Humans are creatures of habit, and the section of humanity that calls itself “gamers” is no different. We enjoy popular gaming franchises and hope for swift sequels so that we can play more of what we like. Most of the time, we’re not disappointed. Certain game franchises have had healthy lifespans, allowing gamers to revisit the franchise on a yearly basis.
However, there are also long-lasting franchises that gamers believe should hang up their hats and call it quits. Read on if you want to know which video game franchises we want to see continue for years to come and which should stop while they’re ahead.
10 Continue: The Legend Of Zelda
Before The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild released, this popular Nintendo franchise might have ended up falling on the other side of this fence. How many alternate Links and Zeldas can you take before gamers cry out enough? The answer is a heck of a lot more. Breath of the Wild showcased a major departure for the franchise. However, the changes were fantastically successful, breathing new life into the series and making it relevant to current gamers.
9 Stop: Final Fantasy
The Final Fantasy series is a beloved franchise for many gamers. This mighty RPG fest has dominated when it comes to enticing new players to the series. However, we feel after fifteen core games, and a host of spinoffs and remakes, the franchise should begin to wind down. It was a fun and emotional ride, but it’s time for it to stop. Plus, the name of the game is “Final” Fantasy. After the fifteenth “Final” Fantasy, you would think that people would learn the definition of the word “final.”
8 Continue: Doom
Who knew that the Doom craze of the 90s would ever return? We certainly didn’t. But after 2016’s successful remake, Doom is back on the map. The revitalization of old mechanics in addition to the integration of modern gameplay made Doom a relevant franchise once again.
The demon-fighting market is also pretty sparse, so we feel there is room for Doom to grow even larger than it already is. If Doom Eternal is as successful as its predecessor, we could be looking at an army of Doom Slayer games for generations to come.
7 Stop: Call Of Duty
There are even more Call of Duty games than there are Final Fantasy games. What started as a revolutionary first-person shooter set in World War II has morphed into one of the biggest gaming franchises out there. But we still think it’s time for this gaming giant to step down. After Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, it seems clear that the series is struggling with where it should go next. Its most recent entry, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, is a remake of an older classic, which just emphasizes our point.
6 Continue: Tomb Raider
The great thing about the Tomb Raider franchise is that it has spilled over into multiple gaming genres. The series has been a puzzle game, a third-person shooter, and an action-adventure game in its lifetime. If the franchise continues, we could see Lara Croft move to even more genres. Plus, there are not a lot of recognizable female protagonists in video game franchises aside from Croft. Continuing a franchise with the most recognized one not only makes sense but seems fair.
5 Stop: Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat is the premier destination for most fans of the fighting game genre. We’re currently at Mortal Kombat 11. As much as we love to duke it out with Scorpion and Reptile, we would love to see the franchise end on a high note. Developer NetherRealm Studios could then move on to their next big fighting game. Injustice: Gods Among Us was a fantastic fighting game from NetherRealm, and it would be awesome to watch what new game the talented team could come up with.
4 Continue: Halo
The future of Halo is in an odd spot right now. After a stellar original trilogy, there have been quite a few stumbles in the next two main games of the franchise. Halo 4’s multiplayer felt like too much of a departure from the Halo formula, and the campaign of Halo 5: Guardians left a lot to be desired.
However, with Halo: Infinite on the horizon, fans are hopeful once more. The Halo franchise has a lot of potential to expand and improve, and we think it should have that chance.
3 Stop: Assassin’s Creed
The fight between the Assassins and the Templars is as engaging as ever, but the Assassin’s Creed formula is feeling a tad stale. Mechanics are starting to feel reused to the point of redundancy. As such, we think it’s time for the Assassins’ story to come to an end. There is only so far back you can go in time before the future of your game becomes incoherent. With a decent ten games under its belt, Ubisoft should let go of their grip on the Assassin’s Creed franchise and move on to something better and bigger.
2 Continue: Mario
As gamers, we approve of and appreciate high-quality content. The one franchise that has consistently delivered on that high-quality content is the granddaddy of video game franchises, Mario. Entry after entry, the Mario series has dominated on gaming charts and in gamer hearts. Whether you’re looking for a great platforming experience, a hilarious race-kart night, or a friendly family game, Mario has got you covered. We hope this franchise continues far into the future so that we can always have a collection of games we know we can rely on.
1 Stop: Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto V was probably the magnum opus of Rockstar Games’ career. It defied expectations and became one of the most-played games of all time. It stands at the pinnacle of an open-world franchise that draws in players by the dozens. However, and we hesitate to state this, we believe this franchise should conclude with that jewel of a game. Why? Because we are drooling simply at the thought of Rockstar creating a new franchise. More than a sequel to GTA V, we dream of the day when we get the game that replaces it.
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