BAFTA Crowns Historic 'Most Influential Game' Winner

BAFTA — the UK's prestigious arts organization honoring excellence in film, gaming, and television — has unveiled its poll results for the most influential video game of all time, and the winner might surprise you.

After surveying the British public, BAFTA found that while iconic titles like Grand Theft Auto, Tetris, World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Doom, and Half-Life 2 all ranked highly, the top spot went to Shenmue.

Originally released in 1999 for the Sega Dreamcast, Shenmue is an action-adventure game following Ryo Hazuki's journey to avenge his father's death. BAFTA praised it for its "meticulously crafted open-world that authentically captures 1980s Yokosuka."

Legendary first-person shooter Doom took second place, while 1985's Super Mario Bros. claimed third.

Half-Life and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time completed the top five, respectively.

Notably absent were blockbusters like Grand Theft Auto V, Halo, and Fortnite.

"I'm profoundly honored that Shenmue has been recognized as the Most Influential Video Game of All Time," said series creator Yu Suzuki. "From the beginning, we sought to push boundaries by asking, 'How real can a game feel?' This award validates the enduring impact of our vision."

"Most of all, I want to thank our dedicated fans worldwide—your passion fuels this journey. And this isn't the end—there's more to come!" Suzuki added enthusiastically.

Here’s the complete ranking of the top 21 most influential games 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 III (2001)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
Grand Theft Auto (1997)

The 2025 BAFTA Game Awards will be held on April 8, 2025, with Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, Astro Bot, and Still Wakes the Deep leading with 11, eight, and eight nominations each. Thank Goodness You're Here! follows closely with seven nods, while Black Myth: Wukong and Helldivers 2 are up for six and five awards, respectively.

At the 2024 BAFTA Game Awards, Baldur's Gate 3 dominated with five wins—including Best Game—while Alan Wake 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Viewfinder also took home accolades.