10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
Minecraft
In any medium of entertainment, there are works that do more than make a splash with their quality. Thanks to the way they change up how they present consumers with a story, provide a new method of interacting with the material presented, or otherwise find a new way to be created in general, these works went on to influence the world around them forever and make their mark on history. Video games are no exception to this, and these 11 influential video games changed the industry forever in some way, shape or form.
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The smash hit phenomenon that was and is Minecraft is something no one saw coming. Set in a pixelated world full of materials to collect, objects to craft and enemies to evade, it captivated millions of players with its simplistic design philosophy and the creativity it afforded players.
Also, it is arguably the title most responsible for the Early Access model of game development that is so prominent today. Once only a passion project by developer Markus Persson, aka Notch, it was made available to players as an incomplete alpha for $15 in the hopes of raising funds for its continued development. This proved a more than worthwhile strategy, with Notch able to quit his day job and begin working on the game full-time alongside other developers after purchases poured in. Following this, further pre-release builds were released with a similar price tag while those who invested early were given access to the game’s later models and, eventually, the finished project.
The end result was a title which millions had played for years and helped to refine before it was “officially” released, and all these years later, it’s a development model embraced by some of the biggest games on the market.
10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
Assassin’s Creed
When Assassin’s Creed first stepped out onto the modern gaming scene in 2007, people could already tell it was going to go places. Placing players into the role of a master assassin capable of scaling and traversing medieval city rooftops with ease, it crafted a world and narrative one couldn’t help but get sucked into and explore to their heart’s content. It has since spawned countless sequels and spinoffs across multiple consoles.
On a wider scale though, it kicked off its own style of open world games that have been a framework for other similar types of games, especially within Ubisoft themselves. Things we take for granted as a norm today, like viewpoints and watch towers that open up points of interest around the map, an open world with parkour-esque traversal and climbing options, and real world settings recreated for use as a game world are all elements that other series have replicated for their own use. Open world games have only improved and innovated upon the genre since these elements were introduced on a wider scale.
10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
Metroid
As much as fans may hate to admit it, the Metroid franchise has and most likely will always be limited to a cult following. Sure, it has titles like Super Metroid and Metroid Prime as examples of times that it came achingly close to the same recognition as some of Nintendo’s other heavy hitting IPs, but the majority of its entries have only enjoyed enough success to garner a limited but loyal following from those who loved its sci-fi aesthetic, atmospheric music and iconic protagonist.
And yet, in the wider scope of video games and game design, Metroid may be even more influential than the likes of Mario, Donkey Kong or The Legend of Zelda. It’s intuitive design which encourages exploration and experimentation has helped inspire a number of titles over the years, from the equally definitive series Castlevania to the early gaming hit Strider. More recently, it has inspired a wealth of indie titles which utilize the design style not only for nostalgia’s sake, but to craft game of the year contenders like Dead Cells to Hollow Knight. Few other games could boast this lasting inspiration, and whether or not it ever becomes a best seller, Metroid will always hold the feather of influence in its cap.
10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
Halo
Ask any console gamer what some of the most popular games around are and they’ll almost certainly point you to an online shooter. Fast, frantic and filled to the brim with players new and old, they’re a mixing pot of different people who want to sit down for a little while and lose themselves in a simple, adrenaline pumping game.
It’s crazy to think, then, that this staple of console gaming is only around thanks to the innovative efforts of Halo 1 and 2, Bungie’s genre defining offerings toward the shooter genre. In the first title, the developer introduced a military operation played out in a heady sci-fi setting, with controls as tight and precise as the best that any PC shooter could offer. As such, it proved the perfect series for Microsoft to use to push online multiplayer as the future of console gaming through their online platform, Xbox Live.
The publisher invested a hefty amount into Halo 2’s development toward this cause, and by the end, they had one of the best and brightest online shooters not only on consoles, but in gaming as a whole. The console shooter market caught fire and grew into the behemoth that it now is.
10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
Grand Theft Auto 3
Before this generation’s boom in the number and quality of open world games, the video game industry saw another renaissance in open world design thanks to Grand Theft Auto III. The premise of the game was simple enough: As a freshly sprung convict, players must make their way back up the criminal ladder in order to exact their revenge on former accomplice Catalina and her Colombian cohort. To do this, they’ll need to take on all manner of dirty deeds, assisting in everything from bank robberies to car chases.
How it presented this to players, though, was revolutionary. Players could interact with the world in ways never before seen in a game. Any vehicle could be driven, or stolen, at any time, and could be driven around the entirety of the massive city for as long as players desired. Not only that, but the world reacted to what the player did, with NPCs scattered throughout the city which felt alive and responsive with their own personalities. It was a design framework that defined what an open world experience could be, and modern titles still stick to it to this day.
10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Shooters are one of the most popular genres around, but for a long stretch of time, it was more common than not for them to stick to past war settings and frameworks. World War II had proven a favorite among developers and fans, and there weren’t many who were looking to rock the boat by changing something so tried and true.
Then, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare came along. Set in modern times and touting all of the technological leaps that had come since the second World War, it was a breath of fresh air from what players had come to expect and played through dozens upon dozens of times. Landing on the beaches of Normandy was replaced with a tense sniper mission to assassinate the high profile terrorist Imran Zakheav. Standard issue wooden rifles were replaced with state of the art military weaponry, and the enemies were no longer Nazis, but modern-day terrorists. It was a leap forward the genre desperately needed, and after Call of Duty took the first step with this title, the rest of the industry followed suit, allowing for the rise of the modern military shooter we know so well today.
10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Looking back, it’s kind of amazing The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind exists at all. A feat of open world design, it allowed players to dive into a world ripe with side quests and optional content, offering them the choice of when and how they did everything and anything they would like in a fully realized fantasy world. All this, and it was done on consoles, vastly expanding upon the scope of what many would consider possible outside of PC gaming even if there were a few dozen bugs which popped up here and there.
As a result of its ambitions though, the more open-ended RPG was able to firmly sink its roots into the gaming industry, becoming a standard genre which titles continue to expand upon today. Not only do the likes of Skyrim and Fallout still entice players to explore and craft their own adventures for hours on end, but titles like The Witcher 3 build themselves entirely on the notion of enjoying the adventure more than the destination with enthralling side quests and optional content.
10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
Final Fantasy
It’s tough to say just what led to the first Final Fantasy becoming the hit that it was. Maybe it was the fact that it masterfully crafted one of the most iconic fantasy frameworks ever, with magic, monsters and character classes that were instantly memorable. Maybe it was the fact that it was supposedly going to be Hironobu Sakaguchi’s last game at Square before leaving the company, and so he put as much passion and soul into it as possible.
Regardless, the end product was something that defined RPGs as we know them, and sparked the wave of JRPG popularity that would allow the genre to thrive the way it does to this day in the west. Just think of it: If not for the success of this title, the likes of Dragon Quest, Kingdom Hearts and so many other JRPG staples may never have come to see the fandom, or even he light of day, that they do because this game opened the way for them. It was a title that breached barriers in a way that others couldn’t, and still stands as a revolutionary title worthy of the legacy it kicked off.
10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
Pokémon Red and Blue
It’s safe to say that Pokémon has proven itself as much more than the fad most thought it was back when Red and Blue (or Red and Green for those in Japan) were released in 1996. To the credit of its nay-sayers though, it certainly did blow up like a fad destined to collapse under the weight of its own success. Everyone and anyone was out to catch ’em all, train up a team of unbeatable monsters and lose themselves in their own personal journeys across the Kanto region in one of the most successful video games of all time.
And yet, it held its popularity, and continues to hold onto it to this day. As a result, it stands as a gaming franchise that has enjoyed success not only among gamers, but among the wider popular culture at large with references in music, books, movies and just about everything else one could think of. It’s one of the most popular properties in the world, and thanks to its success, the video game industry has been able to seek recognition as something with the same clout and potential to produce a famous, enduring work as most any other medium.
10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
Super Mario Bros.
Among the many top-tier properties and influential video games Nintendo has under its belt, none are as impactful or as influential as Super Mario Bros. A spin-off of the Donkey Kong arcade game that started it all, the original Super Mario Bros. game was the killer app that heralded the return of the video game industry following a brutal crash years earlier. It was the flagship title of the Nintendo Entertainment System, and allowed them to gain the foothold they needed to become the rulers of the video game industry for years to come. It was the first of many, many platformers to come, and the first entry in what would become one of the longest running series in gaming.
More importantly than any of that, though, is that it marked the beginning of the meteoric rise of video games that we’re still experiencing today. Without it, there wouldn’t be a video game industry for titles to bring change to, and so it’s hard not to give credit to Super Mario Bros. as one of the most, if not the most, influential titles of all time.
10 Influential Video Games That Changed the Industry Forever
Telltale’s The Walking Dead
OK so maybe this last one is a little inspired by recent events.
Though Telltale Games saw its share of dubious lows – not least of which the laying off of nearly all of its staff and cancellation of The Walking Dead games two episodes early – it also saw several highs thanks to the stellar content it put out over the course of its run. Arguably the best of its games, though, was the first season of Telltale’s The Walking Dead. An original offering based on the popular comic and TV property, it placed players in the role of Lee, a survivor out to help a young girl named Clementine and several other survivors make it through the early days of the zombie apocalypse. Along the way, players would make choices that would supposedly alter the story that played out for them, enticing or enraging supporting characters with what was or wasn’t said and done.
It turned out to be one of the best games of the year, and a stellar example of what games based on properties could be. Not only that, but it set off a trend of narrative titles which focused on story and player choice, many of which continue to be held in high regard as what game makers should strive for in terms of writing and player agency.
For more on noteworthy works and landmark titles in the video game industry, check out our list of 10 of the most expensive microtransactions in video games, as well as our list of five of the most expensive video games ever produced and how they were received.
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