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Forums - Sales - Best-selling New Console Franchises of this Generation

 

I took the time and effort to put together these charts because I was curious about which gaming franchises had started in the current generation of consoles and wanted to know about their sales. Using this site's software sales estimates I think I managed to make a very complete list of the major franchises and IPs for consoles in the market : Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2*.

I think you may find it interesting so I wanted to share it with all of you. Looking at the charts you can appreciate the performance of new franchises from both 1st and 3rd party publishers, and how much exclusive new franchises sell oppose to multiplatform franchises.


 NOTES

1- List includes only console games that belong to NEW franchises. Games that belong to a franchise older than current consoles on the market are not included. Any franchises that appeared on a portable before a console(s)'s launch is not considered a new franchise in these charts. No sequels, spin-offs, reboots, remasters, remakes, etc. that include an old franchise title are included. *PS2 iterations of some franchises that started on current generation consoles are included.

2- List includes only games that sold over 1 million units in at least 1 console iteration of the franchise.


3- If you find something missing that matches the above criteria let me know. If you find any technical problem within the charts please let me know, and thanks in advance.

 

The first table lists all the titles that belong to a new franchise from the current generation of consoles, sorted out from highest-selling to lowest-selling. The second table groups all these titles in their respective franchises so we can look at each of them as a whole and appreciate their total sales from highest to lowest-selling.

 

 BEST-SELLING NEW FRANCHISE TITLES THIS GENERATION 

Console Title Publisher Japan America Others Total
             
Wii Wii Sports Nintendo 3.71 32.98 25.29 61.98
Wii Wii Fit Nintendo 3.62 9.56 9.39 22.57
Wii Wii Sports Resort Nintendo 1.84 6.23 6.82 14.89
Wii Wii Fit Plus Nintendo 1.83 5.18 4.65 11.66
X360 Gears of War Microsoft 0.08 3.81 2.15 6.04
X360 Gears of War 2 Microsoft 0.06 3.65 1.96 5.67
X360 Assassin's Creed Ubisoft 0.07 3.14 1.63 4.84
PS3 Assassin's Creed Ubisoft 0.09 1.59 2.02 3.7
PS3 Resistance: Fall of Man Sony Computer Entertainment 0.14 1.46 2.08 3.68
X360 Assassin's Creed II Ubisoft 0.06 2.2 1.4 3.66
Wii Carnival Games Global Star 0.05 1.91 1.64 3.6
Wii Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree Nintendo 0.41 1 2.11 3.52
PS3 MotorStorm Sony Computer Entertainment 0.08 1.54 1.9 3.52
PS3 Assassin's Creed II Ubisoft 0.12 1.59 1.65 3.36
PS3 LittleBigPlanet Sony Computer Entertainment 0.17 1.55 1.54 3.26
PS3 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Sony Computer Entertainment 0.12 1.48 1.55 3.15
PS3 Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Sony Computer Entertainment 0.12 1.35 1.64 3.11
Wii EA Sports Active EA Sports 0.06 1.71 1.22 2.99
X360 Left 4 Dead Electronic Arts 0.05 2.17 0.5 2.72
Wii Just Dance Ubisoft 0 1.07 1.58 2.65
X360 Left 4 Dead 2 Electronic Arts 0.05 1.92 0.67 2.64
X360 BioShock 2K Games 0.05 1.54 0.93 2.52
X360 Rock Band MTV Games 0 2.09 0.35 2.44
X360 Pure Disney Interactive Studios 0 1.4 0.9 2.3
X360 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed LucasArts 0 1.46 0.75 2.21
Wii Game Party Midway Games 0 1.33 0.86 2.19
X360 Mass Effect Microsoft 0.03 1.49 0.67 2.19
X360 Saints Row THQ 0.02 1.36 0.65 2.03
PS3 Batman: Arkham Asylum Eidos Interactive 0.02 1.07 0.9 1.99
X360 Rock Band 2 MTV Games 0 1.8 0.18 1.98
PS3 Resistance 2 Sony Computer Entertainment 0.1 0.91 0.84 1.85
X360 Saints Row 2 THQ 0.02 1.05 0.72 1.79
X360 Dead Rising Capcom 0.08 1.19 0.49 1.76
X360 Crackdown Microsoft 0.04 1.06 0.58 1.68
X360 Mass Effect 2  Electronic Arts 0 1.22 0.46 1.68
X360 Viva Pinata Microsoft 0.02 0.49 1.11 1.62
X360 Borderlands 2K Games 0.02 1.12 0.47 1.61
X360 Dragon Age: Origins Electronic Arts 0 1.14 0.43 1.57
X360 Army of Two Electronic Arts 0.02 1.12 0.42 1.56
PS3 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed LucasArts 0 0.79 0.77 1.56
X360 Batman: Arkham Asylum Eidos Interactive 0.01 0.87 0.65 1.53
Wii High School Musical: Sing It! Disney Interactive Studios 0 1.01 0.51 1.52
Wii MySims Electronic Arts 0.04 0.93 0.55 1.52
PS3 InFamous Sony Computer Entertainment 0.05 0.85 0.56 1.46
Wii Star Wars: The Force Unleashed LucasArts 0 0.89 0.56 1.45
PS3 Heavenly Sword Sony Computer Entertainment 0.06 0.51 0.85 1.42
Wii Game Party 2 Midway Games 0 0.94 0.46 1.4
Wii We Ski Namco Bandai 0.14 0.85 0.41 1.4
Wii Rock Band MTV Games 0 1.37 0 1.37
Wii Smarty Pants  Electronic Arts 0 0.45 0.84 1.29
Wii Red Steel Ubisoft 0.04 0.57 0.59 1.2
Wii Carnival Games: Mini Golf 2K Play 0 0.64 0.53 1.17
Wii MySims Kingdom Electronic Arts 0.01 0.52 0.63 1.16
PS3 Heavy Rain Sony Computer Entertainment 0.04 0.49 0.62 1.15
X360 Prototype Activision 0 0.77 0.35 1.12
X360 BioShock 2 2K Games 0.01 0.79 0.29 1.09
PS2 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed LucasArts 0.01 0.48 0.59 1.08
PS3 Dead Space Electronic Arts 0 0.55 0.51 1.06
Wii Disney Sing It Disney Interactive Studios 0 0.77 0.27 1.04
PS3 Saints Row 2 THQ 0.02 0.52 0.5 1.04
Wii Hasbro Family Game Night Electronic Arts 0 0.78 0.24 1.02
Wii High School Musical 3: Senior Year DANCE! Disney Interactive Studios 0 0.51 0.51 1.02
X360 Dead Space Electronic Arts 0 0.63 0.35 0.98
PS3 Army of Two Electronic Arts 0.02 0.66 0.29 0.97
PS3 Rock Band MTV Games 0 0.92 0 0.92
PS3 MotorStorm: Pacific Rift Sony Computer Entertainment 0.02 0.26 0.63 0.91
PS3 Prototype Activision 0 0.5 0.4 0.9
PS3 Rock Band 2 MTV Games 0 0.88 0 0.88
Wii Rock Band 2 MTV Games 0 0.86 0 0.86
PS3 Dragon Age: Origins Electronic Arts 0 0.58 0.24 0.82
PS2 Rock Band MTV Games 0 0.73 0 0.73
Wii Hasbro Family Game Night 2 Electronic Arts 0 0.42 0.28 0.7
Wii MySims Agents Electronic Arts 0 0.43 0.23 0.66
PS3 Borderlands 2K Games 0 0.35 0.27 0.62
PS3 BioShock 2 2K Games 0.01 0.35 0.21 0.57
Wii We Ski & Snowboard Namco Bandai 0.13 0.16 0.28 0.57
PS3 Pure Disney Interactive Studios 0 0.23 0.32 0.55
PS3 BioShock 2K Games 0.01 0.25 0.28 0.54
Wii Disney Sing It! High School Musical 3: Senior Year Disney Interactive Studios 0 0.23 0.22 0.45
Wii MySims Racing Electronic Arts 0 0.18 0.23 0.41
PS2 Rock Band 2 MTV Games 0 0.28 0 0.28

 

 

 

 BEST-SELLING NEW FRANCHISES THIS GENERATION 

Wii Wii Sports Nintendo 76.87
Wii Wii Fit Nintendo 34.23
Multi Assassin's Creed Ubisoft 15.56
X360 Gears of War Microsoft 11.71
Multi Rock Band MTV Games 9.46
Multi BioShock 2K Games 6.95
Multi Star Wars: The Force Unleashed LucasArts 6.3
PS3 Uncharted Sony Computer Entertainment 6.26
PS3 Resistance Sony Computer Entertainment 5.53
X360 Left 4 Dead Electronic Arts 5.36
Multi Saints Row THQ 4.86
Wii Carnival Games Global Star 4.77
PS3 MotorStorm Sony Computer Entertainment 4.43
X360 Mass Effect Microsoft 3.87
Wii MySims Electronic Arts 3.75
Wii Game Party Midway Games 3.59
Wii Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree Nintendo 3.52
Multi Batman: Arkham Asylum Eidos Interactive 3.52
PS3 LittleBigPlanet Sony Computer Entertainment 3.26
Wii EA Sports Active EA Sports 2.99
Multi Pure Disney Interactive Studios 2.85
Wii Just Dance Ubisoft 2.65
Wii High School Musical Disney Interactive Studios 2.54
Multi Army of Two Electronic Arts 2.53
Multi Dragon Age: Origins Electronic Arts 2.39
Multi Borderlands 2K Games 2.23
Multi Dead Space Electronic Arts 2.04
Multi Prototype Activision 2.02
Wii We Ski Namco Bandai 1.97
X360 Dead Rising Capcom 1.76
Wii Hasbro Family Game Night Electronic Arts 1.72
X360 Crackdown Microsoft 1.68
X360 Viva Pinata Microsoft 1.62
Wii Disney Sing It Disney Interactive Studios 1.49
PS3 InFamous Sony Computer Entertainment 1.46
PS3 Heavenly Sword Sony Computer Entertainment 1.42
Wii Smarty Pants  Electronic Arts 1.29
Wii Red Steel Ubisoft 1.2
PS3 Heavy Rain Sony Computer Entertainment 1.15

 

 SUMMARY


New Franchise Leader                                                        Wii Fit*                                             

New Exclusive Franchise Leader                                         Wii Fit*                                             

New Multiplat Franchise Leader                                          Assassin's Creed                              

New Franchise Publisher Leader                                         Nintendo                                          

New Franchise Exclusive Publisher Leader                          Nintendo                                          

New Franchise Multiplat Publisher Leader                           Ubisoft                                             

New Franchise Third-party sales leader                              Electronic Arts*                                

Most New Franchises publisher leader                                Electronic Arts (8)**                        

Most New Exclusive Franchises publisher leader                 Sony Computer Entertainment (7)  

Most New Multiplat Franchises publisher leader                  Electronic Arts (3)                            

Most New Franchises console leader                                   PlayStation 3 (19)                           

Most New Exclusive Franchises console leader                    Wii (14)                                           

 

l 39 new millon-selling franchises don't seem like a lot, especially when 14 of those are exclusive to just one console (Wii). However, consider I just listed franchises with at least one game selling 1 million, there's certainly a large group of new franchises/IPs that have managed very good sales, some beyond 1.5 million (for example, Grid and Dirt) between different consoles and sequels. My goal was not to include all, but to include the best-selling. I know it's unfair to leave some games out (again, Grid), but I had to cut somewhere. Hopefully those are a very small minority.

l The third-party business is strong when it comes to new franchises this generation. 14 third-party companies publish 25 of the 39 new major franchises this generation.  Nintendo holds the most sales as a publisher for its own console, surprisingly, with just  3 new franchises. Sony Computer Entertainment is on distant 2nd place despite having the most new franchises for its console. 

 

Total New Franchises per Console


PS3       19

X360     18

Wii        16


Total New Exclusive Franchises per Console

Wii         14
 
PS3         7

X360       6

 

Total Third-party Publishers per Console

X360     10
 
PS3        9

Wii         8

 

The presence of new franchises among all the current consoles is even, but it's interesting to note that Nintendo Wii holds exclusively 14 of the new 16 franchises present in its library. The correlation between the PS3 and Xbox 360's libraries is clear, as all but three new third-party franchises (L4D, Mass Effect, Dead Rising) are present on both consoles.

 

 Top 5 Publishers (millions of units sold)                  
                                       
Nintendo                                         49.12*
Sony Computer Entertainment        23.51
Electronic Arts                                 22.07**
Ubisoft                                            19.41
Microsoft                                         17.26

 

* Wii Sports is not included.  Credit where it's due, Wii Fit is the true stand-alone new franchise sales leader.

** Includes EA sports Active published by EA Sports.



Around the Network

Nice Job!



EXCELLENT analysis & very impressed at PS3's performance, xbox 360's & of course Wii Series



All hail the KING, Andrespetmonkey

Damn, I can't get the sales numbers to appear on the second table, wth??



Now we're talking



Around the Network

Good job, tough you should add LBP and Motorstorm the PSP and PS2 versions to



Vote the Mayor for Mayor!

^LBP for PS2?? what. when. how. where?



@gekkokamen
He means LBP for PSP and Motorstrom for PS2.

@hunter_alien
Title says best selling new CONSOLE franchises of THIS GENERATION. So no PSP and PS2 ver.



Scottie - You are missing mario and Sonic at the _______ games

Someone else, possibly the OP or someone who owns either a PS3 or a 360 - That's part of an established franchise

Scottie - O RLY? Surely that same logic applies to Star Wars: The Force unleashed, I hear Star Wars has been around for a while

Other Person - Oh yeah



@OP: Nice job!
Unsurprisingly, for 3rd parties, multiplatform looks like the way to go...
XB360 is a very strong SW seller for its installed base.



Stwike him, Centuwion. Stwike him vewy wuffly! (Pontius Pilate, "Life of Brian")
A fart without stink is like a sky without stars.
TGS, Third Grade Shooter: brand new genre invented by Kevin Butler exclusively for Natal WiiToo Kinect. PEW! PEW-PEW-PEW!