Overview

• BAFTA's public poll crowned Shenmue as the most influential video game of all time, announced on April 2, 2025, ahead of the 21st BAFTA Games Awards.
• Shenmue, released in 1999, was praised for its groundbreaking open-world design, detailed environments, and introduction of quick time events.
• The poll ranked Doom, Super Mario Bros., Half-Life, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time among the top five influential games.
• Yu Suzuki, Shenmue's creator, expressed gratitude for the recognition and teased potential future developments for the franchise.
• The inclusion of recent games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in the rankings has prompted discussions about the influence of fan voting and recency bias.