Most influential game designers of all time
Note
The list is sorted in chronological order, based on the years in which they have/had been active in video game development.
The list is sorted in chronological order, based on the years in which they have/had been active in video game development.
1958-1959, United States
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Tennis For Two
1961-1962, United States
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spacewar!
1966-1979, United States
Magnavox & Milton Bradley
Magnavox Odyssey, Table Tennis, Shooting Gallery, Simon
1969-1989, United States
Atari & Sente Technologies
Computer Space, Pong, Breakout, Secret Quest
1971-1985, United States
Atari
Pong
1972-Present, Japan
Taito & Dreams
Basketball, Speed Race, Gun Fight, Space Invaders, Chase HQ, Lufia
1974-2007, Japan
Nintendo
Wild Gunman, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Kid Icarus, Dr. Mario
1975-1984, United States
Fairchild & Videosoft
Demolition Derby, Fairchild Channel F, Videocart, Tennis
1976-2007, United States
Atari & Apple
Breakout, iOS, Infinity Blade, Diablo III
1977-2007, Japan
Namco & Bandai Namco
Gee Bee, Cutie Q, Pac-Man, Pole Position, Libble Rabble, Kill Switch
1977-Present, Japan
Nintendo, Nintendo R&D, Nintendo EAD, Nintendo EAD Tokyo
Donkey Kong, Mario, Zelda, F-Zero, Star Fox, Nintendogs, Wii
1979-Present, United States
Origin Systems, NCsoft, Portalarium
Akalabeth, Ultima, Ultima Online, Lineage II, Tabula Rasa
1980-1993, Iran
Sirius Software, Gebelli Software, Squaresoft
Horizon, Zenith, WorldRunner, Rad Racer, Final Fantasy, Secret of Mana
1980-Present, United States
On-Line Systems, Sierra On-Line, Sierra Entertainment
Mystery House, HiRes Adventure, King's Quest, Phantasmagoria
1980-Present, United States
Williams Electronics, Vid Kidz, Raw Thrills
Defender, Robotron: 2084, NARC, Smash TV, Cruis'n USA
1981-1997, United States
Wizardry, Ultima, The Bard's Tale, Championship Lode Runner
1982-2001, Japan
Technosoft, Arsys Software, Cyberhead
Thunder Force, Plazma Line, Wibarm, Reviver, Star Cruiser
1982-2006, Japan
Nihon Falcom, Nihon Application, Creansmaerd
Panorama Toh, Dragon Slayer, Legend of Heroes, Lord Monarch, Ys, Brandish
1982-2011, Japan
Game Arts & G-Mode
Thexder, Silpheed, Lunar, GunGriffon, Grandia, Mobile Gaming
1982-2015, Japan
HAL Laboratory & Nintendo
Earthbound, Kirby, DKC, Nintendogs, Brain Age, Wii
1982-Present, Japan
Irem, Capcom, SNK, Dimps
Moon Patrol, Kung-Fu Master, Street Fighter, Fatal Fury, KOF
1982-Present, Japan
Konami, Capcom, Game Republic
Time Pilot, Gyruss, GunSmoke, Final Fight, Street Fighter II
1982-Present, Japan
Koei & Tecmo Koei
Dragon & Princess, Nobunaga Ambition, Romance of 3 Kingdoms
1982-Present, Japan
Enix, Chunsoft, Square Enix, Level-5, Armor Project
Yuji Horii Mysteries, Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger
1982-Present, Japan
Data East, TechnÅs Japan, Plophet
Cobra Command, Road Blaster, Kunio-kun, Renegade, Double Dragon
1982-Present, United States
Capitol Ideas, Inside Out, Softdisk, id Software, Ion Storm
Commander Keen, Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake, Daikatana
1983-Present, Japan
Sega, Sega AM2, Digital Rex, Sega AM Plus
Hang-On, Space Harrier, OutRun, AfterBurner, Virtua, Daytona, Shenmue
1983-Present, Netherlands & United States
Bullet-Proof, Nintendo, Blue Planet, Tetris Company
The Black Onyx, Epsilon3, Tetris, Yoshi's Cookie
1983-Present, United States
Atari, Sega, Sony
Major Havoc, Marble Madness, Sonic, Crash Bandicoot, Jak, Ratchet
1984-Present, Japan
T&E Soft & M2
Hydlide, Daiva 6, Super Laydock, UndeadLine
1984-Present, Japan
Sega
Alex Kidd, Phantasy Star, Altered Beast, Sonic, Skies of Arcadia
1984-Present, Japan
Squaresoft, Square Enix, Mistwalker
Death Trap, 3D WorldRunner, Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger
1984-Present, Japan
Sega & Prope
Girl's Garden, Phantasy Star, Sonic, Nights, ChuChu Rocket
1984-Present, United States
Maxis & Electronic Arts
Sim, Sim City, Sim City 2000, The Sims, Spore
1984-Present, Soviet Union & Russia
Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre, Doka, Tetris Company
Tetris
1984-Present, United States
BrĆøderbund Software, Ubisoft, D3 Publisher
Karateka, Prince of Persia, The Last Express
1984-Present, United Kingdom
Bullfrog, Lionhead, 22Cans
Populous, Magic Carpet, Dungeon Keeper, Black & White, Fable
1986-Present, Japan
Konami & Kojima Productions
Metal Gear, Snatcher, Policenauts, Tokimeki, ZOE, Boktai
1987-Present, Japan
Squaresoft & Square Enix
Final Fantasy IV, Chrono Trigger, Parasite Eve, The Bouncer
1988-Present, Japan
Sega, Sega AM1, Wow Entertainment, Sega China, Sega Shanghai
Altered Beast, Golden Axe, Wing War, Die Hard Arcade
1988-Present, Japan
Data East, Squaresoft, Square Enix
Jake Hunter, Heracles no Eiko, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts
1988-Present, United Kingdom
DMA Design, RockStar North, RockStar Games, Realtime Worlds
Lemmings, Grand Theft Auto, Body Harvest, Crackdown, APB
1989-2013, Japan
Interlink, EIM, WARP, fyto
D, Enemy Zero, Real Sound: Kaze no Regret, One-Dot Enemies
1989-Present, Japan
Game Freak & Nintendo
Yoshi, Pulseman, Pokemon, Drill Dozer, HarmoKnight
1989-Present, United States
Microprose, id Software, Ensemble Studios, Green Eye Games
Darklands, Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake, Age of Empires
1989-Present, United States
Softdisk, id Software, Raven Software, Zenimax Media
Commander Keen, Catacomb, Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, Quake
1990-Present, Japan
Quest, Squaresoft, Square Enix, Level-5, Playdek
Ogre, Final Fantasy Tactics & XII, Vagrant Story, MadWorld
1990-Present, Japan
Capcom, Platinum Games, Tango Gameworks, Zenimax Media
Resident Evil, Dino Crisis, Ace Attorney, Vanquish
1990-Present, Japan
Nintendo
Marvelous, The Legend of Zelda, Hyrule Warriors
1990-Present
Origin Systems, Electronic Arts, Looking Glass, Ion Storm
Wing Commander, Ultima, System Shock, Thief, Deus Ex
1992-Present, United States
Epic Games
Tyrian, Unreal, Unreal Tournament, Gears of War, Bulletstorm
1993-Present
Konami
Suikoden, Twinbee RPG, Shadow of Memories, Time Hollow
1994-2004, Japan
Himeya Soft, C's Ware, ELF, Abel
Xenon, Desire, EVE: Burst Error, YU-NO, Exodus Guilty
1994-2006, Japan
Koei & Tecmo Koei
Angelique & Neo Angelique
1994-Present, United Kingdom
Rare & Zoonami
Killer Instinct, GoldenEye 007, Perfect Dark
1995-Present, Japan
WARP, Sony SCE Japan Studio, Team Ico
Enemy Zero, Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, The Last Guardian
1996-Present, Japan
Capcom & Platinum Games
Resident Evil, DMC, Viewtiful Joe, Åkami, Bayonetta, W101
1996-Present
Scoop, Tactics, Visual Arts, Key
Kanon, Air, Dark Cloud, Clannad, Little Busters, Angel Beats
1996-Present, United States
Valve
Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Portal, Left 4 Dead
1997-Present, Turkey & Germany
Crytek
Far Cry, Crysis, Fibble: Flick ānā Roll, Ryse: Son of Rome
1997-Present, United Kingdom
DMA Design & Rockstar Games
Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club, Mafia, Max Payne, Red Dead
1998-Present, United Kingdom
Rockstar Games
Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club, Mafia, Max Payne, Red Dead
1998-Present, Japan & United States
Namco, Microsoft, Epic Games, BioWare
NASCAR, Kill Switch, Gears of War, Mass Effect, Kinect
1999-Present, Japan & United States
Infinity Ward, Activision, Respawn Entertainment
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Call of Duty, Titanfall
1999-Present, United States
Infinity Ward, Activision, Respawn Entertainment
Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Call of Duty, Titanfall