The 20 most important games of the decade – text edition

Features
By published

Counting down the games that changed gaming in the double-ohs

First released in: 2004
Developed by: Bungie Studios
Published by: Microsoft Game Studios

It’s notable for: Bringing console-based multiplayer online, and making it stick. Multiplayer matchmaking on consoles still works roughly how it did in Halo 2.

It inspired: Every console game with online multiplayer – they all owe Halo 2 for its pioneering efforts.

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Blah blah blah: “Halo 2 deserves to be on the list, purely because it, not invented, but really cemented online gaming on consoles, which had never managed to rival the depth or the sense of community that PC gamers had always enjoyed before then.” -Dave Meikleham, Content Editor (UK):

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