BAFTA Unveils List of the Most Impactful Video Games of All Time, Featuring Some Unexpected Picks

A list of the most influential video games of all time from BAFTA is making waves online due to some controversial picks, including Shenmue and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

BAFTA, an independent arts charity representing creatives in several different entertainment industries, previously asked the public to vote on what they believed were the most influential games of all time. As can sometimes be the case with lists based on public opinion and votes, the results published on April 3 were funky. Some widely believed to be influential games, like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Dark Souls, and the original Doom, made the list. Some inclusions were head-scratchers, though.

Namely, Shenmue takes the top spot, with BAFTA saying Sega’s Dreamcast classic “feels like the original blueprint for the dynamic, detailed settings that have since become the expected norm at gaming’s bleeding edge.” It ranking over games like Super Mario. Bros, Minecraft, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is quite the surprise, though.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, a game that launched just over two months ago, also making the list at the seventh slot is a bit confusing. However, it does serve as a reminder that these results are subjective. You can check out BAFTA’s full list of the top 21 most influential games of all time below:

1. Shenmue
2. DOOM
3. Super Mario Bros.
4. Half-Life
5. The Legend of Zelda: 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. Grand Theft Auto III
20. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
21. Grand Theft Auto