Cult classic Shenmue named most influential game of all time in Bafta poll

Action adventure game Shenmue, which first launched in 1999, has been named the most influential game of all time in a public poll run by Bafta.

The game, which launched on the Sega Dreamcast, beat high-profile titles including Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario Bros and Minecraft to receive the most votes.

It tells the story of Ryo Hazuki’s quest to avenge his father’s death, and is considered a pioneer in open-world gameplay and for popularising the use of quick time events – where players have to perform specific actions on their controller within a set time limit when prompted.

Shenmue topped the poll ahead of first-person shooter Doom, Super Mario Bros, Half-Life and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

The top ten was completed by Minecraft, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Super Mario 64, Half-Life 2 and The Sims.

Other hugely popular and industry-defining titles including Tetris, Tomb Raider, Pong and Grand Theft Auto were also named among the top 21 games in the poll.

Luke Hebblethwaite, head of games at Bafta, said: “In the run-up to these results, we’ve been thrilled to see the community of both game makers and fans come together to share stories and champion the games that they see as having tremendous influence, creating a vibrant, positive celebration and conversation about some of the very best games our industry has ever produced.

“Games are an immensely innovative force and it’s brilliant to recognise those titles which have truly shaped the course of our medium.

“We hope that these results provide a fresh appreciation of the impact of the winning games and inspire us all to continue to celebrate the most influential titles of the medium we all love.”

Yu Suzuki, creator of the Shenmue franchise, said: “I am deeply honoured and grateful that Shenmue has been selected as the most influential video game of all time.

“At its inception, we set out to explore the question – ‘How real can a game become?’ – aiming to portray a world and story unprecedented in scale and detail. This distinction serves as a powerful reminder that the challenge we embraced continues to resonate with and inspire so many people even today. It is truly the greatest of encouragement.

“Above all, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the fans around the world who have continued to love and support Shenmue.

“Your passion and encouragement have guided this journey every step of the way. And the story is not over yet, there is more to come! Thank you very much!”

The announcement of the poll results come ahead of the 21st Bafta Game Awards, which take place on Tuesday April 8.