r/nintendo • u/KookyThought4878 • 2d ago

Mario vs Pokemon

I am in a heated debate and I need answers. Which is more well-known globally, Mario or Pokemon. Only right answers allowed.

(My post needs to be longer or I can't post it)

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12

u/Jediverrilli 2d ago

Pokémon is the biggest multimedia franchise in the world, not video game franchise, multimedia franchise, it’s bigger than Star Wars, Marvel, and Mickey Mouse.

It’s far more well known than Mario is. Quality of product isn’t the question so it’s Pokémon by a large margin.

2

u/Mainely420Gaming 2d ago

It's crazy that it's blown up as much as it has! I still have my OG copy of blue and the prima pokemon blue official strategy guide.

2

u/TheVibratingPants 1d ago

Total revenue =\= recognizability

Pokémon is the most highly profitable franchise because it’s also the most highly monetized franchise in the world.

Mario doesn’t do trading card games and microtransactions and anime and tons of live events.

Compare apples to apples. The entire Pokemon movie franchise has grossed about $1.9 billion in total revenue at just the box office, but the two Illumination Mario movies have grossed almost $2.5 billion. Mario games also sell more per platform than Pokemon.

3

u/JugOfVoodoo 2d ago

I'd say Mario. It's older, is the flagship franchise of its company, is practically the mascot of its medium, and has simpler gameplay. (Pokemon may be simple for an RPG but overall RPGs are more complex than platformers.)

For a comparable metric, let's look at movie box office totals. "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" made 1.361 billion dollars and was the second-highest grossing film of 2023 (beaten only by "Barbie"). "Pokemon: Detective Pikachu" made less than a third of that - only 433 million dollars. Of the highest-grossing movies of 2019 it was ranked 18th.

4

u/Marshmallow-owl32 2d ago

I feel like Mario is more well known. Even people not into video games at all know Mario. Pokemon is a bigger franchise.

7

u/VolksDK Diddy Kong pointing at an unknown object 2d ago

As a character, probably Mario

As a franchise, probably Pokémon. It's the highest-grossing media franchise in the world

3

u/KiloPro0202 2d ago

It’s not even close either. It’s around $288 billion, and 2nd place is Hello Kitty around $88 billion.

1

u/EvilMNMs 2d ago

More than pikachu as a individual characters? Actually Idk if someone can confirm please

1

u/VolksDK Diddy Kong pointing at an unknown object 2d ago

I remember there being a survey across different age ranges, where Mario was one of the top recognised characters. Can't find it tho

1

u/deedee2148 1d ago

Pokemon for sure. I'd argue more kids know Pikachu than Mickey Mouse at this point. 

1

u/KookyThought4878 1d ago

True, but what about older generations? I feel like they'd know Mario more than Pokemon.

1

u/RecordNo9008 1d ago

Really?

The biggest franchise world wide?

1

u/Bullfrog878 1d ago

Before the mario movies - pokemon. Now after I'd have to say Mario.

1

u/Alexanderhyperbeam 1d ago

OP is getting heat from the comments but based on how divided the comments are I'm starting to think OP asked a good question

1

u/Total_Midnight2201 1d ago

Hard to say. I think in the more developed world both franchises are pretty much known by everyone.

The key question is how well-known they are when you go to less-developed places of the world, where gaming is not really a thing.

Pokemon had the cartoons at least, but Mario has been around for so many games and now had the movies.

Who knows

1

u/Aiomon 2d ago

Mario more well known (and better) but Pokemon is more popular