The Best Gaming Year Ever: Is It 1998, 2004, 2017, or 2023?

Gamers love debating the best year in gaming. Four years consistently top the conversation: 1998, 2004, 2017, and 2023. Each has a legitimate case. As a studio that studies gaming history, here's our breakdown.

The case for 1998

The releases: Half-Life. Ocarina of Time. Metal Gear Solid. StarCraft. Resident Evil 2. Baldur's Gate. Thief: The Dark Project. Pokémon Red/Blue (US). Fallout 2. Grim Fandango. Xenogears. Banjo-Kazooie.

Why it's legendary: Four genres were redefined simultaneously. Half-Life reinvented FPS storytelling. Ocarina of Time defined 3D action-adventure. Metal Gear Solid created cinematic stealth action. StarCraft became the template for competitive RTS. Each of these games is still referenced as the gold standard in its genre 28 years later.

The argument against: Many of these games haven't aged gracefully in terms of controls and visuals. Their influence is undeniable but the raw playing experience in 2026 is rough.

The case for 2004

The releases: Half-Life 2. Halo 2. World of Warcraft. Metal Gear Solid 3. GTA: San Andreas. Fable. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Counter-Strike: Source. Far Cry. Burnout 3. Doom 3. Katamari Damacy. Sly 2.

Why it's legendary: Half-Life 2 pushed physics-based gameplay forward. World of Warcraft defined MMOs for a generation. Halo 2 made online console multiplayer mainstream. GTA: San Andreas was the most ambitious open world to date. Metal Gear Solid 3 delivered the best story in the franchise.

The argument against: Fewer genre-defining moments than 1998 — more refinements of existing ideas than revolutionary new ones.

The case for 2017

The releases: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Super Mario Odyssey. Horizon Zero Dawn. Nier: Automata. Persona 5. Divinity: Original Sin 2. Hollow Knight. Cuphead. Resident Evil 7. What Remains of Edith Finch. Night in the Woods. Prey. Nioh. Yakuza 0.

Why it's legendary: Breadth. Every genre had a masterpiece. BotW reinvented Zelda AND open-world design. Hollow Knight proved indie games could match AAA in scope. Persona 5 became the JRPG gateway for Western audiences. Nier: Automata pushed narrative experimentation further than any AAA game before it.

The argument against: No single game from 2017 had the cultural impact of WoW (2004) or Ocarina (1998). The year was excellent but lacked an industry-shaking singular moment.

The case for 2023

The releases: Baldur's Gate 3. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Resident Evil 4 Remake. Alan Wake 2. Final Fantasy XVI. Hi-Fi Rush. Cocoon. Lies of P. Armored Core VI. Street Fighter 6. Pikmin 4. Sea of Stars. Dave the Diver.

Why it's legendary: Quality concentration. Baldur's Gate 3 may be the best RPG ever made. Tears of the Kingdom expanded BotW's formula with creative building tools. Alan Wake 2 pushed narrative horror to new heights. The indie output (Cocoon, Dave the Diver, Sea of Stars) was exceptional. Street Fighter 6 revitalized fighting games.

The argument against: The industry was simultaneously in crisis — massive layoffs, studio closures, live-service failures (Suicide Squad). 2023 was the best year for games and one of the worst years for the industry.

Our verdict

1998 for historical impact. The games released that year set templates that still define genres in 2026.

2017 for consistent quality. The most games-across-genres excellence in a single year.

2023 for peak achievement. Baldur's Gate 3 and Tears of the Kingdom represent RPG and open-world design at their absolute highest level.

2004 for cultural impact. World of Warcraft alone changed how millions of people related to gaming.

If we had to pick one: 2017. The breadth of excellence — AAA, indie, Japanese, Western, every genre represented by a masterpiece — is unmatched.

But honestly? 2026 might join this list. Expedition 33, Nightreign, Nioh 3, Monster Hunter Wilds, Silksong, and GTA 6 (November) — the lineup is stacked.

What we make at Choost

Granny's Rampage and Granny's Gambit are our contribution to gaming in 2026. Every indie studio adds to the year's legacy — the best gaming years are defined as much by small teams with big ideas as by AAA blockbusters.

For more gaming history, the most influential video games, how dark souls changed gaming, and games ahead of their time posts have more.

The shortest version

1998: Genre redefinition (Half-Life, Ocarina, MGS, StarCraft). 2004: Cultural impact (WoW, Halo 2, San Andreas). 2017: Consistent excellence across all genres (BotW, Persona 5, Hollow Knight). 2023: Peak individual achievement (BG3, TotK). Our pick: 2017 for breadth. The truth: Every decade has a year that makes you grateful to be a gamer. We might be living in one right now.