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BAFTA — the UK’s independent arts charity celebrating excellence in film, games, and TV — has just revealed the most influential video game of all time… and it’s probably not what you think it is.
BAFTA polled the British public to discover that while games like GTA, Tetris, World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Doom, and Half-Life 2 do make the list, the top as ranked by the number of votes received is Shenmue.
Action-adventure game Shenmue released in 1999 on Dreamcast. It follows Ryo Hazuki’s quest to avenge his father’s death in what BAFTA calls “a detailed open-world setting that truly captures the essence of Yokosuka in the ‘80s.”
“Pioneering first-person shooter” Doom secured the runner-up prize, whilst 1985’s Super Mario Bros. took the bronze.
Half-Life and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time round out the rest of the top five, respectively.
Interestingly, games like Grand Theft Auto 5, Halo, and Fortnite are conspicuously absent.
“I am deeply honoured and grateful that Shenmue has been selected as the Most Influential Video Game of All Time,” said Yu Suzuki, creator of the Shenmue franchise.
“At its inception, we set out to explore the question, ‘How real can a game become?,’ aiming to portray a world and story unprecedented in scale and detail. This distinction serves as a powerful reminder that the challenge we embraced continues to resonate with and inspire so many people even today. It is truly the greatest of encouragement.
“Above all, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the fans around the world who have continued to love and support Shenmue,” Suzuki added. “Your passion and encouragement have guided this journey every step of the way. And the story is not over yet, there is more to come! Thank you very much!”
Here’s the full list of the top 21 most influential games of all time, as voted by the public:
- Shenmue (1999)
- Doom (1993)
- Super Mario Bros. (1985)
- Half-Life (1998)
- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)
- Minecraft (2011)
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (2025)
- Super Mario 64 (1996)
- Half-Life 2 (2004)
- The Sims (2000)
- Tetris (1984)
- Tomb Raider (1996)
- Pong (1972)
- Metal Gear Solid (1998)
- World of Warcraft (2004)
- Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023)
- Final Fantasy VII (1997)
- Dark Souls (2011)
- Grand Theft Auto 3 (2001)
- Skyrim (2011)
- Grand Theft Auto (1997)
The 2025 BAFTA Game Awards are set to take place on Tuesday April 8, 2025. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, Astro Bot, and Still Wakes the Deep lead the nominations with 11, eight, and eight nominations respectively. Thank Goodness You’re Here! also received seven nominations, Black Myth: Wukong six, and Helldivers 2 is up for five awards.
2024 BAFTA Game Awards winners included Baldur’s Gate 3, which secured five wins, including Best Game, with other wins for Alan Wake 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Viewfinder.
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
