 0.44 2.00 4.91  
Dragon Age II 0.54 1.35 2.60  
Dragon Age: Inquisition 0.83 2.83 (+110%) 4.72 5.46
The Witcher - - -  
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings 0.21 0.58 0.91  
The Witcher 3 1.60 4.24 (+631%) 5.33 6.65
Fallout 2 - - -  
Fallout 3 0.92 2.97 8.84  
Fallout 4 4.16 9.19 (+209%) 11.82 27.32
Mass Effect 0.40 1.23 3.60  
Mass Effect 2 0.96 2.95 4.97  
Mass Effect 3 1.69 3.58 (21%) 5.75 6.01
Final Fantasy XII - - 5.95  
Final Fantasy XIII 2.14 3.28 7.51  
Final Fantasy XV - - - -
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King - - 5.21  
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies 2.34 4.14 5.84  
Dragon Quest XI: In Search of Departed Time - - - -
Kingdom Hearts - - 6.40  
Kingdom Hearts 2 - - 4.33  
Kingdom Hearts 3 - - - -
Persona 3 - - 1.91  
Persona 4 - - 2.17  
Persona 5 - - - -
Tales of Graces/f 0.36 0.51 1.23  
Tales of Xillia 0.51 0.64 1.24  
Tales of Zestiria 0.38 0.80 (+25%) 0.92 1.55
Dark Souls 0.40 1.30 3.02  
Dark Souls II 0.85 2.22 2.68  
Dark Souls III 0.42 (1st month -1%) 1.71 2.65
Monster Hunter: Portable 3rd 1.97 3.76 4.87  
Monster Hunter 4 1.78 3.23 3.44  
Monster Hunter X 1.49 2.54 (-21%) 2.75 2.82
Pokémon: Black/White 2.61 5.05 15.30  
Pokémon: X/Y 4.06 10.05 13.87  
Pokémon: Sun/Moon - - - -
Tekken 5 - - 3.87  
Tekken 6 0.54 2.02 4.40  
Tekken 7 - - - -
Street Fighter III - - -  
Street Fighter IV 0.12 3.10 7.13  
Street Fighter V 0.44 (1st month -63%) 0.70 2.64
Mortal Kombat 4 - - 2.19  
Mortal Kombat (2011) 0.93 2.84 4.96  
Mortal Kombat X 1.26 3.48 (+23%) 3.99 6.10
Virtua Fighter 3 - - 0.37  
Virtua Fighter 4 - - 1.81  
Virtua Fighter 5 0.09 0.85 1.37 -
Dead or Alive 3 - - 1.77  
Dead or Alive 4 0.11 0.36 0.77  
Dead or Alive 5 0.26 0.74 (+106%) 1.45 1.59
Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi 0.16 0.54 1.15  
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z 0.11 0.40 0.51  
Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 0.18 1.80 (+350%) 2.08 2.30
Super Smash Bros. Melee - - 7.07  
Super Smash Bros. Brawl 0.84 7.92 12.97  
Super Smash Bros. (2014) 1.44 8.43 (+6%) 12.30 13.75
Gran Turismo 4 - - 11.66  
Gran Turismo 5 2.39 5.38 10.76  
Gran Turismo 6 0.86 1.89 (-65%) 3.60 3.77
Forza Motorsport 4 0.52 1.82 4.61  
Forza Motorsport 5 0.33 0.94 2.17  
Forza Motorsport 6 0.22 1.24 (+32%) 1.60 2.86
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012) 0.48 2.70 5.81  
Need for Speed: Rivals 0.34 1.93 4.69  
Need for Speed (2015) 0.66 2.52 (+31%) 2.97 6.14
Dirt 2 0.30 1.48 2.50  
Dirt 3 0.18 1.01 1.96  
Dirt Rally 0.18 (1st month -23%) 0.38 1.51
Mario Kart: Double Dash - - 6.95  
Mario Kart: Wii 1.08 13.24 35.74  
Mario Kart 8 1.17 4.31 (-67%) 6.86 11.79
(FIFA 07) - - 5.11  
FIFA 15 5.01 13.95 17.90  
FIFA 16 4.72 13.23 (-5%) 15.33 17.01
(PES 2008) - - 7.48  
PES 2015 0.34 0.99 1.61  
PES 2016 0.18 1.12 (+13%) 1.43 1.82
(NBA 2K6) - - 1.47  
NBA 2K15 0.86 4.49 6.90  
NBA 2K16 1.58 5.93 (+32%) 7.43 9.11
(NBA Live 06) - - 4.74  
NBA Live 15 0.01 0.18 0.41  
NBA Live 16 0.01 0.18 (0%) 0.25 0.41
(Madden NFL 07) - - 10.02  
Madden NFL 15 1.46 5.53 6.84  
Madden NFL 16 1.57 6.21 (+12%) 7.23 7.66
(NHL 2005) - - 0.68  
NHL 15 0.26 1.11 1.74  
NHL 16 0.23 0.91 (-18%) 1.09 1.43
(NHL 2K5) - - 1.30  
NHL 2K10 - - 1.01  
NHL 2K11 0.01 0.10 0.28 -
(Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09) - - 3.47  
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 0.08 0.47 0.73  
Rory McIlroy PGA Tour 15 0.23 0.61 (+30%) 0.72 0.95
WWE 2K14 0.38 1.39 2.31  
WWE 2K15 0.56 2.08 3.12  
WWE 2K16 0.53 2.25 (+8%) 2.76 3.37
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 - - 7.53  
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 - - 5.18  
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 0.14 0.35 0.42 -
(Just Dance 3) 0.25 8.74 12.87  
Just Dance 2015 0.03 2.87 4.67  
Just Dance 2016 0.05 2.28 (-21%) 2.84 3.69
Kinect Sports 0.18 2.20 6.21  
Kinect Sports: Season 2 0.11 1.52 2.36  
Kinect Sports: Rivals 0.09 0.37 (-76%) 0.56 0.57


Around the Network
Rogerioandrade on 24 March 2016

To tell you the truth, I´m not sure...... because my favourite franchise now is Shin Megami Tensei, which is kind of "niche", it´s not mainstream, at least in the West.

From the franchises listed, my favourites are selling fine: Mario Kart, The Legend Of Zelda, Pokemon, Resident Evil, Deus Ex....... The only one who worries me is Street Fighter. It seems that the latest game is not selling well...



snyps on 24 March 2016

Mine is in a state of "Once and Former King". Metroid.



KungKras on 24 March 2016

Mine's in a state of "Used to be the king of E-sports but now the latest installment is getting destroyed by the lame MOBA genre with their toxic players and unrewarding gameplay"

Guess the franchise.



I LOVE ICELAND!

FentonCrackshell on 24 March 2016

Dark Cloud hadn't released a game in 13 years so there's no growth there. Also, it's sad to see such a great Tomb Raider game have such poor sales.



PC GAMING: BEST GAMES. WORST CONTROLS

A mouse & keyboard are made for sending email and typing internet badassery. Not for playing video games!!!

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JRPGfan on 24 March 2016
Rogerioandrade said:
To tell you the truth, I´m not sure...... because my favourite franchise now is Shin Megami Tensei, which is kind of "niche", it´s not mainstream, at least in the West.

^ this.

I voted in growth though.

Believe! Persona 5 will grow it.



Rain2 on 24 March 2016
KungKras said:
Mine's in a state of "Used to be the king of E-sports but now the latest installment is getting destroyed by the lame MOBA genre with their toxic players and unrewarding gameplay"

Guess the franchise.

Sonic the Hedgehog? 



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KLXVER on 24 March 2016
KungKras said:
Mine's in a state of "Used to be the king of E-sports but now the latest installment is getting destroyed by the lame MOBA genre with their toxic players and unrewarding gameplay"

Guess the franchise.

StarCraft?



okr on 24 March 2016

Sid Meier's Civilization.

http://venturebeat.com/2016/02/18/civilization-25-years-66-versions-33m-copies-sold-1-billion-hours-played/

Civ 5 is the most successful iteration, so I assume the franchise is still in growth 25 years after the release of Civ 1.



Natsu on 24 March 2016

Mines going down, even though I think the quality is increasing (halo)