Shenmue has been voted the most influential video game of all time from the BAFTA Games awards!
The classic from Yu Suzuki beats out competition from massive hitters such as GTA, Super Mario and more to top the charts on this public vote.
Shenmue has been recognised as the game that changed it all!
Even SEGA Japan took note despite staying silent for the 25th anniversary in December 2024
https://twitter.com/SEGA_OFFICIAL/status/1907590636473323603
And a lovely message from YSNET was posted in the last few hours:
Lets see if any publishers are watching this!
Talking about publishers, Dennis Mendel who is “Developing Business and Publishing Activites at United Games Entertainment” and head of ININ Games posted a message about Shenmue winning a Bafta over on LinkedIn:
Other Game Industry legends also had kind words to say about Shenmue:
As previously seen, the love for Shenmue and it’s influence on gaming has been recognised by some real notable individuals:
CONGRATULATIONS SHENMUE COMMUNITY! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER!
UPDATE:
Following the news breaking, a multitude of Gaming News Sites and even the Mainstream Media have picked up this incredible feat and released their own respective articles.
ITV even shared the triumph during their main news segment, the full portion of the news program is available to watch here:
Please find below a list of all of the various articles posted across the world below. We will update this page as and when we spot more of this fantastic coverage that Shenmue is getting!
- 3D Juegos – https://www.3djuegos.com/juegos/shenmue/noticias/25-anos-despues-mejor-fracaso-sega-se-convierte-juego-influyente-historia-encima-metal-gear-solid-doom
- 4Gamer – https://www.4gamer.net/games/416/G041647/20250403088/
- AS MeriStation – https://as.com/meristation/noticias/ni-mario-ni-gta-este-es-el-juego-mas-influyente-segun-una-encuesta-de-bafta-n/
- Bafta – https://www.bafta.org/media-centre/press-releases/most-influential-video-games-of-all-time-poll
- DTF – https://dtf.ru/games/3679312-shenmue-vliyatelnaya-igra-bafta
- Daily Mail – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-14565491/Cult-classic-Shenmue-named-influential-game-time-Bafta-poll.html
- Digital Journal – https://www.digitaljournal.com/business/shenmue-voted-most-influential-video-game-ever-in-uk-poll/article
- EuroGamer – https://www.eurogamer.net/shenmue-voted-most-influential-game-of-all-time-in-bafta-poll-beating-doom-and-mario
- Famitsu – https://www.famitsu.com/article/202504/38845
- Forbes.com – https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattgardner1/2025/04/03/shenmue-named-baftas-most-influential-game-ever-in-shock-poll/
- France 24 – https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250403-shenmue-voted-most-influential-video-game-ever-in-uk-poll
- Games Latest News – https://gameslatestnews.com/2025/04/04/shenmue-tops-bafta-influential-games-poll/
- Game Rant – https://gamerant.com/bafta-poll-most-influence-video-game-best-shenmue/
- Game Reactor – https://www.gamereactor.eu/bafta-poll-names-a-surprising-title-as-the-most-influential-game-of-all-time-1523493/
- Game Reactor France – https://www.gamereactor.fr/un-sondage-des-bafta-designe-un-titre-surprenant-comme-le-jeu-le-plus-influent-de-tous-les-temps-1798203/
- Gaming Yugatech – https://gaming.yugatech.com/gaming/shenmue-crowned-most-influential-game-of-all-time-in-bafta-player-poll/
- Gamezilla – https://www.gamezilla.it/shenmue-sul-podio-il-pubblico-dei-bafta-celebra-un-capolavoro/
- GTA Boom – https://www.gtaboom.com/Grand_Theft_Auto_Robbed_by_Unlikely_Game_in_BAFTA_Poll
- IGN –https://www.ign.com/articles/bafta-announces-the-most-influential-video-game-of-all-time-and-its-a-real-head-scratcher
- IGN Japan – https://jp.ign.com/shenmue12/78991/news/
- IGN Latin America – https://latam.ign.com/baldurs-gate-iii/107724/news/los-bafta-anuncian-el-videojuego-mas-influyente-de-todos-los-tiempos-y-es-uno-que-no-hubieras-imagin
- IGN Spain – https://es.ign.com/videojuegos/214966/news/bafta-anuncia-el-videojuego-mas-influyente-de-todos-los-tiempos-y-es-una-verdadera-sorpresa
- Inverse – https://www.inverse.com/gaming/shenmue-bafta-doom-zelda-super-mario-bros
- ITV – https://www.itv.com/news/2025-04-03/shenmue-the-most-influential-video-game-of-all-time-according-to-bafta-poll
- La Libre – https://www.lalibre.be/dernieres-depeches/2025/04/03/shenmue-elu-jeu-video-le-plus-influent-de-tous-les-temps-IY5I6GF7JNFIJCWDR5UFZNOZOU/
- Msn – https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/news/cult-classic-shenmue-named-most-influential-game-of-all-time-in-bafta-poll/ar-AA1CbmmX
- PC Gamer – https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/the-baftas-declares-shenmue-and-a-game-that-came-out-2-months-ago-more-influential-than-tetris-and-expects-us-to-all-just-go-along-with-that/
- Playstation Universe – https://www.psu.com/news/bafta-has-named-shenmue-as-the-most-influential-video-game-of-all-time/
- Polygon – https://www.polygon.com/news/550231/shenmue-bafta-most-influential-game-all-time
- PSU – https://www.psu.com/news/bafta-has-named-shenmue-as-the-most-influential-video-game-of-all-time/
- Pure Xbox – https://www.purexbox.com/news/2025/04/bafta-announces-list-of-top-21-most-influential-games-ever
- Push Square – https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2025/04/dodgy-list-of-most-influential-games-ever-puts-2-month-old-rpg-in-the-top-10
- RTL Today – https://today.rtl.lu/entertainment/news/a/2291033.html
- RockPaperShotgun.com – https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/shenmue-beats-doom-as-the-most-influential-game-of-all-time-in-bafta-poll
- SEGAbits.com – https://segabits.com/blog/2025/04/05/shenmue-wins-bafta-award-for-most-influential-video-game-of-all-time/
- SEGA-Mag.com – https://www.sega-mag.com/actualite/shenmue-elu-jeu-le-plus-influent-de-tous-les-temps-aux-bafta-38561
- Taipei Times – https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2025/04/04/2003834617
- The Gamer – https://www.thegamer.com/shenmue-name-most-influential-video-game-all-time-bafta/
- The Guardian – https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/apr/03/shenmue-voted-the-most-influential-video-game-of-all-time-in-bafta-poll
- The Independent – https://www.independent.co.uk/business/cult-classic-shenmue-named-most-influential-game-of-all-time-in-bafta-poll-b2726433.html
- The Irish News – https://www.irishnews.com/news/uk/cult-classic-shenmue-named-most-influential-game-of-all-time-in-bafta-poll-JCYZTVS43ZIEFLYJ6VULS74S3I/
- The Standard – https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/cult-classic-shenmue-named-most-influential-game-of-all-time-in-bafta-poll-b1220444.html
- Time Extension – https://www.timeextension.com/news/2025/04/bafta-crowns-shenmue-the-most-influential-video-game-of-all-time-in-surprise-result
- VideoGamer.com – https://www.videogamer.com/news/bafta-awards-segas-shenmue-as-the-most-influential-video-game-of-all-time/
- Xbox Era – https://xboxera.com/2025/04/03/bafta-poll-crowns-sega-classic-as-the-most-influential-video-game-of-all-time/
- Yahoo! Finance – https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/cult-classic-shenmue-named-most-230100990.html
