A new January 2026 study has revealed the most popular video game characters on the internet, and it is a familiar face sitting firmly at the top. According to fresh research from studio Galaxsys, Mario is officially the most recognisable gaming icon online right now, beating out decades of competition from across consoles, genres, and generations.
The report analysed 25 famous playable characters, measuring how often they appear and are searched for across five major online platforms. These included Google searches, Instagram hashtags, TikTok trends, and YouTube videos and channels. Each character was then given an overall Engagement Score based on their combined popularity across the web.
The results paint a clear picture of which gaming legends still dominate online culture in 2026, and which newer icons are quickly catching up.
How The Rankings Were Calculated
Galaxsys tracked online popularity using a mix of social and search data to reflect how players actually engage with gaming characters today. The study looked at Instagram hashtags for fan art and community posts, TikTok hashtags for viral trends, YouTube videos and channels for creator activity, and monthly Google searches for overall interest.
By combining all of this data, each character received a single Engagement Score, making it easier to compare long running legends with modern era favourites. You can access the complete research methodologies and findings here.
The Top 25 Most Popular Video Game Characters Online
| Character | Video Game | Game Release Year | Google Searches Per Month | Instagram Hashtags | TikTok Hashtags | Videos On YouTube | YouTube Channels | Engagement Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario | Super Mario Bros. | 1985 | 18,949,570 | 6.6 mln | 2.5 mln | 1.6 mln | 330 k | 92.9 |
| Pikachu | Pokémon | 1996 | 5,546,080 | 9.6 mln | 3.1 mln | 1.1 mln | 256 k | 88.1 |
| Sonic the Hedgehog | Sonic the Hedgehog | 1991 | 13,428,730 | 5.5 mln | 2.3 mln | 1.2 mln | 314 k | 79.2 |
| Pac-Man | Pac-Man | 1980 | 83,811,220 | 1.7 mln | 218.3 k | 147 k | 44 k | 36.2 |
| Kratos | God of War | 2005 | 1,386,120 | 1 mln | 764.7 k | 671 k | 119 k | 28.1 |
| Jinx | League of Legends | 2009 | 2,269,240 | 1.3 mln | 1.9 mln | 211 k | 63 k | 26.9 |
| Arthur Morgan | Red Dead Redemption 2 | 2018 | 597,310 | 652 k | 796.3 k | 407 k | 55 k | 18.2 |
| Kirby | Kirby’s Dream Land | 1992 | 2,565,570 | 1.7 mln | 410.1 k | 202 k | 54 k | 15.1 |
| Lara Croft | Tomb Raider | 1996 | 10,754,480 | 856 k | 224.6 k | 172 k | 28 k | 11.4 |
| Donkey Kong | Donkey Kong | 1981 | 5,655,120 | 782 k | 169.1 k | 157 k | 40 k | 9.9 |
| Leon S. Kennedy | Resident Evil 2 | 1998 | 2,246,030 | 310 k | 515.5 k | 76 k | 16 k | 7.3 |
| Sub-Zero | Mortal Kombat | 1992 | 702,710 | 785 k | 222.8 k | 89 k | 26 k | 6.7 |
| Princess Peach | Super Mario Bros. | 1985 | 3,127,300 | 697 k | 232.5 k | 64 k | 16 k | 6.1 |
| Master Chief | Halo | 2001 | 2,993,270 | 645 k | 185.4 k | 63 k | 16 k | 5.5 |
| Aloy | Horizon Zero Dawn | 2017 | 191,730 | 475 k | 150.9 k | 125 k | 19 k | 5.2 |
| Chun-Li | Street Fighter | 1991 | 1,965,980 | 631 k | 114.2 k | 57 k | 13 k | 4.3 |
| Geralt of Rivia | The Witcher | 2007 | 1,218,720 | 602 k | 122.7 k | 50 k | 11 k | 3.8 |
| Tracer | Overwatch | 2016 | 150,260 | 828 k | 124 k | 32 k | 10 k | 3.7 |
| Nathan Drake | Uncharted | 2007 | 838,650 | 259 k | 84.9 k | 49 k | 9.6 k | 2.4 |
| Cloud Strife | Final Fantasy VII | 1997 | 645,290 | 351 k | 114.7 k | 30 k | 5.9 k | 2.2 |
| Sephiroth | Final Fantasy VII | 1997 | 898,570 | 208 k | 83.9 k | 38 k | 8.9 k | 2.0 |
| Ezio Auditore | Assassin’s Creed II | 2009 | 174,790 | 196 k | 55.4 k | 47 k | 7.8 k | 1.6 |
| Solid Snake | Metal Gear Solid | 1998 | 1,587,080 | 183 k | 56.8 k | 22 k | 6.5 k | 1.5 |
| Samus Aran | Metroid | 1986 | 754,350 | 277 k | 30.2 k | 13 k | 3.9 k | 0.9 |
| Minecraft Steve | Minecraft | 2011 | 2,221,220 | 44 k | 16.1 k | 12 k | 5 k | 0.7 |
Why Classic Characters Still Dominate
Commenting on the findings, Galaxsys CEO Hayk Sargsyan explained why characters like Pac-Man and Mario continue to outperform many modern icons. He noted that Pac-Man was one of the first games to reach everyday people, not just dedicated gamers, thanks to its simple and fun design. Mario followed a similar path but evolved continuously over decades, allowing Nintendo to build something even bigger around the character.
While newer characters may trend heavily on social media, this research shows that long standing icons still hold unmatched recognition and staying power online.