This is a list of best-selling Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) franchises. For inclusion on the list, a franchise must have sold or shipped at least one million copies. For the purpose of this article, a JRPG is defined as a franchise which: (1) is considered a role-playing game by reliable sources and was made in Japan or (2) made in another country, but otherwise the franchise would be difficult to differentiate from a JRPG due to having common traits found in JRPGs such as: anime/manga character designs, RPG elements, fantasy setting and widely considered as being inspired or influenced by a JRPG. The numbers for sales or shipments are based on the most recent available sourced numbers and often may not include non-video game sales or more recent sales; actual total sales numbers may be higher.
![]() | Some of this article's listed sources may not be reliable. (September 2018) |
– This color indicates a sub-series of a larger video game franchise. This does not necessarily apply for franchises that are not video game-based.
Franchise | Publisher(s) | Total sales | Year of origin | Platform of origin | Latest release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pokémon | Nintendo, The Pokémon Company | 440,000,000 (as of 2022)[1] | 1996 | Game Boy | 2022, Pokémon Legends: Arceus |
Final Fantasy | Square Enix | 173,000,000 (as of 2022)[2] | 1987 | NES[3] | 2022, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin |
Monster Hunter | Capcom | 88,000,000 (as of 2022)[4] | 2004 | PS2 | 2021, Monster Hunter Rise |
Dragon Quest[3] | Square Enix | 85,000,000 (as of 2022)[2] | 1986 | NES[3] | 2022, Dragon Quest Treasures |
Kingdom Hearts[3] | Square Enix | 36,000,000 (as of 2022)[2] | 2002 | PS2[3] | 2020, Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory |
Dark Souls | Bandai Namco | 33,400,000 (as of 2022)[5] | 2011 | PS3 / Xbox 360 | 2018, Dark Souls: Remastered |
Tales | Bandai Namco | 27,750,000 (as of 2022)[5] | 1995 | Super NES | 2021, Tales of Arise |
Megami Tensei[lower-alpha 1] | Atlus, Sega | 23,500,000 (as of 2022)[lower-alpha 2] | 1987 | NES | 2022, Soul Hackers 2 |
Super Robot Wars | Bandai Namco | 20,600,000 (as of 2022)[5] | 1991 | Game Boy | 2021, Super Robot Wars 30 |
Like a Dragon | Sega | 19,800,000 (as of 2022)[9] | 2005 | PS2 | 2021, Lost Judgment |
Dragon Ball RPGs | Bandai Namco | 19,200,500 (as of 2020)[lower-alpha 3] | 1988 | NES | 2020, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot |
Mario RPG | Nintendo | 19,079,000 (as of 2014)[lower-alpha 5] | 1996 | Super NES | 2020, Paper Mario: The Origami King |
Yo-kai Watch | Level-5 | 17,000,000 (as of 2021)[25] | 2013 | 3DS | 2020, Yo-kai Watch Jam: Yo-kai Academy Y |
Persona[lower-alpha 6] | Atlus, Sega | 15,500,000 (as of 2022)[9] | 1996 | PS1 | 2020, Persona 5 Strikers |
Momotaro[lower-alpha 7] | Hudson Soft, Konami | 15,000,000 (as of 2015)[26] | 1987 | NES | 2011, Momotarō Densetsu Mobile |
Fire Emblem | Nintendo | 13,460,741 (as of 2022)[lower-alpha 8] | 1990 | NES | 2022, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes |
SaGa[3] | Square Enix | 10,000,000 (as of 2019)[33] | 1989 | Game Boy[3] | 2019, Imperial SaGa Eclipse |
Xeno[lower-alpha 9] | Square Enix, Bandai Namco, Nintendo | 9,709,843 (as of 2022)[lower-alpha 13] | 1998 | PS1[3] | 2022, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 |
Phantasy Star | Sega | 9,000,000 (as of 2022)[9] | 1987 | Master System | 2021, Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis |
Drakengard[lower-alpha 14] | Square Enix | 8,827,344 (as of 2022)[lower-alpha 16] | 2003 | PS2[3] | 2021, Nier Reincarnation |
NieR[lower-alpha 17] | Square Enix | 8,200,000 (as of 2022)[lower-alpha 15] | 2010 | PS3 / Xbox 360 | 2021, Nier Reincarnation |
Inazuma Eleven | Level-5 | 8,000,000 (as of 2016)[40] | 2008 | DS | 2013, Inazuma Eleven GO: Galaxy |
Mana[3] | Square Enix | 8,000,000 (as of 2021)[41][lower-alpha 18] | 1991 | Game Boy[3] | 2020, Trials of Mana |
Trails[lower-alpha 19] | Nihon Falcom, Xseed Games, NIS America | 7,000,000 (as of 2022)[48] | 2004 | Windows | 2022, The Legend of Heroes: Kuro no Kiseki II – Crimson Sin |
Nioh | Koei Tecmo | 7,000,000 (as of 2022)[49] | 2017 | PS4 | 2020, Nioh 2 |
Dragon's Dogma | Capcom | 7,000,000 (as of 2022)[4] | 2012 | PS3 / Xbox 360 | 2017, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen |
Xenoblade Chronicles[lower-alpha 20] | Nintendo | 6,813,434 (as of 2022)[lower-alpha 12] | 2010 | Wii | 2022, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 |
Sakura Wars | Sega | 5,800,000 (as of 2022)[9] | 1996 | Sega Saturn | 2019, Sakura Wars |
Chrono[3] | Square Enix | 5,500,000 (as of 2019)[63] | 1995 | Super NES[3] | 2022, Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition[3] |
Atelier | Koei Tecmo | 5,000,000 (as of 2020)[64] | 1997 | PS1 | 2022, Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream |
Disgaea | Nippon Ichi Software | 5,000,000 (as of 2021)[65] | 2003 | PS2 | 2021, Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny |
Ys | Nihon Falcom | 4,800,000 (as of 2017)[66] | 1987 | PC-88 / PC-98 | 2019, Ys IX: Monstrum Nox |
Star Ocean[3] | Square Enix | 4,200,000 (as of 2013)[67][lower-alpha 21] | 1996 | Super NES[3] | 2022, Star Ocean: The Divine Force |
Monster Rancher | Tecmo | 4,000,000 (as of 2007)[76][lower-alpha 22] | 1997 | PS1 | 2008, Monster Rancher DS |
Digimon | Bandai Namco | 3,880,426 (as of 2022)[lower-alpha 23] | 1998 | Sega Saturn | 2022, Digimon Survive |
Mega Man Battle Network | Capcom | 3,838,544 (as of 2009)[lower-alpha 24] | 2001 | GBA | 2009, Rockman EXE Operate Shooting Star |
Arc the Lad | Working Designs | 3,700,000 (as of 2018)[82][lower-alpha 25] | 1995 | PS1 | 2004, Arc the Lad: End of Darkness |
Chocobo | Square Enix | 3,306,833 (as of 2003)[lower-alpha 26] | 1997 | PlayStation | 2019, Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy! |
Breath of Fire | Capcom | 3,300,000 (as of 2022)[4] | 1993 | Super NES | 2015, Breath of Fire 6 |
Parasite Eve[3] | Square Enix | 3,279,747 (as of 2011)[lower-alpha 27] | 1998 | PS1 | 2010, The 3rd Birthday |
Valkyria Chronicles | Sega | 3,261,668 (as of 2020)[lower-alpha 28] | 2008 | PS3 | 2018, Valkyria Chronicles 4 |
RPG Maker | Agetec, ASCII, Enterbrain | 3,072,177 (as of 2018)[lower-alpha 29] | 1992 | PC | 2020, RPG Maker MZ |
Front Mission | Square Enix | 3,000,000 (as of 2006)[95] | 1995 | Super NES | 2019, Left Alive |
Bravely | Square Enix | 3,000,000 (as of 2021)[96][lower-alpha 30] | 2012 | 3DS | 2021, Bravely Default II |
God Eater | Bandai Namco | 2,819,674 (as of 2019)[lower-alpha 31] | 2010 | PSP | 2018, God Eater 3 |
Ni no Kuni | Bandai Namco, Level-5 | 2,800,000 (as of 2018)[lower-alpha 32] | 2010 | DS | 2021, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds |
Octopath Traveler | Square Enix | 2,500,000 (as of 2021)[101] | 2018 | NS | 2023, Octopath Traveler II |
Suikoden | Konami | 2,388,339 (as of 2013)[lower-alpha 33] | 1995 | PS1 | 2012, Genso Suikoden: Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki |
Shiren the Wanderer | Spike Chunsoft | 2,298,098 (as of 2015)[lower-alpha 34] | 1995 | Super NES | 2015, Fushigi no Dungeon: Furai no Shiren 5 Plus |
Valkyrie Profile | Square Enix | 2,200,000 (as of 2016)[103][lower-alpha 35] | 1999 | PS1 | 2016, Valkyrie Anatomia: The Origin |
Ogre Battle | Quest, Square Enix | 2,135,145 (as of 2014)[lower-alpha 36] | 1993 | Super NES | 2010, Tactics Ogre: Wheel of Fate |
Grandia | Game Arts | 2,000,000 (as of 2009)[117][lower-alpha 37] | 1997 | Sega Saturn | 2019, Grandia HD Collection |
Hydlide | T&E Soft | 2,000,000 (as of 2015)[119] | 1984 | PC-60 / PC-88 | 1995, Virtual Hydlide |
Etrian Odyssey | Atlus | 1,900,000 (as of 2018)[120] | 2007 | DS | 2018, Etrian Odyssey Nexus |
Medabots | Imagineer | 1,869,411 (as of 2017)[lower-alpha 38] | 1997 | Game Boy | 2020, Medarot Classics Plus |
Wild Arms | Sony Computer Entertainment | 1,856,391 (as of 2014)[lower-alpha 39] | 1996 | PS1 | 2007, Wild Arms XF |
Golden Sun | Nintendo | 1,847,607 (as of 2010)[lower-alpha 40] | 2001 | GBA | 2010, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn |
Xenosaga[lower-alpha 20] | Bandai Namco | 1,686,930 (as of 2007)[lower-alpha 11] | 2002 | PS2 | 2006, Xenosaga Episode III |
Mother (EarthBound) | Nintendo | 1,599,081 (as of 2006)[lower-alpha 41] | 1989 | NES | 2015, EarthBound Beginnings |
Summon Night | Bandai Namco | 1,500,659 (as of 2013)[lower-alpha 42] | 2000 | PS1 | 2016, Summon Night 6: Lost Borders |
Shining | Sega | 1,470,955 (as of 2018)[lower-alpha 43] | 1991 | Sega Genesis | 2018, Shining Resonance Refrain |
.hack | Bandai Namco | 1,445,437 (as of 2017)[lower-alpha 44] | 2002 | PS2 | 2017, .hack//G.U. Last Recode |
Sword Art Online | Bandai Namco | 1,371,329 (as of 2020)[lower-alpha 45] | 2013 | PSP | 2020, Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris |
Popolocrois | Epics, Marvelous | 1,253,140 (as of 2015)[lower-alpha 46] | 1996 | PS1 | 2015, Return to PoPoLoCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale |
Xenogears[lower-alpha 20] | Square Enix | 1,209,479 (as of 2004)[lower-alpha 10] | 1998 | PS1 | 1998, Xenogears |
Soul Blazer | Square Enix | 1,145,000 (as of 2020)[lower-alpha 47] | 1992 | Super NES | 1995, Terranigma |
Little Battlers Experience | Level-5 | 1,126,523 (as of 2013)[lower-alpha 48] | 2011 | PSP | 2013, Little Battlers Experience Wars |
Famicom Jump | Bandai | 1,100,000 (as of 2012)[134] | 1988 | NES | 1991, Famicom Jump II: Saikyō no Shichinin |
Chaos Rings | Square Enix | 1,100,000 (as of 2015)[135] | 2010 | Android / iOS | 2014, Chaos Rings III |
Lunar | Game Arts | 1,084,218 (as of 2009)[lower-alpha 49] | 1992 | Sega CD | 2009, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony |
Rune Factory | Xseed Games | 1,022,412 (as of 2020)[lower-alpha 50] | 2006 | DS | 2021, Rune Factory 5 |
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Best-selling video games by platform |
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