Every Decade in Video Games in History, Ranked

Published Sep 30, 2026, 7:37 AM EDT

Lucas Kloberdanz-Dyck is a writer for Collider. He grew up creating lists, stories, and worlds, which led to his love of anime and video games. He attended Sheridan College where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Game Design. Lucas and his group won 1st place for technical innovation at LevelUp Toronto 2023, and he was also an intern for the Oakville Film Festival of Arts. 

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The history of video games is longstanding, dating all the way back to the 1960s, and has only evolved since. From revolutionary classics such as Pong to modern masterpieces like Red Dead Redemption 2, this medium has worked its way up from a niche pastime to the most profitable form of media. It didn’t earn that status overnight, but rather built a legacy of thousands of games and innovation through decades of creativity and improvement to create what exists today. Almost everyone has a video game console, but that is just the tip of the gaming iceberg.

Every decade has had some sort of influence on the medium, pushing it forward to create nearly realistic games and visuals with imaginative gameplay. While everyone has their preferences, these decades have different values and importance. That is why this list will rank every decade of gaming from the 1970s to the 2020s. Based on aspects such as hardware, software, innovation, importance, quality, fan opinion, and overall legacy, these decades are home to an expansive history that all have their positives, some just more than most.

6 1980s

Image via Nintendo

None of these eras of video games are bad; it’s just that some are better than others, and when it comes to the worst, it is probably the 1980s. This was a fascinating decade for gaming, because early in the 1980s was the video game crash in North America that nearly killed the industry on the spot. But not long after, Nintendo would release Super Mario Bros. and single-handedly save it. Arcades were still booming, but the industry also moved in the direction of home consoles, which included systems like the NES and video game genres such as platformers.

The death of the video game industry is a bad thing, and that is largely why the 1980s are ranked last on this list. Still, this decade also saw a resurgence unlike anything, with video game mascots becoming more mainstream. Like the 1970s, hardware limitations constrained many games and consoles, with a lot of titles being too ambitious for their own good. The games were punishing and less accessible, but there is still a charm to the 1980s. It is home to some of the best franchises that started their legacy and includes games fans could play for hours, proving it was a tumultuous, yet essential era that laid the foundation for years to come.

5 1970s

Image via Atari

Video games owe a great deal to the 1970s; it is the decade that established the industry, after all. While games existed before this, the 1970s were when the commercial industry began, leading to titles such as Pong, Space Invaders and Asteroids. Before home consoles became a thing, the industry mostly existed with arcades, where fans would congregate and play whatever was free, competing for high scores on graphically rudimentary games.

Even though the 1970s were when video games became a commercial market, eventually leading to today’s landscape, it has to be second-to-last. The legacy and history are undoubtedly significant and important, more than others, but it was just finding its footing. Most video games felt like proof of concepts, leading to ignored, albeit well-aged games. Influence aside, the 1970s weren’t home to the depth or engagement of games that future decades would establish. Still, there isn’t a more essential and influential decade to gaming than the 1970s.

4 2020s

Image via Bandai Namco Entertainment

It is only natural for the worst decades of gaming to be some of the first, and that is because natural evolution has made video games more accessible and unbelievable than ever. However, the 2020s aren’t over yet, and they still have a lot to prove if they want to place higher on this list. This decade has produced some of the best games ever, but it is also defined by many trends and specific genres that oversaturate the market. Regardless, with fewer consoles coming out, they have to be the best possible, and so far the PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 are game-changing.

The 2020s place on the lower half of this list because it isn’t over yet, with it still having a few years to prove itself. Overall, there have been high highs and low lows. Ballooning budgets mean games are less profitable and feel like a scam, especially when they come out poorly. These long development cycles are killing hype and innovation, with fans simply wanting the latest trend. It isn’t all bad, of course, since the 2020s have some phenomenal games. From Elden Ring to Baldur’s Gate 3, the best of the best is at a level unprecedented to what fans believed was possible, showing why the 2020s are an impressive decade of gaming.

3 1990s

Image via Nintendo

Entering the second half of this list, it gets to some of the best decades of gaming, and while some viewers will want this era to be higher, the 1990s place at number three. The biggest claim to fame of this decade was the revolutionary change from 16-bit 2D graphics into the realm of 3D polygons, spearheaded by games such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Final Fantasy VII. This era completely changed the style of video games, ushering in a new time of uncertainty, yet unbridled excitement at the possibilities it could create.

Some fans will want the 1990s to be higher on this list, and they wouldn’t necessarily be wrong, but the future simply had too many improvements. Still, the 1990s were a time of innovation, bridging the gap between 2D and 3D to create one of the most important eras of gaming. The consoles were beloved, and the games were even better, creating a catalogue of content that was unmatched for the time. Unfortunately, clunky controls and primitive cameras proved to be too detrimental when compared to future decades, but nothing can take away the pioneering aspects the 1990s presented.

2 2010s

The 2020s aren’t over yet, meaning the 2010s are the latest completed decade that fans can look back and get the full picture of, and it is beautiful. This was the start of the open-world era, but when it was still fresh and innovative, showcasing the height of the industry and technical mastery. Some of the best-known games are from the 2010s, and it was clear that the medium reached a new height of popularity. E3 was disbanded, but the Game Awards popped out of nowhere, highlighting the peaks and valleys of the game industry that saw many games surge and die.

There are a lot of gamers who aren’t fans of the 2020s and those titles, with the 2010s being the last great decade of games. And that is hard to argue, especially since this era was defined by the diversity of games. Indie games were on the rise, and as mentioned, open-world titles were redefining the industry alongside the incredibly popular Battle Royale genre. Some of the best video games of the 2010s were also some of the best of all time, having the perfect mix of innovation and refined mechanics and visuals. Live-service games did warrant some criticism, but it was an overall success that was considered a golden age of the medium.

1 2000s

Image via Nintendo

One could say that there isn’t really a bad decade of video games, with each presenting its own positives that influenced the industry into what it is today. That being said, when deciding the greatest decade of video games, the best is arguably the 2000s. The 1990s broke ground with 3D, but the 2000s used that innovation to create the pinnacle era of gaming. Some of the greatest consoles came to market, like the PS2, Xbox 360, and the Nintendo Wii, which in turn saw a rise of innovative video games like Halo and Super Mario Galaxy. The 2000s were the best of both worlds that many gamers wouldn’t appreciate until it was only nostalgia.

The 2000s were a decade of game maturation, with plenty of titles finding that sweet spot that so many gamers savored. 3D environments were mastered, and the design techniques were perfected with the right balance of difficulty and creativity. Games weren’t afraid to take risks or try something new, meaning this innovation resulted in plenty of groundbreaking and beloved titles. The PS2 is the best-selling console, the Xbox 360 was the go-to multiplayer system, and the Wii was the most innovative piece of hardware. This era of innovation and wonder spawned thousands of must-play masterpieces that prove the 2000s had the best video games and were the greatest decade of the medium since its conception.

Halo