History Main / FranchiseCodifier

* The ''Franchise/MonsterVerse''' version of Godzilla is this for the Japanese ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}''. Ever since 2014, Monsterverse Godzilla strongly influenced most of Toho's projects regarding the kaiju in its design and powerset. For example, Film/ShinGodzilla also included prominent gills (not seen in any other incarnations prior), [[Anime/GodzillaPlanetOfTheMonsters Godzilla Earth]] from the anime movie trilogy has a near identical design, and [[Film/GodzillaMinusOne Godzilla Minus One]] got the blue atomic breath glow effect that charges from the tip of the tail through his dorsal scales.

* ''VideoGame/SniperElite3'' introduced a lot of new features to the series formula that stuck in later titles, namely a number of AntiFrustrationFeatures such as the option to save mid-mission, and a RealTimeWeaponChange system in the form of a wheel HUD. In addition, this game was where maps became less linear and more open world, with optional objectives added in order to encourage map exploration, not to mention fleshing out the stealth mechanics to allow for quieter playstyles where players can stalk and quietly pick off ''every'' target, compared to ''VideoGame/SniperEliteV2'' where stealth mechanics were almost entirely restricted to getting into a good position before loudly murdering an entire platoon.

* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'': During UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks, Batman and ComicBook/{{Robin}} were retooled as a wacky crimefighting duo that engaged in lighthearted, often comical, adventures. This was out of necessity to keep in line with UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode, which ''especially'' targeted those two superheroes. However, Denny O'Neill's run in the 1970s did a lot to reestablish Batman as a dark, foreboding crimefighting figure, in turn introducing the characters ComicBook/RasAlGhul and ComicBook/TaliaAlGhul, who would go on to be two of Batman's most iconic antagonists. This return to darker, more mature stories would finally coalesce into Creator/FrankMiller's ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'', which to this day is considered ''the'' most definitive Batman story (aside from ''ComicBook/BatmanYearOne'' and ''ComicBook/TheKillingJoke'', each released a year after the other).

** ''ComicBook/TheNightGwenStacyDied'' is considered ''the'' definitive Spider-Man story, and has gone on to define the entire franchise -- for better or worse. For better, because this story is largely credited with ending the Silver Age of comics and ushering the darker and more mature UsefulNotes/TheBronzeAgeOfComicBooks. At the time, it was considered ''unthinkable'' that [[ILetGwenStacyDie the hero's love interest would die]] in comics, but now all bets were off. Unfortunately, this also codified ''other'' things into the franchise, such as Spider-Man [[NotAllowedToGrowUp not being allowed to grow up too much]] or [[TrueLoveIsBoring stay married]], as Gwen was killed off for ''exactly'' those reasons. Also, her death helped usher in UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks, in which shock deaths and twists became the rule rather than the exception. In fact, ''ComicBook/TheCloneSaga'', widely considered the worst Spider-Man storyline of all time, was a direct followup to ''The Night Gwen Stacy Died''.

** The Platform/{{Wii}}: After middling sales of the Platform/Nintendo64 and poor sales of the Platform/NintendoGamecube, Nintendo decided to pursue a new strategy for their next console that company president Creator/SatoruIwata dubbed the "Blue Ocean". They would abandon trying to compete on graphics and technology by essentially staying behind one generation, and would instead look for other ways of distinguishing their consoles. They had already found some success by deploying this strategy with the Platform/NintendoDS and its innovative touch screen, and decided to try something similar by adding motion controls to the Wii. The hope was that by tapping into the vast "Blue Ocean" of potential customers beyond traditional hardcore gamers, they would finally recapture the market share they had lost to their competitors. In the case of the Wii, it worked, with the system going on to become the best selling console of [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames its generation]] with over 100 million units sold worldwide. Nintendo stuck to the same strategy with their subsequent consoles the Platform/WiiU and Platform/NintendoSwitch; while the former failed to replicate the success of its predecessor and became the worst selling piece of Nintendo hardware save for the Platform/VirtualBoy, the Switch became a monumental success surpassing even the Wii.

Most franchises, especially [[LongRunners long-running ones]], tend to have one particular work whose elements are borrowed by future entries in the same franchise; this is known as the [[TitleDrop Franchise Codifier]].

* ''Film/GameraVsGyaos'' is probably the film in the ''Film/{{Gamera}}'' which most firmly established the formula most later entries in the franchise followed. It's the first film to fully establish Gamera as a benevolent and intelligent monster who defends humanity against other monsters, had a LighterAndSofter story that focused on children as the human characters, and also introduced Gyaos, who would go on to become Gamera's ArchEnemy. Gyaos also helped establish the trend of the antagonist monster having a second surprise ability half-way through the story that many kaiju following it would also have.

* The ''Franchise/MonsterVerse''' version of Godzilla is this for the Japanese ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}''. Ever since 2014, Monsterverse Godzilla strongly influenced most of Toho's projects regarding the kaiju in its design and powerset. For example, [[Anime/GodzillaPlanetOfTheMonsters Godzilla Earth]] from the anime movie trilogy has a near identical design, and [[Film/GodzillaMinusOne Godzilla Minus One]] got the blue atomic breath glow effect that charges from the tail through his dorsal scales.

* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesRubyAndSapphire'' established the primary tone, formula, and trends for most future sagas of the anime. Ash leaves behind his current team at Professor Oak's lab, and travels each new region with a new outfit and friend group, now [[RotatingArcs rotating in and out of focus]] with his companions (particularly the female ones, being the first series to seriously focus on the female lead's goal). It also puts a greater focus on arcs and CharacterDevelopment for both Ash and his companions, over the wacky comedy of the original series.
* ''Anime/FreshPrettyCure'' laid down the blueprint that all future Pretty Cure entries would follow. The restrictive rules on who could become a Cure (resulting in [[Anime/FutariWaPrettyCure Shiny Luminous]] and [[Anime/YesPrettyCure5 Milky Rose]]) were done away with and all series would be one-and-done in contrast to ''Futari wa'' and ''Yes! 5'' both getting a second season. A consistent release schedule for the movies was established, with a BatFamilyCrossover movie in mid-March and a more straightforward NonSerialMovie in late October. The EndingTheme would now always be rendered in CGI. While some of the long-term conventions for the franchise began earlier or later (such as ''Yes! 5'' being the first with a PinkHeroine and to not necessarily revolve around two main characters with WonderTwinPowers), ''Fresh'' draws a crystal-clear line between "classic" and "modern" Pretty Cure.

* UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows: Windows 95 established the user interface that Windows by-and-large uses to this day. It introduced elements such as the Start Menu for launching applications, the taskbar for displaying open windows and programs, the notification area for communicating important information about the system, and the three button combination on the window title bars for minimizing, maximizing, and closing windows. Only Windows 8 did anything to significantly alter this paradigm, and that provoked such a negative reaction from the userbase that Microsoft went back to it with subsequent releases.

* ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyJusticeForAll'' is this for the ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' series, with the introduction of variable penalties instead of a strict five-strike system(although the latter returned in ''VisualNovel/TheGreatAceAttorney'' and ''VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice''), new gameplay mechanics other than basic investigations and cross-examinations, limiting trials to a maximum of two days instead of three, longer trial days with save points during recesses, and presenting its cases out of strict chronological order. Each of these innovations would go on to become standard practice in future games, with some of them even being applied to the bonus case in the UpdatedRerelease of the first game. Storywise, it also codified the practice of having a brand-new prosecutor as the opponent for the defense for each installment, given that the original plan was to retain the same prosecutor from the first game.
* ''VideoGame/AceCombat04ShatteredSkies'' was intended to be a new beginning for the ''VideoGame/AceCombat'' series, as indicated by the "0" in its title. After the [[ExcusePlot arcade plotlessness]] of the original two games and the gritty cyperpunk trappings of ''VideoGame/AceCombat3Electrosphere'', ''04'' nailed down the series' "Strangereal" setting, plot formula, musical stylings and the basic controls and weapon mechanics every mainline games after would follow, including those not set in Strangereal.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' influenced the franchise decades after its original release due to how radically different it was from previous entries, both narratively and gameplay-wise. On the narrative side of things, the game follows the story of several named, well-defined and speaking party members (unlike the first and third entry) and was the first ''Final Fantasy'' game to truly focus on the story and character interactions. On the gameplay side, the game was the first to use the classic [[CombatantCooldownSystem ''Active Time Battle'' system]] for its turn-based combat, as well as being the first game in the series in which ''all'' characters have defined combat Jobs and skills that make them unique from one another. While the game definitely suffers from a case of OnceOriginalNowCommon nowadays, its impact on the franchise as a whole is undeniable, especially on the much beloved sixth entry in the series.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776'', despite being the last game by the series' original creator, laid the groundwork for future installments of the ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' series. It introduced unlockable sidequest chapters, branching paths (though only 2 chapters long in ''Thracia'', they would be elaborated on in later entries), letter-based weapon ranks that increased as each character used that weapon type, FogOfWar, objectives besides seizing castles, rescuing and an approach to map design that would stick for the next several games.

** While the franchise had well over a dozen entries when it released, ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiNocturne'' shook up the franchise significantly: it was the first entry in the series to use full 3D models both in the overworld and in battle, did away with first person dungeon crawling entirely, and was the first game to use the ''Press Turn System'' in its combat, of which variations would appear across both mainline games and spinoffs, including ''Persona''. In fact, many of the demon designs and models from ''Nocturne'' would be recycled in many different spinoffs, such as ''VideoGame/DigitalDevilSaga'' and ''Persona''.
** The ''Persona'' subseries also has one in the form of ''VideoGame/Persona3'': on top of being the first game in the subseries to use full 3D, it was the entry that first mixed life sim elements, such as managing your character's everyday life, as well as the iconic Social Links of the series. Games prior to ''Persona 3'' were more akin to 'regular' JRPG[=s=] with high school students and psychological themes. It was also the first game to introduce the concept of the Wild Card, the unique ability for the protagonists to utilize multiple Personas at once. Prior to the third game, ALL party members could switch Personas at will.

* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'': It should go without saying that Creator/{{Capcom}}'s seminal fighter ended up being the codifier for both the FightingGame genre and ''Street Fighter'' as a whole. The core gameplay loop now relying on combos; the game having a more varied selection of characters including the franchise's first female fighter plus [[CaptainEthnic fighters from countries like Russia, Spain, India, and Brazil]]; the introduction of the UpdatedRerelease format for the series that also introduced five new fighters in total, two of whom would become among the series' most iconic characters; and the Platform/{{SNES}} port that brought the series to consoles and acted as a major KillerApp for the system. Every fighting game that came after, from the likes of ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'', ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'', ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'', ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'', ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'', ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soulcalibur]]'', ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', and even Capcom's own ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'' and ''VideoGame/CapcomVs'' series.

* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsFromZeroAndTrailsToAzure'', also known as the "Crossbell arc", defined much of the gameplay and tone of the Videogame/TrailsSeries from that point on. Game mechanics such as evasion triggering a counterattack, Master Quartz, a stricter turn timer on buffs, debuffs and ailments, critical hits no longer being tied to turn bonuses, and most of the Arts (spells) carried over into later games. On the story front, it was here that the series began adopting a slightly more {{Shounen}} tone, a CluelessChickMagnet male protagonist and a choice of "bonding events" with party members as opposed to pre-defined relationships.

** ''Tekken 2'' was the sequel that began to introduce more elements to the series that made it more than just a clone of ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter''; the BigBad of the previous game was now its main character, while its [[TheHero Hero]] was now the villain. All characters now received ending movies instead of the default ones, and the game featured a more diverse and robust soundtrack with unique themes for each character.

* Creator/{{Nintendo}} consoles:
** The Platform/GameBoy. Handhelds had been attempted for several years prior to the Game Boy, but were usually very expensive and so demanding that they could never last more than a few hours before the batteries ran dry (in an era where recharging the battery wasn't a thing yet). Nintendo was able to attain complete dominance by making a deliberately less powerful system, so it had a cheaper price and longer battery life; the monochrome graphics were largely ignored thanks to Nintendo's experience with quality gameplay that shone through. Nintendo first applied this approach to its handhelds, but starting with the Wii, they began to apply it to their home consoles as well.
** The Platform/{{Wii}}: After middling sales of the Platform/Nintendo64 and poor sales of the Platform/NintendoGamecube, Nintendo decided to pursue a new strategy for their next console that company president Creator/SatoruIwata dubbed the "Blue Ocean". They would abandon trying to compete on graphics and technology by essentially staying behind one generation, and would instead look for other ways of distinguishing their consoles. They had already found some success by deploying this strategy with the Platform/NintendoDS and its innovative touch screen, and decided to try something similar by adding motion controls to the Wii. The hope was that by tapping into the vast "Blue Ocean" of potential customers beyond traditional hardcore gamers, they would finally recapture the market share they had lost to their competitors. In the case of the Wii, it worked, with the system going on to become the best selling console of [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames its generation]] with over 100 million units sold worldwide. Nintendo stuck to the same strategy with their subsequent consoles the Platform/WiiU and Platform/NintendoSwitch; while the former failed to replicate the success of its predecessor and became the worst selling piece of Nintendo hardware save for the Platform/VirtualBoy, the Switch became a monumental success surpassing even the Wii.

* The original ''Manga/GhostInTheShell'' manga features a consistently comedic tone thanks to Shirow Masamune's art style allowing for easy and humorous expressions. It was Mamoru Oshii's [[Anime/GhostInTheShell1995 film adaptation in 1995]] that set the tone of the entire franchise by removing the comedy in favor of metaphysical philosophy in a {{cyberpunk}} context. Following adaptations have been suspenseful police dramas with only occasional comedic elements that happen naturally through the cast's personalities. Most people who know of the GITS franchise through the original movie's heavy impact on popularizing anime to the West might be shocked to learn that the original manga is an action comedy and probably could never imagine the usually brooding Major Motoko Kusanagi as being perky, greedy, angry, catty, bitchy, or bashful. Only the UsefulNotes/PlayStation video game would ever try to recreate the manga's more lighthearted tone.

* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'': It should go without saying that Creator/{{Capcom}}'s seminal fighter ended up being the codifier for both the FightingGame genre and ''Street Fighter'' as a whole. The core gameplay loop now relying on combos; the game having a more varied selection of characters including the franchise's first female fighter plus [[CaptainEthnic fighters from countries like Russia, Spain, India, and Brazil]]; the introduction of the UpdatedRerelease format for the series that also introduced five new fighters in total, two of whom would become among the series' most iconic characters; and the UsefulNotes/{{SNES}} port that brought the series to consoles and acted as a major KillerApp for the system. Every fighting game that came after, from the likes of ''VideoGame/FatalFury'', ''VideoGame/VirtuaFighter'', ''VideoGame/SamuraiShodown'', ''VideoGame/KillerInstinct'', ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'', ''Franchise/{{Tekken}}'', ''[[VideoGame/SoulSeries Soulcalibur]]'', ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'', ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'', and even Capcom's own ''VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}}'' and ''VideoGame/CapcomVs'' series.

** ''VideoGame/MarioParty2'': While the heart of the series' formula and conventions were already present in ''VideoGame/MarioParty1'', it was the sequel which shaped the series as it was known prior to the overhauls seen in the ninth installment (even then, the series would return to its roots with the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch games ''Super Mario Party'' and ''Mario Party Superstars'', once again with a stronger influence from the second game than from the first). Several new types of minigames (namely Battle minigames, Duel minigames and Item minigames) were introduced, and thanks to the former two it was no longer necessary that standard minigames made losing players lose coins. The latter type was added because the game also introduced collectible items for later use in the boards, and by extension Item Shops to purchase them. The game was also the first to allow one to practice the next minigame before playing it officially. Lastly, despite not having a dedicated Story Mode (that would have to wait until ''VideoGame/MarioParty3''), the game became the first to employ an overarching theme and plot that justifies the players' adventures besides partying (indeed, the last playable board is unlocked as part of the development of this story, as it requires clearing the other boards at least once each). To the relief of many players, the game also removed the first game's controversial mechanic of spinning the Control Stick in certain minigames.

** ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee'' vastly expanded upon the PlatformFighter concept and modest template seen in the original UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 game, allowing the series to adopt a more recognizable brand that is carried over to subsequent installments: The character roster and stage selection increased to the point that major Nintendo franchises or universes would be represented by at least four characters and two stages each; several iconic modes like Adventure Mode, Event Match, All-Star Mode, Home-Run Contest and the trope-naming MultiMookMelee were introduced; lastly, the CollectionSidequest of trophies also debuted here, allowing several games and franchises other than those majorly present via characters and stages to be acknowledged, serving as a celebration of the history of Nintendo (and, from ''Brawl'' onwards, other gaming companies).

** The UsefulNotes/GameBoy. Handhelds had been attempted for several years prior to the Game Boy, but were usually very expensive and so demanding that they could never last more than a few hours before the batteries ran dry (in an era where recharging the battery wasn't a thing yet). Nintendo was able to attain complete dominance by making a deliberately less powerful system, so it had a cheaper price and longer battery life; the monochrome graphics were largely ignored thanks to Nintendo's experience with quality gameplay that shone through. Nintendo first applied this approach to its handhelds, but starting with the Wii, they began to apply it to their home consoles as well.
** The UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}: After middling sales of the UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 and poor sales of the UsefulNotes/NintendoGamecube, Nintendo decided to pursue a new strategy for their next console that company president Creator/SatoruIwata dubbed the "Blue Ocean". They would abandon trying to compete on graphics and technology by essentially staying behind one generation, and would instead look for other ways of distinguishing their consoles. They had already found some success by deploying this strategy with the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS and its innovative touch screen, and decided to try something similar by adding motion controls to the Wii. The hope was that by tapping into the vast "Blue Ocean" of potential customers beyond traditional hardcore gamers, they would finally recapture the market share they had lost to their competitors. In the case of the Wii, it worked, with the system going on to become the best selling console of [[UsefulNotes/TheSeventhGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames its generation]] with over 100 million units sold worldwide. Nintendo stuck to the same strategy with their subsequent consoles the UsefulNotes/WiiU and UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch; while the former failed to replicate the success of its predecessor and became the worst selling piece of Nintendo hardware save for the UsefulNotes/VirtualBoy, the Switch became a monumental success surpassing even the Wii.

** After the somewhat mixed reception of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'', Capcom went back to the drawing board and gave the series another gameplay overhaul. With ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil7Biohazard'', they transitioned to a first-person perspective and downplayed the action in favor of returning to the series' SurvivalHorror roots. While ''VideoGame/ResidentEvilVillage'' continued with this new paradigm, the respective remakes of ''VideoGame/{{Resident Evil 2|Remake}}'', ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Remake 3]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil4Remake 4]]'' play like a modernized version of ''Resident Evil 4'', suggesting Capcom intends for the two styles to co-exist going forward.

** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV'', while still adhering to to the template set by ''GTA III'', added further stables to the series' formula such as more realism in graphics, setting, story, and game mechanics, as well as an overhauled combat system incorporating [[TakeCover cover]] and other mechanics from contemporary {{Third Person Shooter}} Subsequent GTA titles, and [[VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption other Rockstar games]] would inherit these elements.

* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'': Earlier entries in the series featured a top-down view and an arcade-like structure with distinct levels and ScoringPoints. Advancing from one level to the next required collecting a certain amount of points, which were awarded from completing missions. [=GTA3=], in addition to [[VideoGame3DLeap bringing the series to 3D]], introduced its signature WideOpenSandbox design with a single large map, doing away with the points system and the distinct levels.
* ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'': While ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'' is still recognizable as a ''Halo'' game, it is noticeably more limited in scope and has its share of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness. The weapon and vehicle sandbox is more limited than later entries, the game uses RegeneratingShieldStaticHealth, and the game is missing several enemies that would become mainstays in later games. The Xbox version also lacked any form of online play due to the Xbox Live service not being available yet when the game released, and the original PC version used a traditional server browser for its online play. ''VideoGame/Halo2'', on the other hand would see the series take its present form, introducing series staple weapons like the Battle Rifle and Energy Sword, and enemies like the Brutes and Drones. It also gave players fully RegeneratingHealth. It also codified matchmaking-based online play for not only the series, but the industry as a whole. While a few later games like ''VideoGame/Halo3ODST'' and ''VideoGame/HaloReach'' would harken back to some elements of the first game like dropping the RegeneratingHealth, they would still retain many elements introduced in ''2'' such as the expanded weapon sandbox and enemy variety.