Top 10 Video Games with Most Popular Merchandise

The Legend of Zelda franchise is one of the most classic games on this list. Initially launched in 1986, the franchise remained one of Nintendo’s staple games next to their mascot Super Mario. Honestly, it isn’t surprising that people tend to want to have The Legend of Zelda merchandise. For avid Zelda fans, it’s a huge flex to have Link’s Master Sword and Tri-Force shield. In addition to his arsenal, some fans also love dressing as Link given his iconic adventurer look.

The study found that The Legend of Zelda ranks tenth in merchandise popularity, with an average monthly search volume of 6,893 per 100,000 people. Additionally, “Legend of Zelda merch” is among the most popular search terms in Wyoming.

#9 Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the more recent games on this list. While a sequel of the game is yet to launch, fans quickly grew to love the game’s merchandise. Despite flopping its launch back in late 2020, the game’s characters and in-game items were significant enough for fans to fall in love.

Cyberpunk 2077 ranks ninth, with an average monthly search volume of 7,385 per 100,000 people. The 2020 action game features a variety of merchandise, including character clothing replicas and figurines.

#8 Fortnite

Whether you love or hate the game, no one can deny the popularity of Fortnite. Since the game’s launch in 2017, Epic Games’ battle royale evolved into one of the most recognizable games today. While it’s true that the game is popular among kids, there’s certainly a huge portion of the adult demographic who love to hop on Fortnite. What made the game such a hit was its set of skins. Epic Games did a great job of creating remarkable original skins that make fans want to keep purchasing from the store.

These days, Fortnite has collaborated with almost any pop culture reference one could think of. This gives the player base more reasons to keep purchasing as some of their favorite characters from other franchises have entered the game.

The study indicates that Fortnite ranks eighth in merchandise popularity, with an average monthly search volume of 8,538 per 100,000 people. The 2017 online game boasts a large fanbase and a wide array of merchandise. Additionally, “Fortnite merch” is one of the most frequently searched terms in Louisiana.

#7 Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is one of the games that brought back players’ interest in 64-bit gaming. Developed by Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, Stardew Valley is a Farm Simulation game blended with some RPG and Action Adventure elements. What makes the game rememberable by fans is the cute aesthetic and the memorable NPCs that players can interact with.

Stardew Valley ranks seventh in merchandise popularity, with an average monthly search volume of 9,404 per 100,000 people. The 2016 farming simulator has a devoted fanbase, leading to the creation of merchandise featuring favorite game characters. The study also notes that “Stardew Valley merch” is among the most popular searches in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

#6 Resident Evil

For a terrifying franchise, it’s no surprise that many players show a lot of love to Resident Evil. Capcom’s survival horror franchise initially launched back in 1996 for the original PlayStation. It was one of the first 3D horror games to come out on the market at the time. Due to this factor, fans of the horror genre quickly flocked to the game and consistently asked for more. Fast forward to the present day, we now have 30 Resident Evil games inclusive of the main line titles, spinoffs, and remakes.

Resident Evil ranks sixth, with an average monthly search volume of 9,882 per 100,000 people. This iconic horror game series has inspired a diverse range of merchandise, including sunglasses and plushies.

#5 Final Fantasy

Another classic on this list is the Final Fantasy franchise. With the first game released back in 1987, Final Fantasy evolved into one of the most renowned JRPGs in video game history. What put the franchise on the map was its set of characters.

Each game in the franchise had its own cast of characters, who eventually turned into icons. Some examples of these iconic characters are mostly from Final Fantasy VII. When one hears the game Final Fantasy, one of the first few names to pop into their head is Cloud, Tifa, or Sephiroth. Of course, there are other great characters, which is why the franchise is so popular.

Final Fantasy ranks fifth in merchandise popularity, with an average monthly search volume of 10,690 per 100,000 people. Delaware and Nevada are among the states that frequently search for “Final Fantasy merch.”

#4 Baldur’s Gate

Baldur’s Gate, a franchise developed by BioWare and then eventually Larian Studios, is a video game adaptation of the popular Fantasy RPG Tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons. It’s easy to understand why the franchise easily became one of the most popular video game merchandise. D&D itself is already a popular game wherein the player base tends to go as far as dressing up as their character. What more with purchasing legitimate merchandise from the actual game?

Baldur’s Gate ranks fourth, with an average monthly search volume of 11,003 per 100,000 people. According to the study, Baldur’s Gate merchandise is among the most popular searches in South Dakota and Washington.

#3 The Last of Us

Another survival horror game on this list is The Last of Us. While Resident Evil will forever be a horror game classic, it’s difficult not to acknowledge The Last of Us’ superiority. The storytelling is more in-depth and it was developed by Naughty Dog, who successfully left a mark on the video game industry with games like Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, and the Uncharted franchise.

The study reveals that The Last of Us ranks third in video game merchandise popularity, with an average monthly search volume of 14,125 per 100,000 people. The TV adaptation, starring Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal, received widespread critical acclaim and significantly increased demand for the game’s merchandise.

#2 Elden Ring

While the Dark Souls franchise will forever be a fan-favorite among Souls-like enthusiasts, it’s Elden Ring that further made the genre more popular among players. The best part is that both franchises were developed by FromSoftware Inc. Meaning to say, most of the success of the Souls-like genre is thanks to them.

Elden Ring holds the second spot, with an average monthly search volume of 17,697 per 100,000 people. The popular 2022 game has inspired a variety of merchandise, including candles and plant potholders.

#1 Fallout

When you hear the game Fallout, it’s easy to remember the iconic Vault Boy mascot. Fallout is one of the most popular video games to date. Bethesda did a good job creating a vast post-apocalyptic open world for players to explore. Aside from the beautiful game design, the characters and in-game items are significantly memorable enough for players to want to have in real life. From simple stuff like a backpack to high-tech stuff like the Pip-Boy.

According to the study, Fallout has the most popular video game merchandise, leading the rankings with an average monthly search volume of 58,513 per 100,000 people. The high demand for the game’s merchandise has been driven by the success of the Amazon Prime adaptation released earlier this year. Fallout merchandise is easily recognizable due to its iconic mascot, Vault Boy.

That’s it for this list of the top 10 video games with the most popular merchandise. For more gaming content, be sure to check out ClutchPoints Gaming.