What a decade that was.
A new dawn of gaming approaches, but now is the perfect time to reflect on a progressive (and perhaps slow) 10 years in the gaming world.
We were introduced to three new next-gen consoles, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, as well as seeing the beginning of Cloud Gaming.
Free-to-play was a big winner of the decade with Rocket League Fortnite giving the big players in the industry a run for their money.
In a compilation of our "Best of the Decade" series - the RealSport bring you the 10 that sit well above the rest.
10. Pokemon Go
Year: 2016 Platform: Mobile Developer: Niantic
Pokemon Go revolutionised mobile gaming.
The augmented reality game uses GPS as players aim to find and collect Pokemon in the real world. They can then train up their Pokemon and use them to battle others and takeover gyms which can be found in a range of locations.
READ MORE: The best Mobile games of the Decade
The game received widespread acclaim due to the way in which it promotes physical activity and helped local businesses due to the increase in foot traffic.
There may be better mobile games out there, but the inclusivity and pandemonium around Pokemon Go gets into our top 10 of them all.
9. Minecraft
Year: 2011
Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, Mobile, PS3, PS4, Xbox One, PS Vita, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, New Nintendo 3DS
Developer:
Mojang
The
foundation of some of the most successful Youtube careers were laid here in
this world of Minecraft.
Minecraft
highlighted how indie games with simple graphics could become one of the most
successful genres out there.
READ MORE: The best PC games of the Decade
Minecraft, although it looks simple, takes players back to the stone age, where you have to figure out how to cook food, create shelter and progress through life’s ranks.
8. Rocket League
Year: 2015
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Developer: Psyonix
You
can argue that if it hadn’t been for Rocket League, Fortnite would not have had
its success. The Psynoix title first arrived on PS4 and Windows completely free
– and transformed the concept of gaming.
READ
MORE: PS5 price and suspected release date
Putting
rockets on cars and having them play football just makes perfect sense – with
the game hugely popular (and frustrating) for professional and casual gamers
alike.
Where
it goes on next-gen remains to be seen, but the pick-up-and-play factor of the
title should see it emerge once again in the years ahead.
7. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Year: 2011
Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Developer:
Bethesda Game Studios
Released on PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2011, the game was so popular they remastered it for PS4 and Xbox One in 2016.
READ MORE: The best Previous Gen games of the decade
Gamers play the part of Dragonborn who must vanquish Alduin, a dragon prophesied to destroy the world. As you accomplish more during the game, your character grows adding skills as you discover the world of Skyrim.
Still selling copies eight years on, Elder Scrolls VI is on the way!
6. Grand Theft Auto V
Year: 2014
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, PC
Developer:
Rockstar North
Despite being released on PS4 and Xbox One five years ago, people are still playing GTA V today, thanks to the updating of online gameplay – making it the most popular game in the franchise.
READ MORE: Everything we know about GTA 6
It has drawn comparison to modern-day America, and that is perhaps why it
has struck a chord with so many fans.
Open worlds nowadays are in fantasy lands, but few offer the realistic experience of the GTA franchise, especially with the crumbling foundations of Los Santos.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Year: 2017
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Wii U
Developer: Nintendo EPD
Released back in 2017 during the Nintendo Switch’s initial launch, The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is still considered the best Switch game of all time to this date.
READ MORE: The best Nintendo games of the decade
Perhaps the most immersive Zelda game ever created, it is full of secret areas to explore and countless hours exploring the beautiful area that the game is set in.
If you own a Nintendo Switch, you NEED to have this game in your library, one of the best games of the last decade and we cannot wait for the second Breath of the Wild.
If more people had played this game, it would have been a contender for top spot.
4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Year: 2015
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Developer:
CD Projekt Red
Witcher 3 has to be one of the finest games ever made.
Players take control of the famous Witcher (or monster hunter), Geralt of
Rivia, in his quest to find his adopted daughter, Ciri. Fans of the original
Sapkowski novels couldn’t have wished for any more, as CD Projekt truly brought
this world to life.
READ MORE: The Best Xbox One Games of 2019
The best thing about the game is just how easy it is to control Geralt and
his huge array of fighting skills and magic abilities. If you haven’t played
this game yet, it’s an absolute must-buy.
3. Last of Us
Year: 2013
Platforms: PS3, PS4
Developer: Naughty Dog
Available only on PlayStation, The Last of Us was released in 2013 on PS3
and sold 1.3 million copies within a week. Later released on PS4, Naughty Dog’s
masterpiece received multiple Game of the Year awards making it our game of the
decade.
READ MORE: The Best PS4 Games of 2019
The post-apocalyptic world in which you control Joel is rife with danger.
Players can use a multitude of weapons and tactics as they attempt to escort
Ellie across the United States, a story which continually evolves as you become
engrossed by the characters.
The Last of Us Part II is due for release in May of next year and we can’t wait!
2. Red Dead Redemption
Year: 2010
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360
Developer: Rockstar Games
Released at the start of the decade on PS3 and Xbox 360, every gamer has their own experience of the Red Dead story. The third-person shooter sold over 15 million copies and was one of the most expensive games ever produced.
READ MORE: Best Xbox One games of the decade
Rockstar Games open-world game offered a variety of trials and
tribulations that played with your emotions as you hunt down your former gang
members playing as John Marston.
Red Dead Redemption 2 was released last year and has already sold over 26 million copies!
1. Fortnite Battle Royale
Year: 2017
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Mobile, Nintendo Switch
Developer:
Epic Games
It may be a controversial selection, but you cannot argue against the seismic impact Fortnite has had on society in the 2010s.
The Epic Games smash got the public on board by making the game
free-to-play, transforming Battle Royale into one of the most-played games
we’ve ever seen.
Whether your building, blasting or dancing, Fortnite has been thrust into
the public eye thanks to the likes of Drake, Antoine Griezmann, Marshmello and
has created a modern superstar in the form of Ninja.