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Harry Potter Officially Loses #1 Spot as One of the Most Profitable Fandoms of All Time
Zero1 Gaming’s ranking places Harry Potter tenth among the fandoms generating the most estimated spending, behind Pokémon, the NFL, Disney and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The result shows that, in this study’s online purchasing model, Pokémon’s estimated total is more than three times Harry Potter’s.
Pokémon leads with an estimated $1.71 billion, compared with $502.52 million for Harry Potter and about $552.89 million for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The study records around 40.2 million purchase-related searches for Pokémon and estimates $985 million in spending on signature products such as games, plus $301 million on apparel; these are modelled estimates, not confirmed sales.
In short
- Pokémon leads the fandom spending ranking at $1.71 billion.
- Harry Potter ranks tenth with an estimated $502.52 million.
- The figures are modelled estimates based on online purchasing interest.
Explained simply
Harry Potter is a fantasy series by British author J.K. Rowling, first published in 1997. Its books and film adaptations have grown into a large global franchise, with products including games, toys and clothing.
Pokémon is a Japanese franchise that began with video games in the 1990s and later expanded into television, films, trading cards and merchandise. Both franchises have large international audiences, and their commercial reach can be compared in different ways.
The ranking mentioned in this story estimates spending using online searches and purchasing patterns. Such figures are modelled estimates, rather than confirmed sales, so they offer one measure of the franchises’ commercial activity.