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Revealed: The public’s all-time favourite on-screen characters of film, TV and gaming
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- If search volume equated to Instagram followers, the Joker could charge $102k (£74.5k) for a sponsored post
- Rachel Green has the most Instagram posts hashtagged with her name of all sitcom characters (1 million)
- Pennywise, Chucky and Jigsaw are the most searched-for horror characters
- Games featuring Pikachu rake in highest revenue ($90 billion/£65.9 billion) of all the top gaming characters
There are hundreds of iconic characters from film, TV and gaming who will forever be household names. But which characters are the public’s all-time favourites? New research by Currys looked at online search volumes and social media posts that talked about some of the most famous personalities from various media genres. Below you can find out who topped each list as the most legendary icons of their genre.
The most iconic gaming characters
- If search volume equated to Instagram followers, Sonic could charge $67k (£48.9k) for a sponsored post
- Pikachu has the most Instagram posts hashtagged with his name of all gaming characters (7.4 million)
- Mario has appeared in the most games of all characters (259)
- Total revenue for the Pokemon game series ($90 billion/£65.9 billion) is higher than any other game, with second-placed Mario Bros lagging far behind ($30.3 billion/£22.2 billion)
The world of gaming has transformed over the decades, but is it the high-definition characters of today that are the fan favourites, or the iconic cartoons of decades gone by? The answer appears to be the latter. The ever-so-speedy Sonic the Hedgehog raced to the top of the search volume ranks, followed by Pikachu and Pac-Man. It’s a similar story on Instagram, with Pikachu, Mario and Sonic receiving the most posts.
| Rank | Character | Global Monthly Search volume | No. of Insta posts with name hashtagged |
| 1 | Sonic | 6,700,000 | 3,273,487 |
| 2 | Pikachu | 3,700,000 | 7,430,874 |
| 3 | Pac-man | 3,000,000 | 1,642,920 |
| 4 | Mario | 2,100,000 | 5,559,810 |
| 5 | Big Boss | 712,500 | 2,800,000 |
| 6 | Luigi | 641,200 | 1,300,000 |
| 7 | Lara Croft | 607,700 | 735,000 |
| 8 | Kratos | 571,900 | 654,000 |
| 9 | Yoshi | 556,700 | 1,800,000 |
| 10 | Diablo | 490,900 | 1,100,000 |
The most terrifying horror characters
- If search volume equated to Instagram followers, Pennywise could charge $15k (£10.9k) for a sponsored post
- Pennywise has the most Instagram posts hashtagged with his name of all horror characters (2 million)
- Hannibal Lecter has the highest average IMDb rating (rated 7.2)
Although many of us would probably rather forget some of the most memorable horror characters, the fact that we can’t makes them all the more iconic. Taking first place for search volume and number of Instagram posts is killer clown Pennywise, who has really had a lasting impact on audiences. He’s followed by evil doll Chucky and Saw’s murderous mastermind Jigsaw in terms of search volume, and Dracula and Halloween’s Michael Myers in number of Instagram posts.
| Rank | Character | Global monthly search volume | No. of Insta posts with name hashtagged |
| 1 | Pennywise AKA IT | 1,500,000 | 2,000,000 |
| 2 | Chucky | 1,400,000 | 1,100,000 |
| 3 | Jigsaw | 967,000 | 844,000 |
| 4 | Freddy Krueger | 943,000 | 991,000 |
| 5 | Michael Myers | 798,000 | 1,200,000 |
| 6 | Frankenstein’s Monster | 673,900 | 124,000 |
| 7 | Hannibal Lecter | 635,000 | 332,000 |
| 8 | Dracula | 632,000 | 1,500,000 |
| 9 | Slenderman | 579,500 | 517,000 |
| 10 | Eli | 324,100 | 1,000,000 |
The Best-loved sitcom characters
- If search volume equated to Instagram followers, Mr Bean could charge $11k (£8k) for a sponsored post
- Rachel Green has the most Instagram posts hashtagged with her name of all sitcom characters (1 million)
- Rachel, Monica, Ross and Phoebe from Friends have the joint highest average IMDb rating (rated 8.9)
There have been plenty of memorable sitcoms over the decades, each attracting die-hard fan bases. So, it’s interesting to see that the data reveals a landslide victory for Friends, with the cast beaten only by Mr Bean in search volume. Not only does this suggest that Friends could be the most iconic sitcom of all time, but it also answers the question many Friends fans have been dying to know – who is the most popular ‘Friend’? It turns out the on-screen couple, Ross and Rachel both take the crowns.
| Rank | Character | Global monthly search volume | No. of Insta posts with name hashtagged |
| 1 | Mr Bean | 1,100,000 | 568,000 |
| 2 | Ross Geller | 589,300 | 932,000 |
| 3 | Rachel Green | 509,400 | 1,000,000 |
| 4 | Monica Geller | 491,700 | 969,000 |
| 5 | Joey Tribbiani | 470,000 | 957,000 |
| 6 | Will Smith | 364,000 | 247,000 |
| 7 | Phoebe Buffay | 338,000 | 812,000 |
| 8 | Bart Simpson | 303,000 | 590,000 |
| 9 | Jerry Seinfeld | 273,000 | 125,000 |
| 10 | Homer Simpson | 266,000 | 688,000 |
The most legendary superheroes and villains
- The Joker, Spider-Man and Black Panther are the most searched-for superheroes and villains in the world
- Batman has the most Instagram posts hashtagged with his name of all superheroes and villains (28.2 million)
- Black Panther has the highest average IMDb rating for all films he has featured in (rated 8.1)
Who steals the title as the greatest superhero is a popular topic of debate. As is the Marvel vs. DC Comics rivalry. To settle these disputes once and for all, the data reveals that Batman, and his nemesis the Joker, take the victory as the most-searched-for and posted about characters. But if we’re basing the win on a majority vote, Marvel and DC Comics are neck and neck, with five characters each ranking in the top 10 – leaving the competition very much open between the two market leaders.
| Rank | Character | Global monthly search volume | No. of Insta posts with name hashtagged |
| 1 | Joker | 10,200,000 | 13,700,000 |
| 2 | Spider-Man | 7,200,000 | 20,500,000 |
| 3 | Black Panther | 4,400,000 | 6,000,000 |
| 4 | Wonder Woman | 3,800,000 | 9,300,000 |
| 5 | Iron Man | 3,400,000 | 16,600,000 |
| 6 | Batman | 3,200,000 | 28,200,000 |
| 7 | Harley Quinn | 3,200,000 | 6,600,000 |
| 8 | Thor | 2,800,000 | 10,900,000 |
| 9 | Deadpool | 2,700,000 | 6,100,000 |
| 10 | Aquaman | 2,600,000 | 2,500,000 |
Methodology
The top characters were identified using Google searches for the “top sitcom characters”, etc. From this, a list of approximately 100 characters was curated for each category, which was narrowed down to 15 based on the highest search volumes (found using SEMRush). Instagram hashtag counts are based on the number of posts hashtagged with the characters’ names, e.g. #Sonic, etc. Potential Instagram earnings were calculated by using the search volume for each character as a hypothetical ‘follower count’. With these figures, we calculated an earning per post based on an unspoken industry standard rate of $100 per 10,000 followers. IMDb ratings were calculated by averaging the IMDb rating of all TV shows or films the character has featured in. For gaming, we identified the total number of games the characters have featured in.
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REEVO, the next-generation B2B games provider and aggregation platform, is thrilled to announce its latest partnership with YOriginal Games, a cutting-edge game studio known for its fast-paced, high-converting casino content.
This partnership brings YOriginal’s top-performing titles including fan favorites like Crash, Plinko, Dice, and Limbo to REEVO’s robust aggregation platform, further expanding the company’s content offering with high-velocity, action-driven gameplay that resonates with next-gen audiences.
As part of REEVO’s mission to continuously deliver innovative, customizable content that helps partners grow, this collaboration highlights the power of REEVO’s agile integration and deep market reach.
“Partnering with YOriginal is a natural fit for REEVO as we continue to raise the bar for content excellence,” said Daniel Cuc, Head of Account Management at REEVO. “Their portfolio is a magnet for players who crave action and instant engagement. With our platform’s flexibility and speed-to-market, we’re empowering operators to unlock new levels of performance and this partnership is just the start.”
YOriginal’s CEO, Kirill Bykov, echoed the excitement: “We’re truly excited to go live with REEVO an outstanding partner with a sharp product and strong reach. Their platform is a perfect match for our fast, high-performing games. Together, we’re delivering fully customized content to markets that love action. This is just the beginning.”
With dozens of new titles launched monthly, REEVO continues to evolve as one of the most dynamic content platforms in the industry offering operators seamless access to bold, differentiated games that win.
The post Accelerating Growth: REEVO Integrates High-Caliber Content by YOriginal Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Esportes Gaming Brasil, the owner of Onabet and Esportes da Sorte, has been certified as a Great Place To Work®. The recognition – a global reference in people management and organizational climate – highlights the company’s efforts in promoting a positive environment, with development, well-being and inclusion initiatives aligned with the needs of its approximately 600 employees.
The GPTW survey assesses employee perceptions across five pillars – credibility, respect, impartiality, pride and camaraderie. For Sophia Serak, Director of People, participating in the assessment was essential to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement. “We want to be more than a workplace: we’ve created a framework for everyone to develop and feel valued. The certificate proves we are on the right path and motivates us to evolve further”, says the executive.
More than just a welcoming environment, Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil has built a space where everyone has the freedom to be themselves, clarity about where they can go, and real support to grow. An environment where values such as trust, listening, and collaboration are at the heart of decisions — from the selection process to the choice of leaders.
In 2024, the group accelerated its mission to strengthen leadership, with training, assessments linked to values and programs offering regular management training. More than 60 leaders participated in development paths and initiatives such as “Impulso EGB” — an educational incentive program that subsidizes technical courses and specializations for employees.
Trust is the foundation of Esportes Gaming Brasil’s culture. It manifests itself in small gestures, spontaneous feedback, the freedom to propose new ideas and the construction of real bonds between people. The company invests in inclusive communication, active listening and collective actions that strengthen the sense of belonging — such as themed parties, recognition rituals and direct chats with leadership.
The post Esportes Gaming Brasil certified as Great Place To Work® appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
BMM Innovation Group, a technology conglomerate focused on gaming product compliance testing, cybersecurity solutions and virtual training for the global gaming industry, announced that it is exhibiting at the Perú Gaming Show 2025, June 18–19 at the Centro de Exposiciones Jockey in Lima, Perú. BMM’s local experts will be available at Booth No. 31–32 to discuss the Company’s full suite of testing, certification, cybersecurity and virtual training services for Perú’s growing gaming industry. With a well-established land-based sector and a rapidly expanding online gaming market, Perú represents one of the most dynamic jurisdictions in Latin America. BMM has supported the Peruvian gaming industry for more than 18 years, with a dedicated office in Lima since 2007. The Company’s deep roots and compliance expertise make it uniquely positioned to serve the diverse needs of Perú’s casinos, sports betting operators, lottery providers and online gaming programmes.
Amusnet is set to make a powerful impression at the Peru Gaming Show 2025, taking place on June 18-19 in Lima, by presenting a comprehensive portfolio across its Online Casino, Live Casino, and Land-based verticals. As one of the most prominent and influential gaming exhibitions in Latin America, PGS brings together the industry’s leading providers, manufacturers and decision-makers for two days of impactful business exchange. Amusnet is also sponsoring the LMG Futbol Experience on June 17, held just before the exhibition, showcasing involvement in local events and its engagement in supporting industry-wide collaboration.
International Game Technology PLC announced that its spectacular RISE55 cabinet is now live on casino floors across the US. With robust, performance-focused content roadmaps for the premium-leased and for-sale game segments, IGT’s RISE55 cabinet debuted with the highly entertaining Magic Treasures Gold game. The RISE55 cabinet features a 55-inch ultra-HD curved display that delivers crisp graphics, enhanced audio technology and remarkable player comfort. The RISE55 cabinet first hit casino floors in late May, with additional deployments planned through the summer. As the hardware’s Class III premium launch title, Magic Treasures Gold is a visually stunning multi-level progressive game with features that build upon the success of IGT’s award-winning Magic Treasures game, including a leveled-up version of the Money Ball feature.
Partnerships
Hard Rock Cafe, in partnership with international soccer icon Lionel Messi, launched new merchandise coinciding with one of the year’s most anticipated global soccer tournaments. The collection debuts as part of Hard Rock’s “WE PLAY TOGETHER” campaign, which unites soccer fans to celebrate the sport. The campaign will feature special experiences and exclusive offers, such as bundle deals combining themed Messi menu and retail items, for guests to watch each match and show support for their favourite teams. Lionel Messi announced the collection via an Instagram post, where he donned one of the custom tees now available for purchase.
PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced that it has partnered with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the team’s Official DFS Partner. The partnership features several digital and in-stadium activations at Dodger Stadium as PrizePicks continues to strengthen its brand presence in baseball.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 9-15 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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