Franchise

From Styleguide

franchise

A set of games, often with similar names, that share one or more key characters, settings or styles of play. Used interchangeably with series.

Franchises are generally named after a unifying character or the name of the first game in the franchise.

Italicize the name of a franchise only if it shares the name of a game in that franchise. Example: The Halo franchise; The Mario series.

Franchises can inspire various spinoffs that are franchises in their own right; for example, the Mario franchise encompasses the Mario Kart and Mario Party franchises.

When discussing sports games, be careful to distinguish between the game franchise and the team franchises within the game.

Example: The evolution of the character of Solid Snake has anchored the progression of the Metal Gear Solid franchise.