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With the massive evolution of the game industry, many publishers are hurting to get their hands on long-running game franchises that are packed with great world building, great characters, and common tropes that can help these franchises last for years to come. It is this longevity that many developers strive for by creating deep universes with captivating personalities and compelling stories.



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The following franchises will no doubt stand the test of time and will almost certainly last for the next thirty years. This is, of course, a huge period to consider given how quickly the gaming industry has evolved, but the foundations of these franchises are so solid that players can’t see their significance diminish at all, no matter how many decades pass.

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10 Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy is a series that has been going on for over thirty years, so it’s not hard to wonder if it will last another thirty years. It may be a rather rocky period ahead, but the fact that Final Fantasy 14 is hailed by many as the best MMORPG out there and shows just how much more this series has to offer.

Final Fantasy features some of the most iconic monsters, skills, characters, and stories ever told in gaming history. The rollout may be slow, but fans can easily expect this franchise to deliver and move more over time.

9 dragon quest

Another JRPG series that has made a lofty name is: dragon quest. The series features all the facets of classic role-playing titles that fans have come to love.

With the latest release of Dragon Quest 11, it’s clear that the series is heading in a bold but promising direction. Fans can’t wait to see what else this franchise has to offer, with the prospect of new mainline games looking promising indeed.


8 Persona

The Shin Megami Tensei series is pretty legendary in its own right, no doubt about it. However, there is just something about the Persona series that made it so much more popular than the series it sprang from.

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With the Persona series is still highly regarded by so many fans, it’s easy to see why this JRPG franchise isn’t going away anytime soon. Each game was technically better than the last, and persona 6 will certainly blow more people out of the water with its innovations.


7 Assassin’s Creed

It would be impossible to list series that seem destined to last for ages without mentioning Assassin’s Creed. Sure, the franchise may already be burning a lot of players, but there’s no denying that it has an allure of its own that’s hard to match.

The games may call at certain points but will still have their own highlights that make the whole experience worthwhile. Of course, the series’ formula will be revised even more over time, but that’s a matter reserved for the future.

6 The Witcher

It might be a little too early to assume that The Witcher will remain relevant for the next three decades. After all, this franchise is the least populous of all that have been mentioned so far on this list, with only three main games and one spin-off title.

While there are few releases, there’s no denying that: The Witcher will remain a household name for a long time to come. There’s a Netflix series for it too, not to mention the various books in the series that fans will pick up and read over time.

5 ace lawyer

The ace lawyer series is easily one of the most unique inclusions on this list. The combination of visual novel and detective gameplay works like a charm and makes players feel quite smart as they solve the many questions posed by the games.

The courtroom sections are easily the highlight of any ace lawyer title, and won’t get old anytime soon. Regardless of the future of the franchise in the west, there is always a solid audience for these games in Japan that will never let this franchise die out.


4 super mario

Nintendo has cherished its age-old franchises for quite some time and always releases games that keep the soul of the series intact while integrating some new innovations that are a treat to experience. No series personifies this more than super mario.

This platform series features some of the best games ever made. The hatching of odyssey and the vast world of Bowser’s Fury has made it clear that 3D Mario has huge potential, and everyone trusts Nintendo to bring it all to the fore and create even more groundbreaking platformers with the super mario name.

3 pokemon

It was only a matter of time before pokemon appeared on this list. The fan base for this game has never been more divided than it is now, but it doesn’t matter once players look at the fact that both Pokemon Sword & Shield and Pokemon Legends: Arceus sold like hot cakes.

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Come on, it seems clear that pokemon will remain in pop culture for quite some time to come. It’s the biggest media franchise out there, and that’s the main reason why so many fans aren’t too happy with how Game Freak is handling it right now.


2 The Legend of Zelda

The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular action-adventure franchises of all time. Nintendo knew exactly when the formula was getting old and stepped up their game with Breath of the Wild.

Knowing they’ve developed one of the best open world games ever, fans can rest assured that The Legend of Zelda will always be revived with Nintendo’s extensive knowledge of these games.

1 Mortal Kombat

Some of the longest running franchises in gaming history are fighting games that have been around since the days of arcades. One such franchise that has witnessed a great many controversies is: Mortal Kombat.

With the modern state of the game industry, the violence is present in Mortal Kombat isn’t nearly as shocking as it used to be. With NetherRealm Studios’ great work on the latest titles, it’s safe to say that the future of this series is definitely in the right hands.

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