I remember the exact moment I realized just how massive Pokémon had become. It wasn’t watching my nephew drop $200 on trading cards in a single Target run. It wasn’t even seeing grown adults physically shoving each other for Prismatic Evolutions packs at my local Walmart (though that was certainly… memorable). It was seeing a freshly released infographic that put into cold, hard numbers what most of us have suspected for years: Pokemon and Mario media franchises aren’t just successful—they’re absolutely dominating the entire entertainment industry.
A new infographic from The Ultimate Pop Culture Wiki has dropped, and it confirms what Nintendo fans have known instinctively: these two franchises are legitimate juggernauts. Pokémon sits at the undisputed #1 spot as the highest grossing media franchise in history, while Mario comfortably claims the #6 position. Together, these Nintendo-affiliated properties have generated a staggering sum that makes most Hollywood blockbusters look like indie passion projects.
Key Takeaways:
Pokémon has amassed over $103 billion in total retail sales, making it the biggest entertainment franchise in the world by a massive margin. Mario has generated approximately $60 billion in lifetime revenue and recently saw a box office explosion with The Super Mario Bros. Movie grossing $1.36 billion. The Pokemon and Mario media franchises together represent Nintendo’s incredible ability to create lasting cultural phenomena. Both franchises continue growing in 2025, with new games, movies, and merchandise planned for the coming years.
Highest grossing media franchises in history:
- Pokemon
- Hello Kity
- Winnie the Pooh
- Mickey Mouse
- Star Wars
- Mario
- Anpanman
- Disney Princess
- MArvel
- Jump Comics (Shonen Jump)
- Wizarding World (Hary Potter)
- Dragon Ball
Why Pokemon Remains the Highest Grossing Media Franchise
Here’s the thing about Pokémon that still blows my mind after all these years—it’s not even close. When you look at the top 10 media franchises, most people expect to see Disney properties clustering at the top. And sure, Mickey Mouse and friends make appearances. But Pokémon? It sits at the peak with numbers that would make even the House of Mouse a little jealous.
According to License Global’s 2025 Top Global Licensors Report, The Pokémon Company brought in over $12 billion in revenue during 2024 alone. That’s a $1.2 billion increase from the previous year, continuing an almost unbelievable growth trajectory. The franchise now boasts $103.6 billion in total retail sales, cementing its position as the undisputed king of media franchises.
What makes this particularly impressive is how Pokémon achieves these numbers. While most franchises rely heavily on one revenue stream—say, box office returns or video game sales—Pokémon has built an empire that spans almost every conceivable product category. The Pokémon Company had its best fiscal year ever in 2025, generating ¥410.9 billion ($2.9 billion) even without releasing a mainline game during that period. That’s a 38% increase year-over-year, driven largely by mobile gaming success and merchandise sales.
Speaking of mobile gaming, Pokémon TCG Pocket absolutely exploded onto the scene. The app hit 100 million downloads within its first four months and generated over $1 billion in player spending in just seven months. When you’re following gaming industry developments, numbers like these put everything else into perspective.
The Revenue Breakdown That Makes Pokemon the Biggest Entertainment Franchise in the World
I used to think video game sales drove Pokémon’s success. I was completely wrong. Merchandise is actually the franchise’s financial powerhouse, contributing the largest slice of that $103 billion pie. Think about it—plushies, clothing, home goods, school supplies, literally anything you can slap a Pikachu on, someone’s buying.
The trading card game remains a phenomenon unto itself. If you’ve tried to buy Pokémon cards recently, you know the struggle. Scalpers continue causing problems at retailers, with some stores simply stopping their TCG stock altogether because they can’t keep up with demand. My local Walmart gave up months ago. Recent expansions like Prismatic Evolutions and Destined Rivals have generated massive collector interest, with rare cards from sets like Evolving Skies still commanding thousands of dollars on the secondary market.
Video games contribute substantially as well, though perhaps less than casual observers might expect. The core series games on Nintendo Switch have moved millions of units, while mobile titles like Pokémon Go continue generating hundreds of millions annually even years after their initial release hype.
Mario Media Franchise Claims Sixth Position Among Top 10 Media Franchises
While Pokémon grabs all the headlines with its astronomical numbers, let’s not sleep on what Mario has accomplished. Sitting at #6 on the highest grossing media franchises list with approximately $60 billion in lifetime revenue, the world’s most famous plumber has built something truly special over four decades of gaming.
What strikes me about Mario’s placement is how recently the franchise has experienced explosive growth beyond gaming. For years, Mario was synonymous with Nintendo consoles—hugely successful, culturally significant, but largely confined to the gaming sphere. Then 2023 happened.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie shattered expectations, grossing $1.36 billion worldwide and becoming the third-highest-grossing animated film of all time. It claimed the record for biggest worldwide opening weekend for an animated film and became the highest-grossing video game movie ever made. That’s not just good—that’s transformative for the franchise.
And Nintendo isn’t slowing down. The sequel, officially titled The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, hits theaters April 3, 2026. With Bowser Jr. serving as the main villain and Rosalina joining the cast, this cosmic adventure promises to expand the Mario cinematic universe even further. Both Super Mario Galaxy games are also coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on October 2, 2025, with enhanced resolution and new content—clearly timed to build hype for the film.
Pokemon and Mario Media Franchises Represent Nintendo’s Golden Touch
Here’s what really gets me about these Pokemon and Mario media franchises dominating the charts: they prove that quality and longevity beat marketing hype every time. Neither franchise relies on constant reboots or edgy reinventions. Pikachu looks basically the same as it did in 1996. Mario’s been rocking that red cap since the arcade days. Yet both continue outperforming “fresh” properties that spend billions on promotion.
The Mario franchise holds another impressive distinction—it’s the best-selling video game franchise of all time with over 893 million units sold. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe alone has moved nearly 70 million copies on Nintendo Switch. Add in the success of recent releases like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Super Mario Party Jamboree, and it’s clear why Mario games alone generated over a billion dollars in Nintendo’s latest nine-month earnings period.
For gamers looking to optimize their experience while diving into these massive franchises, having a reliable internet connection has become increasingly important, especially with online features becoming standard in modern Nintendo titles.
How Pokemon Compares to Other Top 10 Media Franchises
Let me put Pokémon’s dominance in perspective, because the numbers get a bit abstract when we’re throwing around “billions” like it’s nothing. The new infographic shows the top media franchises in order: Pokémon at #1, followed by Hello Kitty, Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse & Friends, Star Wars, Mario, Disney Princess, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dragon Ball, Harry Potter/Wizarding World, Anpanman, and Shōnen Jump properties.
What jumps out immediately? Japanese franchises absolutely dominate this list. Pokémon, Hello Kitty, Dragon Ball, Anpanman—Japan’s entertainment exports have built truly global empires. Even with Disney’s massive corporate machine and the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s decade of blockbuster dominance, Japanese properties hold multiple positions in the top tier.
Hello Kitty’s second-place finish surprises most people unfamiliar with the character’s merchandise dominance. But here’s the thing—even if you tripled Hello Kitty’s revenue, it still wouldn’t catch Pokémon. That’s the absurd gap we’re talking about. Star Wars, arguably the most culturally significant film franchise in Western cinema, sits below both Nintendo properties.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe, despite producing over 30 films and generating approximately $30 billion, still trails behind Mario. Let that sink in. A plumber who jumps on turtles has generated more cumulative revenue than Iron Man, Thor, and the entire Avengers roster combined.
Understanding the Pokemon Franchise Ownership Structure
One question I see constantly is whether Pokémon counts as a “Nintendo franchise.” The answer is… complicated. And honestly, this complexity is fascinating from a business perspective.
Unlike Mario, which Nintendo owns outright, Pokémon operates under a unique shared ownership model. The Pokémon Company, established in 1998, manages the franchise globally. But The Pokémon Company itself is jointly owned by three entities: Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures Inc. Nintendo holds 32% of The Pokémon Company, with the remaining shares split between the other two companies.
Here’s where it gets interesting—Nintendo owns all Pokémon-related trademarks outside Japan. Every character name from Abra to Zygarde belongs to Nintendo. This means even if Game Freak and Creatures somehow wanted to take Pokémon to competing platforms, they couldn’t use any of the existing character names or branding. It’s a clever arrangement that ensures Pokémon remains practically exclusive to Nintendo platforms while allowing the other stakeholders to share in the profits.
Game Freak develops the mainline Pokémon RPGs, which Nintendo publishes exclusively for their consoles. Creatures handles the trading card game and assists with 3D modeling for the video games. The Pokémon Company itself manages licensing, merchandise, anime production, and overall brand direction—including greenlighting mobile games like Pokémon Go (developed by Niantic) and Pokémon TCG Pocket.
This ownership structure explains why Pokémon can appear on mobile devices while other Nintendo properties remain largely console-exclusive. The Pokémon Company has significant autonomy to make brand decisions that Nintendo traditionally wouldn’t pursue—like creating official ASMR content or maintaining an active TikTok presence. Could you imagine Nintendo allowing Mario to do that? Exactly.
What’s Next for the Pokemon and Mario Media Franchises
Both franchises show no signs of slowing down, and honestly, 2026 looks absolutely stacked for Nintendo fans. Let’s break down what’s coming.
For Pokémon, anticipation is building around Pokémon Legends: Z-A, expected sometime in 2025 or 2026. The franchise’s mobile dominance should continue with Pokémon TCG Pocket expanding its content. Industry analysts project Pokémon could surpass $105 billion in cumulative retail sales by 2026, particularly if the rumored Generation 10 announcement materializes.
Mario’s immediate future looks even more exciting from an entertainment perspective. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie represents Nintendo’s biggest cinematic bet yet, adapting one of the most beloved games in the franchise’s history. With Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 both receiving enhanced Switch 2 releases in October 2025, Nintendo is strategically building hype months before the April 2026 film premiere.
The Nintendo Switch 2 itself should provide significant momentum for both franchises. Mario Kart World launched as a bundled title with the new console, already achieving massive success. Pokémon games typically drive significant hardware sales, so expect major announcements timed around the new console’s lifecycle.
What excites me most is how both franchises continue finding new audiences while maintaining their core appeal. When I see parents introducing their kids to Pokémon cards—the same trading cards that defined my childhood—or when I watch families leave theaters buzzing about a Mario movie, it’s clear these franchises have achieved something rare: genuine multigenerational relevance.
Why These Media Franchise Rankings Matter for Gamers
You might be wondering why any of this matters beyond satisfying our collective Nintendo fandom. Fair question.
These revenue numbers directly impact the games we play. When Pokémon generates $12 billion annually, The Pokémon Company has resources to invest in ambitious projects, support competitive gaming scenes, and take creative risks. When Mario movies make over a billion dollars, Nintendo sees clear evidence that their IP deserves expanded media adaptations.
The success of Pokemon and Mario media franchises also validates a player-first philosophy. Neither franchise relies on aggressive monetization in their core games. Neither compromises their art style for photorealism trends. Neither chases whatever mechanics are popular that particular year. They succeed by being authentically themselves, by prioritizing fun over FOMO, and by respecting their audiences across all age groups.
Compare this to how many “games as a service” titles have imploded over the past few years—launches plagued by broken promises and player frustration—and the Pokemon and Mario approach looks increasingly prescient. Building a media franchise isn’t about extracting maximum value from players today; it’s about creating experiences people genuinely love, then showing up consistently decade after decade.
For those of us who write about games, these franchise success stories remind us why we fell in love with gaming in the first place. Before the controversy cycles and the endless discourse, there were just games that made us happy. Pokémon and Mario have never forgotten that fundamental truth.
The Unstoppable Rise of Nintendo’s Entertainment Empire
Looking at that infographic showing Pokemon and Mario media franchises occupying two spots in the top 10 highest-grossing media franchises, I can’t help but feel a little vindicated. We’ve spent years listening to “analysts” predict Nintendo’s doom, claim that mobile gaming would make dedicated handhelds obsolete, or insist that Pokémon and Mario were relics of a bygone era.
The numbers tell a different story. Pokémon isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving harder than ever, posting record revenues and continuing to find new audiences through mobile gaming and merchandise. Mario isn’t fading into nostalgia—the character just anchored one of the most successful animated films ever made, with a sequel already generating massive anticipation.
Together, these Pokemon and Mario media franchises have generated over $160 billion in lifetime revenue. That’s not a cultural phenomenon; that’s an economic force of nature. And with the Nintendo Switch 2 era beginning, new movies on the horizon, and both franchises continuing to innovate while staying true to their identities, I wouldn’t bet against these numbers climbing even higher.
If you haven’t jumped into the deep end of other massive gaming experiences lately, now’s a great time to explore. And for those just getting started with gaming in general, checking out beginner-friendly guides can help you dive into these worlds without feeling overwhelmed.
For now, I’ll be here watching Pokémon’s numbers climb toward that inevitable $150 billion milestone while counting down the days until The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Some things in gaming never change—and honestly? I’m grateful for that.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pokemon and Mario Media Franchises
Is Pokémon the Biggest Media Franchise Ever?
Yes, Pokémon is definitively the highest-grossing media franchise of all time. With over $103 billion in total retail sales and $12 billion generated in 2024 alone, Pokémon’s financial dominance isn’t even close. The franchise earns more annually than Star Wars, Marvel, and Mickey Mouse—and it continues growing. Merchandise drives the majority of revenue, followed by the trading card game, video games, and media licensing. The success of Pokémon TCG Pocket, which generated $1 billion in just seven months, demonstrates the franchise’s continued relevance and earning potential across new platforms.
Does Pokémon Count as a Nintendo Franchise?
Pokémon is partially owned by Nintendo, making this a nuanced question. While Nintendo holds all Pokémon trademarks worldwide and owns 32% of The Pokémon Company, the franchise operates under joint ownership between Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures Inc. The main Pokémon games appear exclusively on Nintendo platforms, and Nintendo handles publishing and distribution for these titles. However, The Pokémon Company has autonomy to license the brand for mobile games and other media, which is why titles like Pokémon Go and Pokémon TCG Pocket can exist outside the traditional Nintendo ecosystem. So Pokémon is effectively a Nintendo-adjacent franchise with exclusive gaming ties to Nintendo hardware.
What Franchise Owns Pokémon?
Pokémon is jointly owned by three companies: Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures Inc. These three entities established The Pokémon Company in 1998 to manage the brand globally. Game Freak develops the mainline video game RPGs, Creatures handles the trading card game and assists with 3D modeling, and Nintendo provides publishing, distribution, and holds all trademarks. The Pokémon Company itself manages licensing, merchandise, anime production, and overall brand strategy. This unique ownership structure allows each company to leverage their strengths while sharing both responsibilities and profits from the franchise’s massive success.
Does Nintendo Own Any Part of Pokémon?
Nintendo owns significant portions of the Pokémon intellectual property. Specifically, Nintendo holds all Pokémon-related trademarks outside Japan, including every character name from Pikachu to the latest generation additions. Nintendo also owns 32% of The Pokémon Company and approximately 10% of Creatures Inc. Additionally, Nintendo publishes all mainline Pokémon games and provides network infrastructure for online features. While Nintendo doesn’t have sole ownership, their trademark control essentially guarantees Pokémon will remain exclusive to Nintendo gaming platforms. Even if the other co-owners wanted to publish elsewhere, they couldn’t use any of the established Pokémon names, logos, or character designs without Nintendo’s approval.