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30 years of PlayStation – let’s look back at the 30 most successful PlayStation game series of all time

3-12-2024

Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

On the 30th birthday of the PlayStation, I’m taking a look back at the [[strike:30]] 32 most popular exclusive game series ever released on Sony’s console family.

Update 5 December
Thanks to some helpful comments, the list has been updated with two titles that weren't included in the original version of the article published 3 December (Socom at number 14 and Buzz at number 17). This means that this Top 30 now actually includes 32 game series. Many thanks to our attentive readers!

The PlayStation saw the light of day in Japan on 3 December 1994. It was the birth of an iconic brand and the start of an incredible success story. Numerous exclusive games across Sony’s consoles have made significant contributions to its immense success.

On its 30th birthday, I look back at the most successful exclusive game series that Sony has released over the last three decades.

32. Dreams

Sales: approx. 3 million
Number of instalments: 1
First and last release: Dreams (2020, PS4)
What is it?
This title lets you create your own games with simple tools, and you can play what other players have made too. The range of genres and graphical styles is impressive – you can even create VR experiences in Dreams. It’s the magnum opus of developer studio Media Molecule, which made a name for itself with Little Big Planet.
How’s the series looking today?
Media Molecule has stopped work on Dreams. The studio is currently starting a new franchise.

31. Demon’s Souls

Sales: approx. 3 million
Number of instalments: 2
First release: Demon’s Souls (2009, PS3)
Last release: Demon’s Souls (2020, PS5)
What is it?
This PS3 game originated the Soulslike genre, featuring a dark world full of monsters and traps as well as hard-hitting gameplay that punishes every little mistake. On top of that, it debuted an innovative online feature that players can use to give each other vital clues. With its PS5 remake, the ageing classic was given a real facelift.
How’s the series looking today?
Sony wants to take over the company behind developer studio FromSoftware. Nothing stands in the way of a successor – except that FromSoftware would probably prefer to concentrate on a successor to the immensely popular Elden Ring.

30. Ape Escape

Sales: approx. 3.5 million
Number of instalments: 14
First release: Ape Escape (1999, PS1)
Last release: PlayStation Move Ape Escape (2010, PS3)
What is it?
Across colourful levels you have to catch all kinds of crazy monkeys with even crazier gadgets. The original Ape Escape was the first PlayStation game that could only be played with the Dualshock controller featuring two analogue sticks.
How’s the series looking today?
The recent Astro Bot featured a level based on the zanier classics. Apart from that, there are no signs that the series is coming back.

29. Until Dawn

Sales: approx. 4 million
Number of instalments: 2
First release: Until Dawn (2015, PS4)
Last release: Until Dawn (2024, PS5)
What is it?
Until Dawn is a playable teen horror movie. Your decisions influence which characters survive and which are killed by a cruel murderer. The PS5 remake is regarded by fans as inferior – partly due to technical problems and unnecessary content changes.
How’s the series looking today?
A successor was hinted at in the remake, and a movie is in development too. The game series is doing very well, then.

28. Sports Champions

Sales: approx. 4 million
Number of instalments: 2
First release: Sports Champions (2010, PS4)
Last release: Sports Champions 2 (2012, PS4)
What is it?
Sports Champions was Sony’s answer to the immense success of Wii Sports. It’s a mini-game collection featuring different sports played with the PlayStation Move controllers.
How’s the series looking today?
Sony has said goodbye to the PlayStation Camera and PlayStation Move. The series is no more.

27. Jet Moto

Sales: approx. 4.5 million
Number of instalments: 3
First release: Jet Moto (1996, PS1)
Last release: Jet Moto 3 (1999, PS1)
What is it?
A racing game involving hoverbikes that can be ridden both over land and water. In addition to traditional race tracks, there are also «suicide courses» where you have to speed back and forth between checkpoints and avoid oncoming traffic.
How’s the series looking today?
There are no signs that the game series will be revived.

26. Killzone

Sales: approx. 5 million
Number of instalments: 7
First release: Killzone (2004, PS2)
Last release: Killzone Shadow Fall (2013, PS4)
What is it?
A gritty sci-fi shooter from Guerilla Games that revolves around the conflict between two human factions in a space colony: the «normal» Vectans and the genetically modified Helghasts. The game series was seen as PlayStation’s answer to the Xbox-exclusive blockbuster Halo, but never came close to its success.
How’s the series looking today?
In an interview with the Washington Post, Guerilla Games announced that the studio had finished with Killzone. The Horizon series of games is their main priority.

25. Syphon Filter

Sales: approx. 5.5 million
Number of instalments: 7
First release: Syphon Filter (1999, PS1)
Last release: Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow (2010, PS2)
What is it?
In these third-person shooters, you take on the role of special agents fighting terrorists in possession of weapons of mass destruction.
How’s the series looking today?
Developer studio Bend released zombie shooter Days Gone in 2019. We don’t know what the company has been working on since then. It seems unlikely it’ll be a new Syphon Filter.

24. Sly Cooper

Sales: approx. 5.5 million
Number of instalments: 6
First release: Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (2002, PS2)
Last release: Bentley’s Hackpack (2013, PS3 & PS Vita)
What is it?
Sly Cooper games are action adventures with a focus on stealth gameplay. You sneak and steal your way through colourful comic worlds featuring cel-shading. In addition to the eponymous raccoon Sly, your gang of thieves also includes the hippopotamus Murray and tortoise Bentley.
How’s the series looking today?
Original developer studio Sucker Punch is working on Ghost of Yōtei. The later Sly studio Sanzaru Games is focusing on VR games. Sony has also found a new family-friendly mascot in the form of Astro Bot. A comeback for Sly seems unlikely.

23. Wipeout

Sales: approx. 5.5 million
Number of instalments: 12
First release: Wipeout (1995, PS1)
Last release: Wipeout Merge (2021, Android & iOS)
What is it?
Fancy lightning-fast racing games with futuristic anti-gravity spaceships and equally fast-paced dance soundtracks? Similar to Nintendo’s F-Zero games, the Wipeout games are known for their relentless difficulty.
How’s the series looking today?
Bad. The mobile game released three years ago was a flop and is no longer available to download. Both main development studios, Psygnosis and Liverpool Studios, no longer exist.

22. Motorstorm

Sales: approx. 6 million
Number of instalments: 5
First release: Motorstorm (2006, PS3)
Last release: Motorstorm: RC (2012, PS Vita)
What is it?
A dirty racing series. Literally. You race through muddy race courses with off-road companions. The terrain deforms as your number of laps increases. Tyre tracks affect the handling of the vehicles.
How’s the series looking today?
Evolution Studios brought the series to life and was dissolved in 2016. Sony seems to have no interest in a revival.

21. Infamous

Sales: approx. 7.5 million
Number of instalments: 8
First release: Infamous (2009, PS3)
Last release: Infamous First Light (2014, PS4)
What is it?
You play superheroes with electric superpowers and decide whether they become good or evil. In open-world cities based on real American metropolises, you either ensure law and order or chaos.
How’s the series looking today?
Developer studio Sucker Punch is working on Ghost of Yōtei. A return of these ambiguous superheroes seems unlikely.

20. Bloodborne

Sales: approx. 7.5 million
Number of instalments: 2
First release: Bloodborne (2015, PS4)
Last release: Bloodborne: The Old Hunters (2015, PS4)
What is it?
Following Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne is the second exclusive Soulslike from FromSoftware for a PlayStation console. The dark adventure offers the familiar tough action RPG gameplay, packaged in a world inspired by Lovecraft’s works.
How’s the series looking today?
Sony wants to take over the company behind developer studio FromSoftware. Nothing stands in the way of a successor – except that FromSoftware would probably prefer to concentrate on a successor to the immensely popular Elden Ring.

19. Resistance

Sales: approx. 8.5 million
Number of instalments: 5
First release: Resistance: Fall of Man (2006, PS3)
Last release: Resistance: Burning Skies (2012, PS Vita)
What is it?
In an alternative history of the 1950s, an alien civilisation has conquered Earth. From a first-person perspective, you, a soldier in one of the last human armies, fight disgusting alien creatures. The arsenal of weapons is a mix of real, old weapons and futuristic space guns.
How’s the series looking today?
Development studio Insomniac Games is currently working primarily on games in the Marvel universe – including Spider-Man and The Wolverine. There are no signs of a comeback.

18. Days Gone

Sales: approx. 9 million
Number of instalments: 1
First and last release: Days Gone (2019, PS4)
What is it?
Equipped with a motorcycle and numerous weapons, you fight your way through a post-apocalyptic world full of zombies. The massive hoard of undead you have to fight at the same time is particularly impressive.
How’s the series looking today?
Although Days Gone performed solidly commercially, it only received mediocre reviews. Sony has no interest in a successor. Developer studio Bend is working on a new project.

17. Buzz

Sales: approx. 10 million
Number of instalments: 19
First release: Buzz! The Music Quiz (2005, PS2)
Last release: Buzz! Quiz Player (2010, PS3)
What is it? A quiz game with special buzzer controllers. The games are staged like quiz shows on TV.
How's the series looking today?
There are no signs that Sony wants to revive the party game series.

16. Twisted Metal

Sales: approx. 10.5 million
Number of instalments: 8
First release: Twisted Metal (1995, PS1)
Last release: Twisted Metal (2012, PS3)
What is it?
Cars equipped with guns fight for victory in arenas. Lots of shooting, lots of explosions, lots of action.
How’s the series looking today?
Sony surprisingly brought the franchise back as a TV series in 2023. A second season is in the works. It’s still unclear whether Twisted Metal will also return as a game.

15. Little Big Planet

Sales: approx. 11.5 million
Number of instalments: 9
First release: Little Big Planet (2008, PS3)
Last release: Ultimate Sackboy (2023, Android & iOS)
What is it?
You play a cute rag doll named Sackboy, controlling him in classic jump-and-run style through beautiful miniature levels, which you can even create yourself. and you can play what other players have made too.
How’s the series looking today?
Little Big Planet 3 (2014) was the last classic game in the series that allowed you to create your own levels. This was followed by a platformer without a level editor (Sackboy: A Big Adventure, 2020) and an endless runner for mobile devices (Ultimate Sackboy, 2023). Sony completely shut down the servers for Little Big Planet 3 at the beginning of the year since the game had increasingly fallen victim to hacker attacks. In October, Sony removed the game completely from the PlayStation Store. Developer studio Media Molecule is working on a new game after its magnum opus Dreams – but it seems unlikely it’ll be a new Little Big Planet.

14. Socom U.S. Navy Seals

Sales: approx. 12 million
Number of instalments: 10
First release: Socom U.S. Navy Seals (2002, PS2)
Last release: Socom 4 U.S. Navy Seals (2011, PS3)
What is it?
A series of tactical third-person military shooters. The first PS2 release was one of the first games on the console to make use of the PS2's online functionality.
How's the series looking today?
There are rumours that Sony studio That's No Moon is working on a new Socom in Unreal Engine 5.

13. Jack and Daxter

Sales: approx. 12 million
Number of instalments: 8
First release: Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001, PS2)
Last release: Jak and Daxter Bundle (2017, PS4)
What is it?
The games are a mix of platformer, shooter and racing games in a steampunk fantasy setting. You take on the role of Jak, who travels through dystopian game worlds with his otter-weasel hybrid Daxter.
How’s the series looking today?
After Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (2007), developer studio Naughty Dog turned its back on the game series. There won’t be any comeback in the foreseeable future.

12. Ghost of Tsushima

Sales: approx. 13 million
Number of instalments: 2
First release: Ghost of Tsushima (2020, PS4)
Last release: Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island (2021, PS4 & PS5)
What is it?
In the role of samurai Jin Sakai, you liberate the island of Tsushima from Mongol invaders. The open-world game impresses above all with its beautiful landscapes and challenging combat system.
How’s the series looking today?
Very good. Developer studio Sucker Punch has already announced a sequel, Ghost of Yōtei. In an interview with the New York Times, Sony also confirmed that they want to turn the series «into a larger entertainment franchise». A movie adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima is currently in development – under the command of John Wick director Chad Stahelski.

11. Everybody’s Golf

Sales: approx. 14 million
Number of instalments: 12
First release: Everybody’s Golf (1997, PS1)
Last release: Everybody’s Golf (2017, PS4)
What is it?
Colourful golf games with an anime aesthetic. Despite its cute visuals, the game series has realistic and precise ball physics.
How’s the series looking today?
Development studio Japan Studio was closed down three years ago and transferred to new studio Team Asobi. They’re currently mainly occupied with Astro Bot.

10. Helldivers

Sales: approx. 16 million
Number of instalments: 2
First release: Helldivers (2015, PS4)
Last release: Helldivers 2 (2024, PC & PS Vita)
What is it?
You shoot your way through hordes of nasty aliens in wild space battles. All in the name of democracy and Super Earth. Since friendly fire is on in multiplayer battles, they’re usually extremely chaotic and unpredictable. The first part was still from a top-down perspective, the second offers a shoulder-mounted perspective that’s closer to the shooting.
How’s the series looking today?
Very good. Helldivers 2 was the surprise success of 2024. The game has sold over 12 million copies in just a few months, making it the fastest-selling PlayStation game of all time and Sony’s most successful PC release.

9. Singstar

Sales: approx. 20 million
Number of instalments: 73
First release: Singstar (2004, PS2)
Last release: Singstar Celebration (2017, PS4)
What is it?
A classic karaoke game for home play. At first they used USB microphones, later also mobile phones. Some games were also compatible with PlayStation cameras.
How’s the series looking today?
Sony has shut down all Singstar servers and store content in 2020. The hype surrounding music games and music gadgets is over, Singstar won’t be coming back for the time being.

8. MLB

Sales: approx. 24 million
Number of instalments: 29
First release: MLB Pennant Race (1996, PS1)
Last release: MLB The Show 24 (2024, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch)
What is it?
An annual sports game series for American Major League Baseball.
How’s the series looking today?
Since 2021, MLB has required Sony’s baseball games to be released for other consoles for licensing reasons. That’s why the game was first released on Xbox consoles three years ago. From 2022, the series also appeared on the Switch. On third-party platforms, the games aren’t distributed by Sony, but by MLB Advanced Media. The series is doing extremely well, even though it’s no longer a PlayStation exclusive.

7. Horizon

Sales: approx. 32.5 million
Number of instalments: 7
First release: Horizon: Zero Dawn (2017, PS4)
Last release: Lego Horizon Adventures (2024, PS5, Switch & PC)
What is it?
Playing as chosen tribal warrior Aloy, you fight your way through a post-apocalyptic world full of robot dinosaurs. Little by little, you find out what the strange creatures are all about and how human civilisation almost wiped itself out many years ago. The games impress above all with their beautiful open worlds, fast gameplay with numerous weapons and gadgets as well as exciting enemy designs.
How’s the series looking today?
Very good, Horizon is a franchise that Sony wants to expand a lot. A remaster (Horizon: Zero Dawn Remastered, 2024) and an unexpected spin-off (Lego Horizon Adventures, 2024) have just been released. An MMORPG from NCSoft and a story-based multiplayer game are also in development. It’s very likely that main developer studio Guerilla Games is already working on Horizon 3. The only downer: work on the Netflix adaptation was put on hold for the time being in July 2024.

6. Ratchet & Clank

Sales: approx. 33.5 million
Number of instalments: 17
First release: Ratchet & Clank (2002, PS2)
Last release: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021, PS5)
What is it?
In the role of the cuddly Ratchet, you shoot your way through colourful sci-fi worlds reminiscent of Pixar films. Little robot Clank is on board too, adding a great atmosphere with his dry humour. The games are known for their beautiful graphics and absolutely zany weapons. Where else can you make enemies dance with a Groovitron and then turn them into pixel art with the Pixelizer shotgun?
How’s the series looking today?
The latest instalment on the PS5 has only sold moderately well. It’s unclear whether Sony will continue the series.

5. The Last of Us

Sales: approx. 37 million
Number of instalments: 6
First release: The Last of Us (2013, PS3)
Last release: The Last of Us Part II Remastered (2024, PS5)
What is it?
You fight for survival in a post-apocalyptic world full of fungus zombies. The story is tough stuff. While the first game focuses on the fatherly love between icy smuggler Joel and orphan Ellie, the second game is all about revenge and hatred. They’re games full of death and destruction, grief and anger. The nerve-wracking action stealth gameplay also contributes to the oppressive atmosphere.
How’s the series looking today?
The Last of Us is probably the most prestigious PlayStation franchise. The games are absolute favourites among critics and huge commercial successes. Naughty Dog has confirmed the studio is working on a third instalment. The HBO show with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey also delighted critics and fans alike. Season two is set to continue in spring 2025. Only one drawback: the (overly) ambitious multiplayer project The Last of Us Online was recently cancelled.

4. Uncharted

Sales: approx. 44.5 million
Number of instalments: 10
First release: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (2007, PS3)
Last release: Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection (2022, PS5 & PC)
What is it?
In the role of legendary treasure hunter Nathan Drake, you’ll experience adventures in abandoned ruins and fabled locations around the world. The games are playable Indiana Jones movies with a lot of heart and humour. With their cinematic staging and bombastic action sequences, the games have raised the bar for AAA productions with every release.
How’s the series looking today?
Developer studio Naughty Dog has finished with the series and is working on the next The Last of Us release and a new, as yet unannounced project. However, rumours about a new Uncharted game from a new studio keep getting louder. Still, it’s official that a sequel to the 2022 movie Uncharted starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg is in production.

3. Marvel’s Spider-Man

Sales: approx. 51 million
Number of instalments: 5
First release: Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018, PS4)
Last release: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023, PS5)
What is it?
These are video game adaptations of the Spider-Man comics set in a beautifully staged open-world New York. Swinging through the urban canyons and fighting fluid battles feels incredibly satisfying.
How’s the series looking today?
Developer studio Insomniac Games is already hard at work on follow-up games. At the same time, the studio is also developing a Wolverine game to be set in the same universe.

2. God of War

Sales: approx. 76.5 million
Number of instalments: 17
First release: God of War (PS2, 2005)
Last release: God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla (2023, PS4 & PS5)
What is it?
As the god of war Kratos, you slaughter your way through all kinds of gods and mythical creatures. The first trilogy and its spin-offs are set in Greek mythology. In PS4 newcomer God of War (2018), the muscular demigod is transported to Norse mythology. Compared to the original games, the new series tells a much more intimate and emotional story – partly because of his son Atreus.
How’s the series looking today?
Sony Santa Monica is working on a new game. It’s unclear whether it’ll be a new God of War. However, the series is very likely to continue. A TV adaptation is also in development at Amazon Prime.

1. Gran Turismo

Sales: approx. 90 million
Number of instalments: 13
First release: Gran Turismo (1997, PS1)
Last release: Gran Turismo 7 (2022, PS5)
What is it?
The Gran Turismo games are ultra-realistic driving simulators. They include a large number of real cars and race tracks and place great emphasis on driving physics and the detailed representation of cars. They’re games by real car nerds for real car nerds.
How’s the series looking today?
Very good. The latest game (Gran Turismo 7) was also a complete success and is constantly being supplied with new content – most recently with a VR mode and 8K support on the PS5 Pro. It’s as good as certain that a successor will be released. The game was also recently recognised as an Olympic e-sport. A successful film adaptation of the game was also released in 2023.

Bonus: Astro Bot

Sales: approx. 2 million (plus 187 million)
Number of instalments: 5
First release: The Playroom (2013, PS4)
Last release: Astro Bot (2024, PS5)
What is it?
As a cuddly robot, you jump through colourful platform levels and rescue other cute robots. The last two games are also full of references to the thirty-year history of the PlayStation.
How’s the series looking today?
Here’s why Astro Bot gets a bonus spot on the list: three of the five releases weren’t standalones, but free, pre-installed bonuses. The Playroom was installed on every PS4 (approx. 117 million consoles), The Playroom VR was included free with every PlayStation VR headset (approx. five million units) and Astro’s Playroom is included free with every PS5 (approx. 65 million consoles). The two paid releases, VR smash hit Astro Bot: Rescue Mission (PS VR) and Astro Bot (PS5), have sold a combined total of around two million copies to date. It seems as if the white robot is the official new mascot of the PlayStation brand – in Astro Bot, further adventures are already hinted at in the end credits.

Background information
How Sony revolutionised the console market with the PlayStation
by Kevin Hofer

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Domagoj Belancic

Senior Editor

Domagoj.Belancic@digitecgalaxus.ch

My love of video games was unleashed at the tender age of five by the original Gameboy. Over the years, it's grown in leaps and bounds.

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later

30 years of PlayStation – let’s look back at the 30 most successful PlayStation game series of all time

How the list works

32. Dreams

31. Demon’s Souls

30. Ape Escape

29. Until Dawn

28. Sports Champions

27. Jet Moto

26. Killzone

25. Syphon Filter

24. Sly Cooper

23. Wipeout

22. Motorstorm

21. Infamous

20. Bloodborne

19. Resistance

18. Days Gone

17. Buzz

16. Twisted Metal

15. Little Big Planet

14. Socom U.S. Navy Seals

13. Jack and Daxter

12. Ghost of Tsushima

11. Everybody’s Golf

10. Helldivers

9. Singstar

8. MLB

7. Horizon

6. Ratchet & Clank

5. The Last of Us

4. Uncharted

3. Marvel’s Spider-Man

2. God of War

1. Gran Turismo

Bonus: Astro Bot

How Sony revolutionised the console market with the PlayStation

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Former Rainbow Six Siege pro: «I lived my dream for a year»

I tried out Donkey Kong Bananza, Nintendo’s next major Switch game

GTA VI trailer analysis: the 43 biggest revelations about Rockstar’s blockbuster

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Top 10 categories

Go to

How the list works

32. Dreams

31. Demon’s Souls

30. Ape Escape

29. Until Dawn

28. Sports Champions

27. Jet Moto

26. Killzone

25. Syphon Filter

24. Sly Cooper

23. Wipeout

22. Motorstorm

21. Infamous

20. Bloodborne

19. Resistance

18. Days Gone

16. Twisted Metal

15. Little Big Planet

14. Socom U.S. Navy Seals

13. Jack and Daxter

12. Ghost of Tsushima

11. Everybody’s Golf

10. Helldivers

9. Singstar

8. MLB

7. Horizon

6. Ratchet & Clank

5. The Last of Us

4. Uncharted

3. Marvel’s Spider-Man

2. God of War

1. Gran Turismo

How Sony revolutionised the console market with the PlayStation

70 comments