The Best Exclusive Franchises That Never Left Their Consoles

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For years, video game companies battled each other by releasing games only on their own consoles. This competition between the three major players – Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft – continued for decades. However, that’s starting to shift, as fewer and fewer games are exclusive to a single console. A prime example of this change is Halo, which recently became available on PlayStation 5 after being exclusive to Xbox for 25 years – a relationship that helped build both the game and the console. While console exclusives are becoming rare, some franchises still stick with the systems where they first launched, even as those consoles have been updated. Here are six examples of those franchises, two from each of the three major console makers.

6) God of War

The God of War series began in 2005 with a wildly popular game for the PlayStation 2. Players took on the role of a warrior battling gods and other enemies in stunning, detailed worlds. By 2025, the franchise had grown to include 18 God of War titles, released on various PlayStation consoles, including a version for the Vita.

Although there have been several God of War games, only six are considered the core titles in the series. Despite a mobile game and recent releases on PC – including the acclaimed 2018 God of War and 2022’s God of War Ragnarök with the Valhalla DLC – God of War remains exclusive to PlayStation consoles. This means that while other platforms can enjoy the games, Sony’s PlayStation is still the only console where you can play Kratos’s battles against the gods.

5) The Last of Us

Though the first The Last of Us game came out in 2013, only two main games have been released so far – one for PlayStation 3 and another for PlayStation 4. Luckily, updated versions have also been made available for various consoles. The story’s popularity exploded with a successful TV series on HBO Max, starring Pedro Pascal – a sure sign of a major franchise. The Last of Us focuses on compelling characters and their journeys across both games. Beyond the show and games, the world includes comic books, a haunted house at Universal Studios, and even a tabletop game. If you want to experience the games themselves, you’ll need a PlayStation console.

4) Super Mario

No video game series is as widely known as Mario. Though later presented as his origin, he first appeared in 1981’s Donkey Kong as “Jumpman.” His official debut was in 1983 with the arcade game Mario Bros. However, it was the release of Super Mario Bros. on the Nintendo Entertainment System that cemented his place as a global video game icon and Nintendo’s signature character.

With over 200 games in total, the Mario franchise includes 24 core titles, all originally released on Nintendo consoles and handhelds. Before Nintendo made its own consoles, Mario Bros. appeared on systems like the Atari 2600, and Hotel Mario was released for the Philips CD-i. However, once Nintendo launched the NES, Mario games became almost entirely exclusive to Nintendo platforms.

3) Pokémon

The Pokémon series began in Japan in 1996 with the release of Pokémon Red and Green on the Game Boy. Since then, Nintendo has almost always been the primary publisher. While eight Pokémon games were briefly released on Sega consoles in Japan through a special agreement, releasing a Pokémon game on non-Nintendo hardware anywhere else is generally a bad idea.

Palworld, often described as a game similar to Pokémon but with guns, recently faced a lawsuit from Nintendo. While there are some visual similarities, the core gameplay is quite different. Pokémon games themselves – nine main titles and over 120 in total – are only available on Nintendo consoles. Pokémon Go is an exception, but it’s a mobile game. If you’re looking for a console Pokémon experience, the newest release, Pokémon Legends Z-A, is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch.

2) Fable

Fable was a highly-regarded fantasy game for the original Xbox that unfortunately didn’t receive long-term support. Released in 2004, it was innovative for allowing players to shape their character’s destiny through moral choices – they could become a hero, or embrace a darker, villainous path.

The game showed character development visually, with appearances changing as players progressed. The Fable franchise includes three main games and ten titles overall, the most recent being Fable Fortune, which came out in 2017. Now, 16 years after Fable III, a completely new Fable game is being released for Windows and Xbox Series X|S in 2026.

1) Starfield

Released in late 2023 as an Xbox exclusive, Starfield is the latest game from Bethesda Game Studios. It plays much like their popular titles Skyrim and Fallout, leading many to call it “Skyrim in space.” This marks Bethesda’s first completely new game idea in 25 years, and the decision to make it only available on Xbox was a surprising one, as many gamers would have likely enjoyed it on PlayStation 5 as well.

Currently, Starfield is only available on Microsoft platforms, and future games in the series will probably remain exclusive to those systems. While Bethesda hasn’t announced a sequel yet, it’s unlikely Starfield will be a single game; the studio envisions it as a long-term franchise, similar to their other popular series. We’ll have to wait and see, but it’s likely players will eventually explore space again in Starfield 2, and if things stay the same, it will be on an Xbox.

Okay, gamers, let’s settle this! What’s your all-time favorite game series that you can only play on one specific console? Hit me with your answers in the ComicBook Forum – I’m really curious to see what everyone’s playing!

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2025-11-05 18:13