We asked ChatGPT what video games were particularly popular between the 1990s and the 2000s, focusing on the PC platform. The response did not disappoint expectations, although in the opinion of our experts who actually experienced those years in gaming terms, some titles were missing.
Here is the response from AI:
Between the 1990s and early 2000s, there were several PC video games that left a significant mark on the history of video games. Here are some of the most influential:
- Doom (1993) – A pioneer in the first-person shooter (FPS) genre, it set many standards for the genre.
- Warcraft: Orcs & Humans (1994) – Kicked off Blizzard’s popular real-time strategy (RTS) series.
- Command & Conquer (1995) – Another mainstay of the RTS genre, known for its engaging storyline and strategic gameplay.
- Diablo (1996) – Introduced the concept of dungeon crawlers with RPG elements, influencing many subsequent games.
- Quake (1996) – Another important FPS, known for its advanced graphics engine and support for online multiplayer.
- Age of Empires (1997) – A real-time strategy game that educated players about history while entertaining them.
- Half-Life (1998) -Revolutionized FPSs with its immersive narrative and innovative gameplay.
- Starcraft (1998) – An RTS that defined the genre with its strategic depth and balancing between different races.
- The Sims (2000) – A life simulator that became one of the best-selling games of all time, revolutionizing the simulator genre.
- Deus Ex (2000) – A mix of FPS, RPG and adventure, known for its complex storyline and the freedom of choice offered to the player.
- Baldur’s Gate (1998) – An RPG based on Dungeons & Dragons that set new standards for storytelling and gameplay in RPGs.
These games not only defined genres and created new expectations for players, but also influenced many of the games that came after them.
Undoubtedly highly respectable titles with exciting gameplays. However, it is blatant that AI gave more prominence to the shooter and strategy genres, citing only a couple of titles concerning RPG and adventure and only one title concerning the simulation genre. No mention of the graphic adventure genre, perhaps considered niche, yet back in the day for PC gamers it was very successful, how to forget for example the Monkey Island saga.
Also missing a mention for the Survival Horror genre, how can we forget that the Alone in the Dark saga was the forerunner for video games of the caliber of the Resident Evil saga.
No drama though, we are still talking about artificial intelligence, the titles mentioned are still video games that made history and even our prompt was not particularly detailed anyway.