Let's get ready to rumble, it's time for Round 10 of our best ever game series face off. Not compare the genres, not compare the games, simply which is better. Nice and easy. This time around it's the turn of the oldest game series in this entire competition, although the other three aren't exactly sprightly youths either, all proving their worth over the years. It's Warcraft v Ultima v Total War v Battlefield. Let war commence.
Round 10
Warcraft
A bit of curio on this list, WarCraft is the only franchise here to become bigger thanks to a spin-off rather than the original games themselves. The WarCraft strategy games were beloved, WarCraft 3 even becoming a bit of an eSports darling for a short while, and it also spawned a little mod we call DotA. It wasn't until World of Warcraft that the franchise turned into a mega-hit though, catapulting Blizzard into superstardom. More than 56 million copies of World of Warcraft have been sold worldwide, and now, over a decade later, more than 10 million people still lay down cash every month for the pleasure of playing it. Truly the most enduring of games.
Series began: 1994
Total Sales: 70 million
Best-selling game: World of Warcraft (56.5 million)
Main Games:
- Warcraft: Orcs & Humans
- Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness
- Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal
- Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
- Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
Series Spin-offs:
- World of Warcraft
- World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
- World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
- World of Warcraft: Cataclysm
- World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria
- World of Warcraft Warlords of Draenor
- World of Warcraft: Legion
- Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Ultima
One of gaming's ancients, Ultima was the progenitor for modern roleplaying. The flexibility and freedom of choice offered by the likes of Ultima VII are still unrivalled to this day. Ultima may not be much to look at it, but over the course of 20 years, Richard 'Lord British' Garriott created an undeniable legacy.
Series began: 1981
Total Sales: Unknown
Best-selling game: Unknown
Main Games:
- Ultima
- Ultima II
- Ultima III
- Ultima IV
- Ultima V
- Ultima VI
- Ultima VII
- Ultima VII, Part Two
- Ultima VIII
- Ultima IX: Ascension
Series Spin-offs:
Akalabeth: World of Doom
Worlds of Ultima
Ultima Underworld
Ultima Online
Total War
A no-holds barred PC series, Total War is easily one of strategy games' finest. Creative Assembly fired up our imaginations with their incredible 3D depictions of historic battles and they've only continued to refine the formula over the years. We're now able to boot up our own actual war rooms with the click of button, pushing and prodding troops around a battlefield, relaying our tactics and doing our best cigar-puffing Churchill impressions. For the first time ever the series took a turn for the fantastical with Total War: Warhammer, a match made it tabletop gaming heaven.
Series began: 2000
Total Sales: 20+ million
Best-selling game: Empire: Total War (3.5 million)
Main Games:
- Shogun: Total War
- Medieval: Total War
- Rome: Total War
- Medieval II: Total War
- Empire: Total War
- Napoleon: Total War
- Total War: Shogun 2
- Total War: Rome II
- Total War: Attila
- Total War: Warhammer
- Total War: Warhammer II
Series Spin-offs:
- Spartan: Total Warrior
- Total War Battles: Shogun
- Total War: Arena
- Total War Battles: Kingdom
Battlefield
I'll try not to let my personal opinion to pervade this but suffice to say Battlefield is a series which has had its ups and downs over its 15-year lifespan. For all that, Battlefield has become more popular with each and every iteration, eventually becoming a genuine Call of Duty competitor with Battlefield 1. The Battlefield franchise was the kickstarter for large scale warfare, arriving on the scene with a 64-player count while most of us were running and gunning with 12-player Quake 3. It's always been a sight to behold, its 32 v 32 spectacle a chaotic frenzy of tanks, planes, boats and troops.
Series began: 2002
Total Sales: 66 million
Best-selling game: Battlefield 1 (15+ million)
Main series:
- Battlefield 1942
- Battlefield 1942: The Road to Rome
- Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII
- Battlefield Vietnam
- Battlefield 2
- Battlefield 2142
- Battlefield 3
- Battlefield 4
- Battlefield 1
Series Spin-offs:
- Battlefield 2: Modern Combat
- Battlefield: Bad Company
- Battlefield Heroes
- Battlefield 1943
- Battlefield: Bad Company 2
- Battlefield Online
- Battlefield Hardline
Sadly only one of these illustrious franchises can make it through to the next round and potentially be the greatest game series in 2017. Every vote will count though when we tot these up and deliver the definitive list of the best gaming franchises. Have your say in the poll below, and let us know why you think it's the best gaming series in the comments section!
If you haven't voted on the previous rounds yet, you've still got time. Just follow the links below to vote for your favourite game series.
Round 1: GTA, Command and Conquer, Street Fighter, Forza
Round 2: Rainbow Six, Left 4 Dead, Halo, Half-Life
Round 3: Need For Speed, Zelda, Castlevania, Far Cry
Round 4: Splinter Cell, FIFA, Metroid, BioShock
Round 5: Metal Gear, Mario, Everquest, Mass Effect
Round 6: Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, Gran Turismo, Tomb Raider
Round 7: Baldur's Gate, Fallout, Diablo, Deus Ex
Round 8: Civilization, Quake, DOOM, XCOM
Round 9: Counter-Strike, StarCraft, Witcher, Stalker
Round 10: WarCraft, Ultima, Total War, Battlefield
Round 11: Age of Empires, Prince of Persia, Elder Scrolls, Silent Hill
Round 12: Football Manager, Minecraft, Arma, Hitman
Round 13: The Sims, Assassin's Creed, Unreal, Dragon Age
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PC Specs
I'll go with Total War. Battlefield would be a close second. Warcraft isn't for me and I've never given Ultima a thought... Must be good since it's in contention.
PC Specs
So when are you announcing that GTA is the best series in history?
PC Specs
low quality bait
PC Specs
Call of Duty should've included. Battlefield needed some tough competition.! ;)
PC Specs
It's funny how the game with the most votes is never mentioned in the comments, people go "I love this" but it's never the winning (on the series of posts)
And sadly the one that wins is usually an AAA title where every sequel is the same as the prequel with 10% better graphics....
stares at CoD
PC Specs
Good point. Maybe it's because ppl are afraid, that they'll be chastised for their preference for a certain game, or because the group or an individual can't bother, not to be angry at someone who has a different view.
PC Specs
Spent 3k+ hours on Rome: Total War alone, then -1k hour on Medieval II. Mods made those game endlessly fun :D
PC Specs
4 real. Whoa KUDOS to you.
PC Specs
warcraft 2, 3..bf2, 3, 4 and bad company2..tw rome1, 2 , medieval 2, empire tw and now warhammer...my vote clearly goes to total war, not even mention that bf franchise lost its way and dice and ea aren't listening to fans anymore at all ^^
PC Specs
The title should read:
What is the best gaming series, and why is it Total War?
:p
PC Specs
XD
PC Specs
Last time my people did total war... nobody liked it
PC Specs
The last two times* ;)
PC Specs
Well we did not start the first one to be specific
PC Specs
:'(
My face when I see the votes for Ultima. Ultima 7 was amazing for it's time.
PC Specs
I got mine in! Not that it seems to count for much :(
PC Specs
Going to go with Warcraft.Warcraft 3 was my childhood
PC Specs
Here,here.II and III were mine....And Duke Nukem 3D,and the first Diablo,Heretic,Descent 1 & 2,DooM,and SW Dark Forces....but that's in another list.;-)
PC Specs
Warcraft 3. First strategy game I played, and one of the best I played even to this day.
Game that got me into strategy, my, by far, most favorite genre of games ever.
Damn good game, shame it became an MMO because I'm not quite fond of them, not my cup of tea.
I hope Blizzard decides to remaster the game, It deserves it.
I think It's obvious where my vote went.
PC Specs
I still remember the first time I played Warcraft 3. At the time, there was nothing else that came even close to it.
PC Specs
Great times, Great times.
PC Specs
But it's about the whole franchise not a single game...and frankly other than warcraft 2 and 3, warcraft franchise had nothing else to offer for me...
PC Specs
WOW counts for nothing?
PC Specs
I came to terms with that most people dont like mmos mostly for stupid wrong reasons but i git so much hate from them for being a wow lover. Or rather addicted person.
If one does not like it thats ok. But some hate it and claim it too time consuming while they play 1000hours bf or cod every year
If we both havr countless hours of fun gaming why spread hate for the games somebody else like? I never understood that
I sure want a warcraft 4 rts but i am fine with wow
PC Specs
I have a friend who has played it since it's inception, basically since it's 1st year. He goes on/off depending if he get's bored with it.
I also played it a bit, but couldn't/didn't want to pay a continuing fee to play it. I think I spend 8 hours at the most in one go. It a fun MMO. :)
PC Specs
Warcraft.
PC Specs
Ah, those mindless hours spent on WC3 trying to perfect map awareness, building order, unit control and hotkey combos and to this day still is my favorite game.
From Total War series, I mostly liked Medieval 2, Napoleon and Shogun 2. Other titles weren't interesting to my eyes, especially the pile of mess what was Rome 2.
From Battlefield, BC2 is where I have spent my 800 hours.
Voted WC.
PC Specs
Gotta vote Battlefield because of good ole' Battlefield Bad Company 2. Such good times. :')
PC Specs
I have great memories with BF1942, Vietnam and Battlefield 2 but BFBC2 ist still the best Battlefield to date.
PC Specs
Bro Battlefield is my childhood. So many great memories :'D
PC Specs
Same I've played BF since 1942 and am a complete BF fanboy, buuuuuut... I'm a all-in Warcraft fanboy and I had to go with Warcraft III, cuz I'm more of a RTS kinda guy, but BF is a close second. :)
PC Specs
God damn grandpa, didn't know they had PCs back then.
PC Specs
i'm between Battlefield and World of warcraft both of them are great games with their upsides and downsides and also
"eventually becoming a genuine Call of Duty competitor with Battlefield 1" as far as i know Battlefield and Call of duty were true competitors way before battlefield 1
PC Specs
Plus, battlefield was there first and there were alot more contenders back then (medal of honor etc)
And battlefield had ups and downs? For me it only had ups, even 2142 was pretty great at the time.
PC Specs
Battlefield 1 and Hardline were downs for me. Hardline due to balancing and annoying gadgets, plus not so good maps and Battlefield 1 due to lack of content and poor gun and especially vehicle balance. I mean I got bored in BF1 after 100 hours... which is absolutely nuts, considering I've poured 1000+ hours in every other Battlefield, except hardline.
PC Specs
exactly what psychoman said, i even unistalled bf1 because i became bored of it very quickly
PC Specs
Brown-gray shooter number 31 winning over epic massive fantasy universe.
Whoever voted Battlefield obviously never played any Warcraft game.
PC Specs
I didn't read the rest, I just read warcraft... nuff said.
PC Specs
Now that I read them, battlefield would be second.
PC Specs
Played battlefield only till battlefield 2
Warcraft 1 was my first game
WOW had me like a few thousand hours and its the only game that that got me addicted. Even though i am not playin anymore atm i still am addicted its like sherlock holmes and heroin
One addicted you are forever
The day we can play mmos like Vr games will be the day i see the sun for the last time
Got absorbed by the game as a kid and the real world is not as interessting anymore
PC Specs
Battlefield is everything I hate about shooters. No realism or atmosphere whatsoever. It is competitive but boring.
Total War is fun.
Warcraft 3 because of the campaign.
PC Specs
I love how BF Hardline wasn't even mentioned hahhahaha
PC Specs
Whoops, I did it from memory and I totally forgot it ever existed lol
PC Specs
Don't worry,you didn't really miss out on anything important :D
PC Specs
You seem to have forgotten about Battlefield 2 too. Jesus Jon what are you smoking :D
PC Specs
Are you even approved in GD??? lol