The most influential video game of all time - Bafta
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We want to know which video game you think is the most influential and why. Cast your vote and we'll reveal the results shortly.

To celebrate the enduring influence of video games in the arts and in our wider culture, we’re asking players from around the world to help us decide the Most Influential Video Game of All Time.

‘Most influential game’ can mean different things to different people. Perhaps it’s a game that birthed a genre, one that defined an era, or one that set the standards for storytelling and interactivity. Perhaps it’s a game whose influence crosses into films, TV and music, which we still see today. It could even be a game that’s had a big influence on you, personally, changing the way you look at the world.

Whatever ‘influential’ means for you, we want to hear your choice. Need some inspiration? Some of the biggest names in games are having their say on our socials so follow us on @BAFTA socials to find out more.

You have until Thursday 20th March 5pm GMT to have your say.

  • @Azzu@lemm.ee
    13•2 months ago

    Personally, I’d either say World of Warcraft or Minecraft.

    WoW was just such a massive phenomenon (and still is, tbh), basically everyone at least knew about it, and for so many people it basically became more of a second life than second life (old people joke), massively changing the life of these people (me being a part of it). It was basically the place where social outcasts could be social, which was huge. For me, and many others, it was all the friends they had.

    And Minecraft… Well. It just wins “influential”. I’m not sure if I have to say much about it. WoW is just more influential for me personally, but I feel Minecraft just wins overall very easily.

    Stuff like Doom or Mario Bros are great and all, and they were hugely influential, I just feel like their influence was less on a personal level and more of a media level. Like Doom and Mario Bros defined their genre, but it’s still “just” a genre, while I’m sure the games and resulting ones had effect on people, I just feel like they’re more of a “fun influential” more than a “meaningful influential”, idk if that makes sense.

    • @teawrecks@sopuli.xyz
      2•2 months ago

      These were the first two to come to mind for me as well. I hate what they’ve become, especially wow, but they were both clearly extremely influential.

      • @Azzu@lemm.ee
        2•2 months ago

        Same for me :) can’t play them at all anymore, but influential is not related to that

  • @Gointhefridge@lemm.ee
    12•2 months ago

    I’d say Super Mario Bros. Single handedly revived the video game industry. He’s more recognizable than Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, and Winnie the Pooh.

    • @SevenSwell@beehaw.org
      1•2 months ago

      It’s a huge multimedia franchise and the de-facto video game that people think of when you mention games. It’s got to be SMB.

  • @jansk@beehaw.orgEnglish
    5•2 months ago

    If influential means influencing game design / the industry, inspiring other creators by demonstrating novel ideas, I’d probably have to say Doom or Half-Life. Doom really showed what an FPS could be and kicked off such a dominant genre. Half-Life introduced immersive storytelling that greatly influenced FPS and non-FPS games.

  • Dropper-Post
    2•2 months ago

    Probably gta. It’s one of those games that is still alive and people are waiting for more. Not like super mario bros.

    • @Azzu@lemm.ee
      9•2 months ago

      Every new Mario game is the best selling game for Nintendo for a while. You’re just in the GTA, and not the Mario group.

    • ExcelEnglish
      8•2 months ago

      Mario is at least an order of magnitude bigger than GTA, it’s not even close