Unexpected Champion Crowned in BAFTA's All-Time Influential Games List
BAFTA, the UK's premier arts organization recognizing excellence across film, games, and television, has announced a surprising public choice for the most influential video game ever - and it might not be what you expected.
The Dark Horse Winner
In a nationwide survey conducted by BAFTA, classic titles like GTA, Tetris, and Minecraft made the list, but the Dreamcast's 1999 cult classic Shenmue emerged victorious in public voting. This seminal action-adventure, following protagonist Ryo Hazuki's quest for vengeance, is praised by BAFTA for its "meticulously crafted open-world recreation of 1980s Yokosuka."
"Groundbreaking FPS" Doom claimed second place, with Nintendo's iconic Super Mario Bros. (1985) completing the podium. The top five was rounded out by Half-Life and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - notably excluding contemporary giants like GTA V and Fortnite.
Creator's Emotional Response
"This honor leaves me truly humbled," said Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki. "From the beginning, we challenged ourselves with 'How lifelike can a game feel?' pushing boundaries in world-building and narrative scope. This recognition proves our vision continues to inspire decades later."
Suzuki extended gratitude to the global fanbase, hinting at more to come: "Your unwavering support fuels this journey. This isn't the ending - stay tuned!"
The Complete Ranking
BAFTA's full public-voted top 21 influential games:
- 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)
Looking Ahead to 2025 Awards
The BAFTA Game Awards 2025 will occur on April 8, with Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, Astro Bot, and Still Wakes the Deep leading nominations (11, 8, and 8 respectively). Other notable contenders include Black Myth: Wukong (6 nominations) and Helldivers 2 (5 nominations).
Last year's standout winner Baldur's Gate 3 took home five awards including Best Game, alongside recognition for Alan Wake 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Viewfinder.
