2. Open Worlds
Again, This is another example of GTA taking a concept that was by no meas new to the genre and twisting it to its own whims and then making it an industry standard. Open worlds have been around in gaming for a long time, even as far back as 1984's Elite. It was a subgenre of game that felt massive and like it was the small footsteps towards what gaming could be. No longer were gamers held back by just moving in a predetermined way. Instead they could go where they want and how they want. The early examples were indeed exciting but only because they promised potential. GTA started to mine the genre but it was in GTA III that they really cracked that potential. Many people attribute GTA with being the most important game of all time, and, while I wouldn't agree, it is hard to deny its worth. Rockstar took the whole concept of an open world and gave us something truly astounding. Some younger readers may not understand the impact, but GTA III was the future of gaming brought to life, because of the massive 3D world, the idea that the city was alive and also giving us wonderful characters to explore it. Every modern open world game owes a debt to GTA III.