Top 10 Most Popular Video Game Characters of 2026, According to New Data
We're not even a month into 2026 yet, but there is some interesting data trickling in that may reveal the most popular video game characters of the year (so far).
In a January 2026 report by Galaxysys, the game studio analyzed 25 famous playable characters based on their online popularity. The research looked at how popular video game characters are across five major online platforms. The study tracked Instagram hashtags for fan content, TikTok posts for viral trends, YouTube videos and channels for creator activity, and monthly online lookups for general interest.
Characters earned an overall Engagement Score based on their combined popularity on these platforms, according to Galaxysys. The final engagement score determined the character rankings.
According to Galaxysys' full data collection, there are some relatively obvious characters that made the top 10 list, and there were a couple of curveballs, too.
10. Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong starred in Donkey Kong Bananza on the Nintendo Switch 2 just last year, and it was a massive hit with fans. He's one of the longest-running characters in video game history, so it isn't a surprise that he's still one of the most popular in 2026.
9. Lara Croft
Another iconic classic character, Lara Croft takes the number nine spot, according to Galaxysys' study. With another remake of her original globetrotting adventure, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, releasing later this year, Lara Croft is probably back on a lot of gamers' minds after her relative absence since 2018's Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
8. Kirby
The cute pink ball takes the number eight spot. Kirby also just had another major release with Kirby Air Riders at the end of last year, and it seems Kirby is still riding high with fans.
7. Arthur Morgan
While the wait for Grand Theft Auto 6continues, Rockstar Games' latest release, 2018's Red Dead Redemption 2, is still on a lot of fans' minds. Arthur Morgan won over a lot of hearts as one of Rockstar's most layered characters, and even eight years later, he still is in the popular crowd.
6. Jinx
One of the most popular League of Legends characters, coupled with the game being one of the most popular multiplayer games of the modern video game era, it's not a surprise that Jinx made the top ten.
5. Kratos
The wait for the next God of War entry continues. Despite months of rumors that the next entry will not star Kratos and instead his brother, Deimos, and also be a 2.5D Metroidvania game, the excitement for the Amazon Prime live-action adaptation of God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok has seemingly kept Kratos in the spotlight.
4. Pac-Man
Pac-Man may be one of the most surprising characters on the list. While he is iconic among gamers, he hasn't had a major video game appearance since being a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Hayk Sargsyan, CEO at Galaxsys, commented on Pac-Man's popularity, saying, "Younger readers might not recognize Pac-Man from these rankings, but it's one of the most beloved gaming characters ever. It was among the first games that reached everyday people, not just gamers, and everyone loved how simple and fun it was to play. Mario followed a similar path later on, though Nintendo kept building its franchise over the decades and made something even bigger out of it. Pac-Man stayed iconic but didn't evolve the same way.”
3. Sonic the Hedgehog
The Blue Blur takes the bronze medal in this particular race for popularity. With generally positive critical reviews for all three of the Sonic the Hedgehog film adaptations, plus the release of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds late last year, Sonic is seeing a popularity he hasn't seen in quite some time.
2. Pikachu
The mascot for one of the most popular pieces of entertainment in history, Pikachu, remains as popular today as it was back in the 90s. If you walk about random people and ask them to name a Pokémon, some people would be able to say Pikachu, even if they were not at all familiar with the franchise.
1. Mario
Unsurprisingly, Mario is the most popular character of 2026, according to this study. The iconic red plumber has been around for over 44 years and helped pioneer the path to moving video game development forward. He has transcended beyond video game culture and is an entertainment icon, so being the most popular character of 2026 isn't a shock at all.