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Fandom Unveils Proprietary New Data Metric & Definitive Ranking of the Top Global Entertainment Franchises in 2023 "Inside Fandom" Study

September 20, 2023

Star Wars, Marvel, One Piece, Elder Scrolls & Harry Potter are the Top IP’s According to the Franchise Factor Score

Inside Fandom Case Study Uncovers How Fans & Creators Made Barbie a Billion Dollar Success

Former Bachelorette Star Rachel Lindsay to Host Inside Fandom Webinar

San Francisco, CA - September 20, 2023 - As part of its fifth annual Inside Fandom study, Fandom today unveils an unprecedented new data metric - the Franchise Factor Score - a single, definitive metric that looks beyond the financials to define the driving forces behind entertainment and gaming franchise success. Leveraging first-party data from Fandom’s extensive platform - 350 million monthly unique visitors, 40 million pages of content and 250k fan-powered wikis - coupled with a global study, the 2023 Inside Fandom report:

  • Provides a definitive ranking of the franchises fans are most engaged with across both entertainment & gaming
  • Analyzes which trends drive the most fan engagement and momentum
  • Explores fan preferences across spinoffs, adaptations, sequels and prequels
  • Reveals important details of how to sustain fan engagement through branded tie-ins and licensing deals

The Franchise Factor details five key criteria that will help studios, streamers, game publishers and brands identify why and how top franchises are embraced by fans and why some IP’s resonate more than others. Criteria include:

  • Worldbuilding: Populating a fictional universe with captivating characters, settings, and lore to forge deep connections with audiences
  • High Ratings: Ratings from both critics and fans play a pivotal role in capturing audience attention
  • Fierce Fanbase: Cultivating a community that passionately advocates for a franchise
  • Cultural Relevance: The ability of a franchise to capture the spirit of the times and resonate with wider audiences; a franchise that bridges between the core fanbase and the broader public and leaves a lasting mark on pop culture
  • Consistency: A franchise that remains top-of-mind and sustains interest over time by regularly providing top-tier, fresh or enhanced content for fans to enjoy.

Using the Franchise Factor, Fandom unveils the top 25 franchises of 2023 to-date:

“Franchises made up 95% of the top blockbusters and games in 2023, yet there has been no single unified view on what’s capturing fan attention and why,” said Perkins Miller, Fandom CEO. “The Franchise Factor framework gives creators, producers, and marketers actionable insights and tools to strengthen their franchises in an increasingly competitive landscape.”

Additional key findings from the report include the real fan POV on franchise spinoffs, cross media adaptations, and licensing deals.

SPINOFFS
Sequels, prequels and spinoffs add depth to a franchise, allowing existing fans to establish deeper connections with the universe which leads to a higher fanbase retention rate over time.

  • 64% of gamers and 69% of entertainment fans would rather play/watch franchised content than something new

  • Sequels and prequels allow fans to establish deeper connections with the universe, leading to a higher franchise retention rate:

    • 57% of fans are interested in prequels & sequels

    • 53% are interested in spin-offs

    • 36% are interested in remakes & remasters

    • 31% are interested in cross-media adaptations

  • Spin-offs allow for the expansion of not only characters and story, but bring diversity and new fans into the franchise:

    • 67% of consumers cite spin-offs based on a known character, group or location as their preferred expansion

    • 46% like introducing new characters and storylines to give a fresh take on the original material

CROSS MEDIA ADAPTATIONS
Franchises provide incredible value for networks, studios, streamers and marketers because they come with an established universe and an existing fanbase. Cross-media adaptations take that one step further in widening fan bases and adding depth to franchise universes.

  • 83% of fans who are interested in cross-media expansion are gamers

  • When developing a cross-media adaptation:
    • 40% of fans want a strong connection to the source material
    • 34% want involvement from the original creators
    • 32% want a sense of nostalgia
  • 68% of the audience claims that their perception of one installment in a franchise influences their opinion of the franchise as a whole.
  • The leading deterrents for fans are:
    • Misrepresentation of the source material (40%)
    • Lack of innovation with the characters and storylines (36%)
    • Poor ratings or reviews (32%)

MARKETING & LICENSING
44% of fans claim they are more likely to buy products with IP branded tie-ins, meaning fandoms clearly drive consumer purchase decisions. That’s why it's critical for marketing & advertising to be thoughtfully planned against multiple points of the release lifecycle for maximum results.

  • 73% of fans are impacted by a sneak peak into the installment. Ex: trailers (41%) lore-base videos (21%) and BTS interviews (18%)

  • 57% of fans are impacted by word of mouth. Ex: Personal recommendations (34%) and watercooler talk (20%)

  • 46% of fans are impacted by advertising. Ex: Online advertising (46%) and fan content (45%)

  • 45% of fans are impacted by fan content. Ex: Fan ratings & reviews (27%)

  • Announcements (62%), trailers (58%) and digital advertising (51%) are more likely to drive awareness

  • Access & accessibility (19%) and ratings and reviews (15%) are more likely to drive consideration

  • Licensing deals (74%), experiences (64%) and fan content (28%) are most likely to drive sustained fan engagement throughout the lifecycle

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WEBINAR INFORMATION

This year’s Inside Fandom webinar will be hosted by former Bachelorette star and entertainment personality Rachel Lindsay live on Zoom today from 10am-11 a.m. PT/1pm -2 p.m. ET. Click HERE to tune in.

During the webinar, we’ll dive into case studies on Barbie, Zelda and The Last of Us and industry experts will join for a Q&A on marketing best practices around fan engagement and behavior. Participants include:

  • Tak Inoue: Director, Head of Brand Marketing, Capcom

  • Rick Dressler: Global Media Manager, Action/Adventure, EA

  • Samantha Lim: SVP, Gaming Strategy and Innovation, Publicis

An executive summary of the study with additional data points can be found HERE.

To request a recording of the webinar that details the full findings of the study or for an interview with a Fandom executive, please contact Brenna Harran at bharran@fandom.com.

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Methodology
The 2023 Inside Fandom Study analyzes the impact of franchises in the entertainment and gaming industry based on a survey of 5,000 gaming and entertainment fans in the US and UK. These insights were validated and deepened through Fandom’s robust proprietary first-party data - more than 350 million monthly unique visitors, 45 million pages of content across 250,000 wikis. This methodology provides a 360-degree view of franchises and fan interest across the entertainment and gaming landscape through the eyes of Fandom.

The Franchise Factor Score is a weighted calculation against the five criteria based on Fandom’s proprietary data.

About Fandom
Fandom is the world’s largest fan platform where fans immerse themselves in imagined worlds across entertainment and gaming. Reaching more than 350 million unique visitors per month and hosting more than 250,000 wikis, Fandom is the #1 source for in-depth information on pop culture, gaming, TV and film, where fans learn about and celebrate their favorite fandoms. Fandom’s Gaming division manages the online video game retailer Fanatical. Fandom Productions, the content arm of Fandom, enhances the fan experience through curated editorial coverage and branded content from trusted and established publishing brands Gamespot, TV Guide and Metacritic, along with its Emmy-nominated Honest Trailers and the weekly video news program The Loop. For more information follow @getfandom or visit: www.fandom.com.

Press Contacts
Rachelle Savoia
(470) 306-1609 | rsavoia@fandom.com

Brenna Harran
(631) 902-9801 | bharran@fandom.com