It’s a question we ask ourselves all the time, and it has no easy answer. Like Mac games, PC games have been around for a few decades. Hard hard then to establish the list of the best PC games of all time.
How did we choose from the thousands of PC games available? We spent days gathering stats and reviewing hundreds of games. Factors like critic ratings, game sales volume, influence, and current status were examined.
PUBG (PUBG Corporation, 2017)
As the newest pick on our list, PUBG easily finds its way into the top PC games of all time. And this, thanks to his influence in the now considerable family of Battlegrounds. The fact that a hundred players compete in a vast Battle Royale may seem like an obvious reason.
But it took time for this game to finally show the success of its concept. PUBG is the favorite game of many players, whether competitively or for fun with friends. He is also largely responsible for the international success of Fortnite.
League of Legends (Riot Games, 2009)
You may find it hard to believe, but when it was released, LoL was doubted because of its free-to-play structure. Taking inspiration from the original DOTA Warcraft 3 mode, LoL not only showed that free-to-play works, it works well. As one of the most popular and highest-grossing titles in video game history, League of Legends deserves its place among the best PC games of all time.
Grand Theft Auto 5 (Rockstar North, 2013)
Although the GTA series was popular right from the release of its first title in 1997, GTA 5 took the franchise to new heights. As the highest-grossing title in the world, at least based on game sales and micro-transactions, GTA 5 has stood the test of time.
The game has already gone through three console generations and still has millions of PC gamers. GTA 5’s place among the best PC games of all time is therefore legitimate.
StarCraft (Blizzard, 1998)
Some games have to fight to be recognized among the best PC games of all time, where others come naturally to occupy this place. StarCraft is a great example of the latter scenario. This pioneering STR game is notably at the origin of competitive STR.
It set the stage for eSports on an international level, which is why StarCraft is still loved, and for good reason.
Quake (ID Software, 1996)
Before Quake, 3D universes in video games were extremely limited. Even if drafts of 3D environments existed, none were as meticulous as that of Quake, and none could boast of 3D models as incredible as his.
If you think popularizing multiplayer online games earns a place in the list of contenders for the title of the best PC games of all time, then you can’t deny Quake’s excellence.
Diablo 2 (Blizzard, 2000)
The very first Diablo was awesome on its own, if a little laborious. Diablo 2, however, very quickly improved upon the first game’s formula. At launch, the game offered five classes to choose from.
With four varied acts, a host of items, and potential builds, Diablo 2 was heaven for early multiplayer RPG enthusiasts. It’s always been considered one of the best PC games of all time, and rightly so. Hopefully the remastered version will live up to the excitement!
Half Life (Valve, 1998)
Quake’s 3D advancements in FPS games are comparable to Half-Life’s in storytelling. Half-Life begins with a 20-minute presentation without any action, which was new at the time. Half-Life’s world-building was unlike anything that had come before.
The title showed that first-person shooters could be equally serious and offer more than pure action. We’ve also used this model to power games like Counter-Strike, another title that just missed out on our list of the best PC games of all time.
World of Warcraft (Blizzard, 2004)
After the release of Warcraft 3 in 2002, Blizzard wasn’t sure what direction the franchise would take. After a few tries, they decided to create an MMO that would surpass all others.
WoW followed in the footsteps of its predecessors, Everquest and Ultima Online, to evolve the genre. It was only recently that Final Fantasy 14 dethroned it as the most popular MMO, but WoW’s place among the best PC games of all time is indisputable.
Minecraft (Mojang, 2011)
Minecraft found its place on the net with its first alpha and beta versions. Players quickly saw the untapped potential of the project.
Faith in this game proved justified, as Minecraft is today not only one of the best PC games of all time, but also the best-selling game in history.
It offers a strong community spirit, a huge modding community, and entertainment for all ages. Minecraft is now an institution, which is only getting bigger.
Doom (ID Software, 1993)
No list of the best PC games of all time would be complete without mentioning Doom. It’s impossible to underestimate the importance that Doom has had not only for video games, but also for the entire PC market.
Often seen as a PC system vendor, Doom was so popular that at one point it was installed on more computers than Microsoft Windows. With demons to slay, powerful weapons, and a community still active to this day, Doom easily tops our list.
Conclusion
Of course, no list of the best PC games of all time can make everyone happy. Like judgments on works of art, reviews of Windows games are also a matter of taste and are therefore subjective. So, it’s okay if you disagree with some or all of the titles on our list!
Ultimately, the best PC games of all time are the ones that mean the most to you, and there are no wrong answers in that.
