The results of our public vote for the most influential video game are in. Find out where big names like Baldur's Gate 3, Super Mario Bros, Tetris and Shenmue came on the list.

Video games’ influence on popular culture has never been more prevalent. Their effect is visible and audible in today’s music, across the world of TV and cinema, and on the catwalk. Even your favourite language-learning and fitness apps feature progression systems and rewards popularised by games. To reflect the medium’s universal impact, ahead of the 21st BAFTA Games Awards, we asked the public a provocative question : what is the most influential video game of all time?

As more than one responder said, it’s unfair to have to choose just one. Do you pick the pioneers that shaped the early days of the medium, the innovators that were ahead of their time, the ones that proved formative to your own creative journey, or simply the ones that made you most emotional? As might be expected, among the extraordinary number of responses we received was a staggering variety of games — ranging from titles that launched the industry to contemporary giants released mere months ago. The top ten alone spans multiple genres, from platformers to shooters, sandbox adventures to simulations.

So, without further ado, here are the public’s top 21: each of which, it’s fair to say, has had a seismic impact on games and those who play them…

the list, from most influential to least
  1. Shenmue
  2. DOOM
  3. Super Mario Bros
  4. Half Life
  5. Ocarina of Time
  6. Minecraft
  7. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
  8. Super Mario 64
  9. Half Life 2
  10. The Sims
  11. Tetris
  12. Tomb Raider
  13. Pong
  14. Metal Gear Solid
  15. World of Warcraft
  16. Baldur’s Gate 3
  17. Final Fantasy VII
  18. Dark Souls
  19. GTA 3
  20. Skyrim
  21. GTA
  • jansk@beehaw.org
    7·
    1 day ago

    You really think Skyrim belongs there? I’d agree that Elder Scrolls deserves a place, but what did Skyrim do that wasn’t done by Oblivion or even Morrowind?

    • endeavor@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      1·
      1 day ago

      Be worse and sell more. It started a huge trend where every new iteration of the series was worse and yet most sold. It was influential.

    • monarch@lemm.ee
      3·
      1 day ago

      Skyrim has just invaded gaming culture more than those other two. You can like them more and point out that they had the features that made skyrim what it is but when modern RPGs are borrowing features those are not the games that they will be looking to emulate.