3 Long-Running Game Franchises That Have Been Perfect From Start to Finish

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Video game series have existed for decades, and it’s common for even the most popular ones to have a few disappointing installments. You can find Mario and Zelda games that fans dislike, and almost every long-running series has a similar misstep somewhere in its history. It’s rare to find a franchise that’s consistently good from beginning to end, especially one that’s been around for a long time. However, there are a few exceptions, and these three series stand out for never releasing a truly bad game.

3) God of War

The God of War series began on PlayStation 2 in 2005 and quickly became one of the platform’s most popular games. The initial three games centered around Kratos battling Greek gods. In 2018, the series reinvented itself with Norse mythology, proving to be a massive success. A subsequent game continued the Norse saga, and every major installment has been well-received. With each new release, the games have gotten even better, making God of War a consistently high-quality franchise that hasn’t disappointed fans in over two decades.

2) DOOM

First released in 1993 for IBM computers, Doom was a groundbreaking first-person shooter. Subsequent games built upon its ideas, shaping many of the features we see in FPS games today. So far, there have been eight main Doom games, plus 18 spin-offs. Each new installment has improved the quality of the series, keeping it popular for over 32 years with a consistent stream of well-received titles. Doom is also famous for being ported to unusual devices and remains a significant part of popular culture long after its original release.

1) Civilization

The Civilization series is remarkable for maintaining a consistently high quality throughout its 34-year history – it’s never released a truly bad game. Starting in 1991 with its original MS-DOS version, it quickly became the leading turn-based strategy game. The seventh major installment arrived in 2025, building on previous games in many ways. This careful approach is key to the franchise’s success; instead of rushing out releases, the developers take their time to make each new game a significant improvement. On average, a new Civilization game comes out every five years, and each one surpasses its predecessors in terms of technology, strategy, and overall content.

What’s your all-time favorite franchise? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-11-21 17:14