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Fandom 250 preview: The 9 best gaming fandoms in the world

By Josh Hill

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 31: A gamer plays the video game 'The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild' developed and published by Nintendo on a Nintendo Switch games console during the 'Paris Games Week' on October 31, 2017 in Paris, France. 'Paris Games Week' is an international trade fair for video games to be held from October 31 to November 5, 2017. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 31: A gamer plays the video game 'The Legend of Zelda : Breath of the Wild' developed and published by Nintendo on a Nintendo Switch games console during the 'Paris Games Week' on October 31, 2017 in Paris, France. 'Paris Games Week' is an international trade fair for video games to be held from October 31 to November 5, 2017. (Photo by Chesnot/Getty Images) /
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FanSided is ranking the top 250 fandoms in the world, but only these gaming fandoms made it to the final level.

There’s a difference between playing video games and being a gamer. Almost everyone has played video games in their life but there’s a select few who have gaming in their blood and are about as hardcore as it gets.

You don’t have to be an eSports junkie to be a hardcore gamer. All you have to do is love something so much that it transcends what people otherwise think of it. Zelda, in theory, is just a screen scrolling game. Zelda in legend is one of the most iconic games ever made because fans have loved it and treated it so dearly over the years.

Ditto with online gaming such as Call of Duty and League of Legends. These are lifestyle choices, not simply plug-and-play ways to pass the time. Pokemon Go changed the way we play augmented reality games, while a generation of growing up on Madden and FIFA has turned those gaming experiences into million dollar tournaments.

A total of 9 gaming fan bases made the cut for the Fandom 250, ranging from solid classics to the next generation of online athletics.

  • Call of Duty
  • eSports
  • FIFA
  • League of Legends
  • Madden
  • Nintendo
  • Pokemon
  • Rocket League
  • The Legend of Zelda

The final rankings will be revealed on December 12th, so be sure to check back then to see where your fandom ranks.

Fan Vote

As we put together our rankings, we want to hear from you. Who do you think has the best fans in this category? Let us hear from you on social media. Use the #Fandom250 hashtag, submit your photos and videos on Twitter and Instagram and @FanSided and tell us why your fanbase is the best.

Also, take part in our Reader Vote and let our editors know why your fan base is the best!

Next: Every NBA team's Mount Rushmore

What is the FanSided Fandom 250?

The Fandom 250 is the ultimate ranking of fandoms. From sports teams and movie franchises to Instagram celebrities and brands, if something has an avid, sometimes rabid, fanbase, FanSided wants to honor those fans and — in the spirit of healthy competition — rank ‘em.

The Fandom 250 is divided into 16 categories: NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, Soccer, NCAA, Sports Figures, Celebrities, Music, Movies, TV Shows, Comics, Gaming, Brands, Internet Famous and Other. All 250 qualifying fandoms will be ranked both in their categories and against the field, so fans can see how the object of their devotion stacks up against its peers and in the fan landscape at large.

Qualifying fandoms will be announced by category every Tuesday through early December, with the official ranking — and the big reveal of No. 1 fandom — announced on Dec. 12.