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Summary
In solemnization of 20 year ofScreen blah , theSRGaming editor team has use up a flavour back atsome of the large news stories and most viral gaming moments from 2003 to today . While some of these celebrate the excitement and joy of play - like the crowd ’s response to 2016’sGod of Warreveal - some play up the more serious and problematic sides of the industry . such as allegations against video game company .
There ’s no dubiety that gaming has changed importantly over the years , not just in terms of the technical onward motion of the games and systems themselves , but also in terms of refinement surround gambling . In the last decennium alone , commonplace practices likedeveloper crunch have been exposedin various studios , while the explosion of social medium has made passing water and fan unfavorable judgment more prevalent than ever . For almost every negative , there ’s a irrefutable though . Here’sScreen Rant ’s list of some of the good - and the bad - of the last 20 year of video game .
In honour of Screen Rant ’s twentieth anniversary , the Gaming team has selected the best 20 games of the last 20 years , with one entry per year .
20The Short Life Of Google Stadia
2019 - 2023
Truthfully , from the inception of Google Stadia , critic predict its downfall . Google has notoriously skin with ambitious projectsbefore : Google + , Google Cardboard , Google Hangouts , to name a few - andStadia seemed too beneficial to be true . A cloud - establish play religious service that would allow users to stream novel releases to their tv or WWW browsers , Stadia forebode a opportunity to experience modernistic gaming at its high configurations tip for those without expensive rigs or accession to console .
19The Battle Royale Genre Boom
2017 - Present
It ’s hard to imagine now , but masses used to toy multiplayer games thatdidn’tfeature dozens of other enemies scattered across a huge map compete for resources , weaponry , and other bonus . 2017 saw one of the biggest invention to multiplayer gaming in history when bothPUBGandFortnitereleased . WhileDayZlaid the foundation for battle royales , PUBGis what popularize them - cast player into an open environment with others compete for endurance . Fortnitedidn’t actually start out as a fight royale , but very quickly include the companion way upon the burgeoning success and popularity ofPUBG .
In 2023 , we sleep together who pull ahead that competition , but in 2017 , battle royales werehot , and both games looked like they ’d be staple for year to come . Ultimately , contention likeWarzoneout ofCall of Dutypushed the more realistic conflict royale deed into a private-enterprise stalemate , whileFortnitesoared to the top of the genre and has never looked back , continuing to put through crossover events across pop culture to asseverate its relevancy . Long be the battle royale .
18Genshin Impact Compared To Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
2019
Prior to its release in 2020 , HoYoverse’sGenshin Impactwas known for one thing : its alleged condition as aBreath of the Wild"ripoff . " To be fair , the similarities are immense - both titles are open world , feature exploration , stamina mechanics , resourcefulness gathering , cookery systems , interchangeable natural process armed combat , and a blonde - hairy protagonist . " AnimeBreath of the Wild " was oft used as a detractor forGenshin , which faced a fate of undeserved backlash before demonstrating its economic value postal service - launching . In 2023,Genshin Impactis one of the highest - earning live serve titlesand has germinate an identity that ’s rightfully its own .
In 2019 , however , tension boiled over betweenGenshin Impactand an U. S. Army of uninformedBreath of the Wilddefenders . During a Sony promotional event forGenshin Impacton PS4 in Shanghai , a buff was so overturned by the supposed"theft " ofBreath of the Wild ’s gameplaythat he produced a PlayStation 4 Pro before blast it on the flat coat in protest . He was then cease by security , resulting in one of the tamest , least impactful protest in gaming history - both Sony and HoYoverse are doing pretty well , and have had a secure partnership across multiple title of respect .
17No Man’s Sky’s Redemption Story
2016 - Present
Now regarded as the defining example of a video game buyback story , 2016’sNo Man ’s Skyand 2023 ’s could n’t be more different . Fans were incredibly excited for the game ’s release , only to find most of the promised features leave out at launch . No Man ’s Skyand its developer , Hello Games , chop-chop become synonymous with letdown and confused hope , but in the years since , the team has crafted a wonderfully mysterious and racy title with unnumberable fans across the globe thanks to various overhauls , patch , and expansive updates .
The ultimate " rejoinder - kid,“No Man ’s Skyand its redemption discharge have been a talk point for the best part of a 10 now , and are often reference when it hail to more modern games that have n’t met expected value at launching .
16Cyberpunk 2077’s Keanu Reeves Is Breathtaking
WhenKeanu Reeves took the stage at E3 2019to reveal his role in CD Projekt Red’sCyberpunk 2077 , he made newspaper headline around the humankind . As one of the most highly - anticipated release back in 2019 , the news thatReeves would be add his talents to the game in the use of Johnny Silverhandwas memorable enough , but it ’s the " breathless " meme that spawn from this moment that lives on in infamy .
As find out in the cartridge holder above , a extremity of the crowd severalise Reeves he ’s " breathless , " only for Reeves to laugh and fire back with : " You’rebreathtaking ! " The wholesome moment quick reached meme status , and is still regarded as one of the best interactions from a gaming event to this day .
15Pokémon Cards Become A Target For Scalpers
2020 - Present
Pokémoncards have always been fabulously popular , but during the global pandemic the TCG pull together more and more interest , in part thanks to YouTubers and content Jehovah who dislodge their videos to focus on the collectible visiting card . As a result , thedemand forPokémon TCGproduct attain unprecedented heightsand soon became an ever bigger democratic target for scalper than it already was . The problem grew across the world , with US store likeTarget even stanch the sale ofPokémoncardsfor a fourth dimension after fight reportedly broke out in - store .
In 2023,Pokémon TCGstock is a little easier to get by , though promotional cards like the October 2023Pokémonx Van Gogh Museum " Pikachu in Grey Felt Hat " visiting card recently establish that thePokémon TCGscalping trouble will never vagabond too far from the headlines .
14God of War’s Big Reveal
2016
The moment that 2018’sGod of Warwas officially uncover during E3 2016 is perhaps one of the most memorable and heartwarming stories to ever come from a game industry issue . As seen in the video recording above , the crowd at E3 rises to their feet with excitement and shock as the full room fill with applause . cheer and scream start when Kratos appears on - screen for the first time since 2010’sGod of War 3 .
The video recording regularly goes viral in posts on X and TikTok to this day , and it remains one of the best object lesson of what a telecasting game reveal can truly signify to the fans . WhileGod of War ’s declaration did n’t break the internet , it’sa bragging gambling moment that has stood the psychometric test of timewhen it comes to showing what a residential district of sports fan truly look like .
13Cyberpunk 2077 Pulls A No Man’s Sky
2020 - 2023
Cyberpunk 2077felt too with child to fail . Developer CD Projekt Red had an unequalled history with sprawling RPGs , having create the underratedThe Witcher 2 : Assassins of Kingsand the appropriately laudedThe Witcher 3 : Wild Hunt . hacker was an under - explored literary genre at the metre , and a collaboration from creator Mike Pondsmith seemed to ensure success . When the plot finally establish after eld in maturation , however , it was an unmitigated disaster - a playable , sometimes even good personal computer version of the secret plan was marred by glitchy , malfunctioning cabinet versions . thing were so badSony extend refund of the gameon the PlayStation memory board while simultaneously removing it from its storefront .
CD Projekt Red ’s reputation study a huge hit , and for the next few days , the developer was given the side - center by its once faithful community . Promised updates kept getting delay and DLC find like a distant dream . Somehow , though , CDPR bit by bit broughtCyberpunk 2077back from the brink . Slowly , the game became operative , and then actively enjoyable , on console program . Sweeping update either pick off or modernize systems in - game to be more piquant . To cap it off , Cyberpunk 2077’sPhantom LibertyDLC was a bang , releasing in 2023 to critical plaudits and finally usher the game back into the spotlight - this time for good rationality . cyber-terrorist 2077remains one of gaming ’s biggest failures and redemption stories all in one .
12The Death Of E3
2023
E3 was once - arguably - the video game industry ’s biggest event . A sweeping multi - twenty-four hours league and exposition event , E3 was where major caller like Sony , Microsoft , and Nintendo announced their biggest upcoming project . It have celebrity appearances , surprise reveals , unnecessarily complex or too sexualized cosplay and kiosk setups , and more . E3 2019 was n’t necessarily a Brobdingnagian succeeder - the event accidentally doxxed many of its attendees and companies had begun to realize hosting their own streaming events was cheaper and give them more restraint over their messaging . But it still exist , and people had playfulness with it , even if the writing was on the wall .
After the pandemic , possible attendees wondered what might happen with E3 now that it had been shelved for several age , with only the 2021 on-line variant as a lingering reminder of what it even looked like . As it turn out , what many require to happen with E3 prior to 2020 at long last happened afterwards . E3 2023 was announce , project , and then readily canceledafter all three of Sony , Microsoft , and Nintendo decided to hop it . With the liberal names in the industriousness no longer requiring its services , the death of E3 at long last pass , not with a smash , but an super disappointing whine .
11The Last Of Us Part 2: The Most Controversial Game Of All Time?
2020
The Last of Us Part 2is the sequel to one of PlayStation ’s biggest - ever hits , which meant hope were incredibly gamy for the Naughty Dog sequel before its 2020 release . unluckily for the developer , the game ’s account leaked ahead of docket , revealing a plot that many fans found extremely controversial due to the decease of a sure protagonist . react to the leak , many threatened to boycott the game , and the problem soon corkscrew out of control .
Unsubstantiated rumors began to make the beat about the new character Abby , while thegame ’s comprehension of LGBTQIA+ themesalso have tension among instrumentalist . Reviews became a red-hot subject when it was arrogate that reviewers were n’t allowed to talk over certain story round or moments , which many felt led to one-sided oodles . Despite this , TLOU 2went onto deliver the goods countless awards -including The Game Awards 2020 Game of the Year . In 2023 , the biz has mostly recovered from its initial electronegative reception , though its launching remains infamous . Abby is still moot a video game baddie to this day for her inclusion in the history .
