Mutually Exclusive
This Nintendo exclusive was met with universal acclaim when it was released in 2017 and was considered a "breath" of fresh air to its franchise.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Based in Irvine, California, this highly prolific (and controversial) games studio is best known for developing hit games such as World of Warcraft and Overwatch.
Blizzard or Blizzard Entertainment
This organization is responsible for rating the content of videogames throughout the United States and Canada. Brought about by the violence and peril depicted in the original Mortal Kombat and Night Trap.
ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board)
During a tournament for this game, contestant "Blitzchung" showed support for the 2019-2020 Hong Kong Protests during an interview. Blizzard, the company organizing the event, then banned Blitzchung from participating in tournaments for one year and forced him to forfeit his winnings.
Hearthstone
Make it Bun Dem
Make It Bun Dem by Damian Marley and Skrillex/Far Cry 3
This Microsoft exclusive was one of the main reasons people bought the original Xbox back in 2001. It was ported to PC in 2003 and is considered one of the most influential First Person Shooters in gaming history.
Halo: Combat Evolved
This Ubisoft owned studio was the first major games studio in its city of origin and helped to expand the area's financial growth and influence. Its break-out hit, Splinter Cell, won the studio awards and nominations from 5 different organizations.
Ubisoft: Montreal
This worldwide phenomenon started when Stanford University hosted a competition on October 19th, 1972 to see who would last in a 5-man free-for-all in a game of "Spacewar". The grand prize was a year-long subscription to Rolling Stones, now prizes at these events can reach up to tens of millions of dollars.
Esports
This contest was held on January 12, 2007 during the KDND radio morning show. Contestants would drink as much water as possible without urinating in order to win the latest Nintendo home gaming console. Tragically, this led to the death of Jennifer Strange due to water intoxication, despite the radio station receiving various warnings from medical professionals.
"Hold Your Wee for a Wii" Contest
Someday you go through the rain
Someday you feed on a tree frog
Snake Eater by Cynthia Harrell/Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
While this "Soulsbourne" game did not invent the concept of "Fashion Souls", it was the main reason for its popularization.
Bloodbourne
This game studio, as of 2023, has only developed one game which released in 2019, but that game's influence has been felt throughout the entire indie genre. It also shares a very similar title with a much larger game that came out in the same year.
Mobius Digital
This song, released in 1983, is the first piece of video game music to be inducted into the Library of Congress. Officially known as the "Ground Theme" this work was quoted by the committee responsible for the Library of Congress as being "the most recognizable video game theme in history".
Super Mario Bros Theme
This Call of Duty level received large amounts of backlash from law makers in multiple countries. The level was cut outright from the game in Russia, and Australia sought to have the game banned altogether. Critics, however, saw this as a turning point for modern fps games and considered it a chance to acknowledge and question human suffering through the medium of videogames.
No Russian
Acting on your best behavior
Turn your back on mother nature
Everybody Wants to Rule The World by Tears for Fears/Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy
In order to compete with the "Mario Party" franchise, Sega developed this Dreamcast exclusive Party game in 2000. Unfortunately, overly complex and poorly explained mini-games led to poor sales and middling reviews.
Sonic Shuffle
Founded by former Activision employees, this now defunct studio closed its doors in November of 2009. Best known for developing various Star Wars games, a majority of their staff would be acquired by EA to work for their studio, EA Los Angeles, who would also become defunct in 2013.
Pandemic Studios
This is the first major film based on a video game to be profitable and get positive reviews from both critics AND fans (according to Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes).
Detective Pikachu
This mod was responsible for Rockstar having to re-release Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas or be faced with an unfavorable ESRB rating. Cut content of the main character engaging in uncensored intercourse with a woman was found by players and modded back into the game. The ESRB then changed the game's rating to "Adults Only", despite the fact that the content could not be accessed without manipulating the games' files.
Hot Coffee Mod
Step in front of a runaway train
Just to feel alive again
Pushing forward through the night
Aching chest and blurry sight
Far Away by Jose Gonzalez/Red Dead Redemption
This game is not just exclusive to the Sega Game Gear, but was also only released Japan. Despite its Japanese origins, the game was made for an American Soft-Drink Company as a tie-in to a series of commercials that aired throughout the 1990's to Japanese audiences.
Coca-Cola Kid
This game studio underwent many name-changes throughout its lifetime. It was founded by two, English teenage brothers in 1988 as Optimus Software. They would be acquired by Iguana Entertainment in 1993 and changed to Iguana UK. Acclaim would then acquire them in 1995 and change their name one last time before being shut-down in 2002. Best known for the "Shadowman" franchise.
Acclaim Studios Teesside
Considered a major victory for the video games industry as a whole, this 2011 legal case struck down a California law that banned "violent" video games from being sold to minors without parental supervision. This case was voted on by the Supreme Court and was upheld in a 7-2 vote.
Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association
This indie game was crowdfunded on Kickstarter, but it was never completed as its lead programmer left the project after finding out that his business partners spent all of their money on liquor, bars, fancy restaurants and strippers.
Ant Simulator
Nu kommer jag hem
Jag simmar hem igen
Mamma
Pappa
Simma Hem by Riddarna/Hotline Miami 2