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The 20 most important games of the decade – text edition

Features
By GamesRadar Staff published 22 January 2010

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

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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.

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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GamesRadar+ was first founded in 1999, and since then has been dedicated to delivering video game-related news, reviews, previews, features, and more. Since late 2014, the website has been the online home of Total Film, SFX, Edge, and PLAY magazines, with comics site Newsarama joining the fold in 2020. Our aim as the global GamesRadar Staff team is to take you closer to the games, movies, TV shows, and comics that you love. We want to upgrade your downtime, and help you make the most of your time, money, and skills. We always aim to entertain, inform, and inspire through our mix of content - which includes news, reviews, features, tips, buying guides, and videos.

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