In a surprising twist ahead of the 21st BAFTA Game Awards, fans around the globe have spoken—and the title of Most Influential Video Game of All Time goes to none other than Shenmue. The 1999 Sega Dreamcast title beat out genre-defining legends like Doom, Super Mario Bros., and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in a recent BAFTA-conducted global player poll.
While Shenmue might not be the first name that springs to mind for most when talking about all-time greats, its legacy speaks volumes. Developed by Yu Suzuki and released at the turn of the millennium, Shenmue broke new ground with its cinematic storytelling, real-time day-night cycles, dynamic weather, and living-breathing NPCs—many of which featured full routines and dialogue. It was among the first titles to lay the foundation for open-world gaming as we know it today.
The poll, part of BAFTA’s lead-up to this year’s awards on April 8, ranked Shenmue at the top of a list packed with iconic and era-defining games. The full top five includes:
Other notable entries in the top 21 include Minecraft, The Sims, World of Warcraft, Tetris, and Dark Souls, all of which left a massive cultural and mechanical footprint on the gaming landscape.
Interestingly, some newer titles like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (set to launch in 2025) and Baldur’s Gate 3 (2023) also made the cut, showing that recent innovations are already shaping the future and being recognized by today’s players.
The results of this poll are a reminder that influence doesn’t always equal popularity or critical acclaim. In Shenmue‘s case, it’s the long-lasting impact on game design and immersive world-building that earned it its place at the top. What once was considered an ambitious niche experiment has now been acknowledged as a genre blueprint—and gamers everywhere are paying their respects.
