Gaming and Media Giants Dominate Fandom’s Top 2025 Franchises

A new report by Fandom, the world’s largest fan platform, highlights the entertainment franchises that captivated audiences this year, with gaming IPs claiming unprecedented dominance. Topping the list is Warhammer, propelled by massive anticipation for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 and Amazon’s upcoming movie adaptation featuring Henry Cavill. Other standout franchises include Marvel, League of Legends (and its Netflix adaptation Arcane), and Fallout, which entered the rankings for the first time.

Fandom’s rankings, derived from its 350 million monthly users and over 250,000 wiki communities, used five criteria: worldbuilding, critical and fan acclaim, fan engagement, cultural relevance, and consistency. The findings revealed significant trends that reshaped 2024’s entertainment landscape.

For the first time, video games dominated the list, securing 15 of the top 20 spots. This shift underscores gaming’s growth beyond traditional boundaries and into broader entertainment spheres. “The depth and quality of stories in gaming continues to resonate beyond the console and PC” said Fandom CEO Perkins Miller. “They are truly multi-platform franchises”.

Evergreen games like Terraria and Final Fantasy maintained relevance through regular updates and events, a strategy that also fueled rising stars like Corekeeper, Darksiders, and Frostpunk. Roblox’s enduring influence also stood out, with its titles comprising 50% of top-trending games on Fandom’s platform.

Marvel reclaimed the top spot from Star Wars, driven by buzz around Deadpool vs. Wolverine, Agatha All Along, and the anticipation for projects like Captain America: Brave New World and a fourth Spider-Man film starring Tom Holland. “’Deadpool & Wolverine’ clearly had an impact” Miller noted, reflecting the MCU cultural prominence.

Franchises leveraging multiple platforms, such as Marvel’s TV tie-ins (Agatha All Along), Arcane’s second Netflix season, and Fallout’s move to television, gained significant traction. The success of such expansions highlights fans’ appetite for consistent, immersive storytelling across mediums.

Legacy franchises found new life through licensing and streaming. Jane the Virgin and Devious Maids experienced renewed interest after landing on new platforms, while Divergent surged among younger viewers, making it one of 2024’s fastest-growing franchises.

Meanwhile, long-awaited releases like Alien: Romulus, Rings of Power season two, and Beverly Hills Cop 4 reignited enthusiasm within established fandoms.

Fandom’s data reveals the enduring value of rich worldbuilding, cross-platform storytelling, and community engagement in keeping franchises at the forefront of pop culture. With games increasingly leading the way, 2025 promises a dynamic future for fandom-driven entertainment.

Source: Variety