10. Grand Theft Auto Series
Why Its Controversial: Youre kidding right? I dont think Ive ever heard of a game franchise thats caused so much consistent public outcry, for so many years, while simultaneously selling so consistently well. Contention like that which plagues the GTA series is reserved only for the most offensive and violent games. However, its perhaps only so controversial because of how popular it is; because of the staggering number of minds that its potentially corrupting.
Why It Influenced Gaming for the Better: Rockstars original top-down GTA titles were game-changing enough, allowing players free reign over a huge open city. But it was GTA III that really impacted on the face of the industry. Emphasis was drawn to no-pressure exploration, experimentation and combat, making it much more like an RPG than a standard shooter and the driving mechanics became more aligned with racing games, creating a uniquely textured, varied experience thats been recreated since, but never bettered. But apart from that (which was game changing enough, judging by GTAs innumerable sea of imitators), the GTA franchise also helped set the thematic bar for gaming paved the way for a more adult-oriented marketplace years down the line. Drugs, violence and sexual content might seem commonplace in gaming by todays standards, with the GTA franchise, R* helped set the set the standard for what was acceptable in an age restricted game.