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Fan Index Reveals: The MOST Popular Gaming Character of ALL TIME
The most popular gaming character is Mario, receiving a whopping 451 points from the fan index
In second place is Sonic the Hedgehog with 394 points, receiving a staggering 59,700,700 Google searches in the last year
Legend of Zelda’s Link lands third place with 377 points, holding the largest number of Reddit mentions
The least popular gaming character is Jack from BioShock with just 48 points!
We’ve spent a lot of time at home, getting to know our favourite video games more than ever before, falling even more in love with a whole range of gaming characters. However, there is plenty of debate about which characters are the nations’ favourite!
With this in mind, experts at Stashbird.com wanted to discover the most popular gaming characters of all time from the best-selling video game franchises*. To thoroughly investigate, Stashbird.com created a gaming fans’ index by analysing the following factors:
Sales of the franchise
Average worldwide searches over the past year
Number of hashtags on Instagram
Number of Reddit mentions
Gamers’ popularity score (survey)
The top 10 most popular characters
Stashbird.com can reveal that in first place, and crowned the most popular gaming character, is Mario with a massive 451 fan index points!
Mario ranked first for franchise sales with a staggering 653,000,000 worldwide copies of Mario games sold, bagging him an easy 100 points. The fun-loving character also ranked sixth for average worldwide searches with 4,606,547 (86 points) in the past year alone! Despite these results, Mario only ranked 10th for popularity, with 45% of gamers choosing him as their ultimate favourite.
Not far behind in second place is Sonic the Hedgehog with 394 points. The extraterrestrial hedgehog ranked second for worldwide searches (59,700,000), giving him 97 points! He was voted the favourite by only 21% of gamers surveyed, however bagged himself 91 points for his 94,300 Reddit mentions.
Link from The Legend of Zelda places third, accumulating 377 points! It is no surprise as the star of the Nintendo series to have ranked top for Reddit mentions (3,920,000) and popularity score (74%), receiving 100 points for both! Interestingly, he ranked lower down for search volumes, with 1,196,200 average searches over the past year.
At number four is Donkey Kong with 354 points, scoring high with 3,930,000 yearly average searches (83 points), 570,000 Instagram hashtags (77 points) and 26,400 Reddit mentions (80 points).
To complete the 10 most popular gaming characters, the results are as follows:
5. Master Chief (Halo) 323 points, Crash (Crash Bandicoot) 323 points, Sora (Kingdom Hearts) 323 points
6. Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy) 314 points
7. Pac-Man (Pac-Man) 308 points
8. Kirby (Kirby) 306 points
9. Geralt of Rivia (The Witcher) 294 points
Closing the top 10 is Ezio Auditore Da Firenze, star of four of the Assassin’s Creed games, with 291 points!
Just making the bottom 10 is Joel Miller, ranking 25th out of a possible 34 places, from the Last of Us. This is not surprising as the franchise only scored 14 points for its 24 million sales. He also scored low on Reddit searches, receiving just 29 points for his 1,670 mentions.
John Marston from Red Dead Redemption and Simon Belmont from Castlevania were both among the least popular with 94 and 74 points, respectively.
Bioshock’s Jack rounds off the bottom 10 list with measly 48 points – a staggering 403 points less than first place contender Mario.
Methodology
1. *Stashbird.com analysed the list of best-selling video game franchises that have sold at least 20 million copies and pulled the most popular/recognised character from each to compile the list of 36 most popular gaming characters of all time.
2. The team then created an index looking at several factors, including sales of the franchise, search volumes using SemRush, the number of Instagram hashtags per character and the number of mentions on Reddit.
3. Finally, to complete the index Stashbird.com surveyed 4,567 gamers worldwide to ask them to vote for their favourite from the list to give each character a popularity score.
4. Games where there is no playable main character were excluded from the list.
5. Stashbird normalised the data by using the PERCENTRANK.INC function in Excel. This function returns the rank of a value in a data set as a percentage of the data set between 0 and 1. These values were then multiplied by 100 to make the range between 0 and 100. The maximum score a character could receive was 500.This enabled the team to rank the 36 characters from most to least popular based on their total points. The data was collected on 29/02/2021 and is correct as of then.
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action-rpg
Hell Clock targets PS5 and Xbox Series X|S launch on July 14 alongside Cursed War expansion
Rogue Snail and Mad Mushroom moved the console release from June 2 to avoid Path of Exile’s Return of the Ancients update.
Hell Clock will launch on PlayStation 5 and XBox Series X|S on July 14, 2026, with its first major expansion, Cursed War, releasing the same day on consoles and Steam, according to Rogue Snail and publisher Mad Mushroom.
The date was disclosed during the Latin American Games Showcase alongside a new trailer focused on skills coming in Cursed War: youtu.be/cUWtDLd_u6Y.
Rogue Snail said the console edition and expansion were originally planned for a June 2 launch, but were shifted to avoid Path of Exile’s recent Return of the Ancients update.
Cursed War adds a new story act set during the Paraguayan War of 1864–1870, plus “over 10 new environments,” additional skills and relics, new bosses, and new endgame systems including Endless Nightmares and the full version of Ascension, the company said.
Hell Clock is set against a dark fantasy take on real Brazilian history, including the late 19th century War of Canudos, and is built around ARPG progression with roguelike run structure and build customization.
The post Hell Clock targets PS5 and Xbox Series X|S launch on July 14 alongside Cursed War expansion appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
FIFA World Cup
Where to Drive Tier-1 Sport Traffic in June World Cup & N1 Sport Promo
June offers one of the biggest traffic opportunities of 2026. The start of the FIFA World Cup, combined with the NBA Finals, Formula 1 races, Wimbledon, UFC Freedom 250, and major esports tournaments, creates a unique environment for affiliates looking to scale sports and prediction traffic.
With the FIFA World Cup 2026 driving global attention and audience engagement to seasonal highs, N1 Partners is launching the N1 Sport Promo from June 10 to July 20 to help affiliates maximise results during the busiest period of the sports calendar.
Key Sports Events in June
N1 Partners team has selected the most important events of the month to help affiliates plan campaigns and drive traffic effectively.
Soccer
The FIFA World Cup dominates the sports calendar and is expected to generate the highest engagement levels of the year.
11.06–19.07 | FIFA World Cup 2026
Key opening-stage matches:
- 11.06 | Mexico vs South Africa
- 12.06 | Canada vs Bosnia
- 13.06 | USA vs Paraguay
- 14.06 | Brazil vs Morocco
- 14.06 | Germany vs Curacao
- 15.06 | Netherlands vs Japan
- 16.06 | France vs Senegal
- 17.06 | Argentina vs Algeria
- 18.06 | England vs Croatia
- 20.06 | Netherlands vs Sweden
- 21.06 | Germany vs Ivory Coast
- 24.06 | England vs Ghana
- 25.06 | Scotland vs Brazil
- 26.06 | Ecuador vs Germany
- 27.06 | Uruguay vs Spain
- 28.06–04.07 | FIFA World Cup Round of 32
MMA
UFC Freedom 250 will make history as the first UFC event ever held at the White House. Set against one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, the event will bring together elite fighters, championship bouts, and a unique atmosphere to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
- 14.06 | UFC Freedom 250
Basketball
The NBA Finals remain one of the strongest traffic drivers for North American audiences.
- 04.06–20.06 | NBA Finals Series Begins
Tennis
June combines the final stages of Roland Garros with the beginning of the grass-court season and Wimbledon.
- 08.06–14.06 | WTA London
- 29.06–12.07 | Wimbledon
Formula 1
In June, Formula 1 continues to generate stable engagement from dedicated sports audiences.
- 14.06 | Barcelona Grand Prix
- 28.06 | Austrian Grand Prix
Esports
Major CS2 tournaments continue attracting valuable younger audiences across Tier-1 markets.
- 02.06–21.06 | IEM Cologne 2026
Cricket
Cricket remains one of the most important verticals for many Tier-1 GEOs.
- 09.06 | Bangladesh vs Australia (ODI)
- 11.06 | Bangladesh vs Australia (ODI)
- 25.06 | England vs New Zealand (Test Series)
How to maximize results from event-driven traffic
June is the beginning of the most anticipated sporting event of the year. With the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicking off alongside the NBA Finals, Wimbledon, Formula 1 races, and IEM Cologne, affiliates have access to a constant stream of high-intent traffic opportunities.
For partners working with N1 Bet, RollXO, and Lucky Hunter via N1 Partners, this creates favourable conditions to attract new players, increase FTD volumes, and scale campaigns across Tier-1 GEOs.
To make the most of June traffic:
- prioritize World Cup matches and key tournament stages that naturally generate the highest audience engagement;
- prepare event-specific creatives and landing pages, and build content and advertising funnels around match predictions, odds, and tournament storylines.
- increase budgets during high-profile fixtures and knockout rounds;
- test both Sports Betting and Prediction Market offers to capture different audience segments;
- monitor performance daily and scale winning campaigns quickly while demand remains high.
June sports traffic insights
June is all about momentum. This period combines multiple large-scale events running simultaneously, creating continuous demand across different sports audiences.
The FIFA World Cup opening weeks are expected to drive the highest engagement, fuelled by match predictions, team analysis, odds, and live betting. While football will dominate traffic, tennis, Formula 1, esports, and basketball offer valuable diversification and additional scaling opportunities throughout the month.
Affiliates who react quickly to event-driven demand and adapt campaigns to specific sports audiences are likely to see the strongest results during June and the opening stages of the World Cup.
Top promos for N1 Partners projects in June
Every month, N1 Partners launches a series of seasonal promotions across key brands to help partners increase conversions and maximise the value of the traffic they drive to these offers.
Golden Rush Lottery (RollXO, N1 Bet)
Period: 03.06–23.06
Prize pool: €120,000
Summer Rush Lottery (RetroBet, Jet4Bet, Spirit Casino, SlotLounge)
Period: 09.06–14.06
Prize pool: €30,000
Hall of Champions Tournament (Goldex Casino)
Period: 11.06–14.06
Prize pool: €1,500 + 1,000 FS
Celestial Constellation Lottery (Lucky Hunter)
Period: 12.06–21.06
Prize pool: €5,000 + 2,000 FS
Trophy Chase Lottery (SlotLords, SlotsMines)
Period: 17.06–23.06
Prize pool: €7,000 + 3,000 FS
Wanna learn more? Contact your manager right now!
Join N1 Partners
N1 Partners is a multi-brand affiliate program and direct advertiser, bringing together 14+ casino and betting brands with high LTV and Reg2Dep rates in Tier-1 GEOs.
N1 Partners offers competitive terms for top partners, including CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55%, ensuring stable and scalable performance.
Trusted by 14,000+ partners, N1 Partners stands out for its transparency, flexibility, and focus on long-term partnerships, supported by a strong product portfolio and advanced retention systems.
Haven’t joined N1 Partners yet? Contact the manager, get involved and make the most of the 2026 sports season.
The post Where to Drive Tier-1 Sport Traffic in June World Cup & N1 Sport Promo appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
FIFA World Cup
Where to Drive Tier-1 Sport Traffic in June World Cup & N1 Sport Promo
June offers one of the biggest traffic opportunities of 2026. The start of the FIFA World Cup, combined with the NBA Finals, Formula 1 races, Wimbledon, UFC Freedom 250, and major esports tournaments, creates a unique environment for affiliates looking to scale sports and prediction traffic.
With the FIFA World Cup 2026 driving global attention and audience engagement to seasonal highs, N1 Partners is launching the N1 Sport Promo from June 10 to July 20 to help affiliates maximise results during the busiest period of the sports calendar.
Key Sports Events in June
N1 Partners team has selected the most important events of the month to help affiliates plan campaigns and drive traffic effectively.
Soccer
The FIFA World Cup dominates the sports calendar and is expected to generate the highest engagement levels of the year.
11.06–19.07 | FIFA World Cup 2026
Key opening-stage matches:
- 11.06 | Mexico vs South Africa
- 12.06 | Canada vs Bosnia
- 13.06 | USA vs Paraguay
- 14.06 | Brazil vs Morocco
- 14.06 | Germany vs Curacao
- 15.06 | Netherlands vs Japan
- 16.06 | France vs Senegal
- 17.06 | Argentina vs Algeria
- 18.06 | England vs Croatia
- 20.06 | Netherlands vs Sweden
- 21.06 | Germany vs Ivory Coast
- 24.06 | England vs Ghana
- 25.06 | Scotland vs Brazil
- 26.06 | Ecuador vs Germany
- 27.06 | Uruguay vs Spain
- 28.06–04.07 | FIFA World Cup Round of 32
MMA
UFC Freedom 250 will make history as the first UFC event ever held at the White House. Set against one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, the event will bring together elite fighters, championship bouts, and a unique atmosphere to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
- 14.06 | UFC Freedom 250
Basketball
The NBA Finals remain one of the strongest traffic drivers for North American audiences.
- 04.06–20.06 | NBA Finals Series Begins
Tennis
June combines the final stages of Roland Garros with the beginning of the grass-court season and Wimbledon.
- 08.06–14.06 | WTA London
- 29.06–12.07 | Wimbledon
Formula 1
In June, Formula 1 continues to generate stable engagement from dedicated sports audiences.
- 14.06 | Barcelona Grand Prix
- 28.06 | Austrian Grand Prix
Esports
Major CS2 tournaments continue attracting valuable younger audiences across Tier-1 markets.
- 02.06–21.06 | IEM Cologne 2026
Cricket
Cricket remains one of the most important verticals for many Tier-1 GEOs.
- 09.06 | Bangladesh vs Australia (ODI)
- 11.06 | Bangladesh vs Australia (ODI)
- 25.06 | England vs New Zealand (Test Series)
How to maximize results from event-driven traffic
June is the beginning of the most anticipated sporting event of the year. With the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicking off alongside the NBA Finals, Wimbledon, Formula 1 races, and IEM Cologne, affiliates have access to a constant stream of high-intent traffic opportunities.
For partners working with N1 Bet, RollXO, and Lucky Hunter via N1 Partners, this creates favourable conditions to attract new players, increase FTD volumes, and scale campaigns across Tier-1 GEOs.
To make the most of June traffic:
- prioritize World Cup matches and key tournament stages that naturally generate the highest audience engagement;
- prepare event-specific creatives and landing pages, and build content and advertising funnels around match predictions, odds, and tournament storylines.
- increase budgets during high-profile fixtures and knockout rounds;
- test both Sports Betting and Prediction Market offers to capture different audience segments;
- monitor performance daily and scale winning campaigns quickly while demand remains high.
June sports traffic insights
June is all about momentum. This period combines multiple large-scale events running simultaneously, creating continuous demand across different sports audiences.
The FIFA World Cup opening weeks are expected to drive the highest engagement, fuelled by match predictions, team analysis, odds, and live betting. While football will dominate traffic, tennis, Formula 1, esports, and basketball offer valuable diversification and additional scaling opportunities throughout the month.
Affiliates who react quickly to event-driven demand and adapt campaigns to specific sports audiences are likely to see the strongest results during June and the opening stages of the World Cup.
Top promos for N1 Partners projects in June
Every month, N1 Partners launches a series of seasonal promotions across key brands to help partners increase conversions and maximise the value of the traffic they drive to these offers.
Golden Rush Lottery (RollXO, N1 Bet)
Period: 03.06–23.06
Prize pool: €120,000
Summer Rush Lottery (RetroBet, Jet4Bet, Spirit Casino, SlotLounge)
Period: 09.06–14.06
Prize pool: €30,000
Hall of Champions Tournament (Goldex Casino)
Period: 11.06–14.06
Prize pool: €1,500 + 1,000 FS
Celestial Constellation Lottery (Lucky Hunter)
Period: 12.06–21.06
Prize pool: €5,000 + 2,000 FS
Trophy Chase Lottery (SlotLords, SlotsMines)
Period: 17.06–23.06
Prize pool: €7,000 + 3,000 FS
Wanna learn more? Contact your manager right now!
Join N1 Partners
N1 Partners is a multi-brand affiliate program and direct advertiser, bringing together 14+ casino and betting brands with high LTV and Reg2Dep rates in Tier-1 GEOs.
N1 Partners offers competitive terms for top partners, including CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55%, ensuring stable and scalable performance.
Trusted by 14,000+ partners, N1 Partners stands out for its transparency, flexibility, and focus on long-term partnerships, supported by a strong product portfolio and advanced retention systems.
Haven’t joined N1 Partners yet? Contact the manager, get involved and make the most of the 2026 sports season.
The post Where to Drive Tier-1 Sport Traffic in June World Cup & N1 Sport Promo appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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