2017 marked explosive growth for gaming, with the industry topping $116 billion globally behind mobile/free-to-play surges and the PS4/Switch hitting their strides. Years later, we recount 10 unforgettable experiences that refused to leave our consoles thanks to their masterful formula of tight gameplay, visual splendor, and living worlds full of secrets.
Overview
Gaming reached new financial and creative heights in 2017. The industry pulled in over $116 billion globally according to Newzoo, a watershed 10% YoY increase. Driving this was the continued shift to digital distribution and live service games. Free-to-play, mobile experiences like Arena of Valor and Fate/Grand Order dominated revenue charts.
On the home console front, 2017 kickstarted a Nintendo renaissance led by the revolutionary Switch. After the underwhelming Wii U, Nintendo banked their future on a versatile hybrid portable/TV console. This gambit paid off in spades, with the Switch selling nearly 15 million units in its first 10 months. First-party icons like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey made Nintendo a tour de force again.
Microsoft and Sony kept pushing the technical envelope as well. The PS4 continued its sales leadership position thanks to Horizon Zero Dawn among other bangers. Microsoft unveiled their Xbox One X – the first home console supporting 4K gaming. This positioned them well for the looming 8K future down the line.
Across the industry, developers realized ambitions of open worlds, realism, mobility, and social connection that guided game design for years following. 2017 housed bothIncremental advancements to outstanding franchises alongside experimental new IPs.
Below we recount 10 particular games that captured our imagination in 2017 and never loosened their grips. We continuously return thanks to mechanics, worlds, or multiplayer mayhem tailor-made for endless replay.
10. Destiny 2
The Hook: Loot hunting addiction intensified with Destiny 2 thanks to its satisfying gameplay foundation. Plus, continual expansions ensure fresh gear and activities get injected regularly into this FPS/RPG hybrid.
What Players Still Love:
- Sci-fi universe bursting with secrets begging for exploration
- Hundreds of guns and armor to collect and customize your Guardian with
- 12-player Raids requiring intense coordination to overcome
- Competitive Crucible with various frantic game types to master
Sales Data (As of March 2021):
| Platform | Copies Sold |
|---|---|
| PS4 | Over 6.3 million |
| Xbox One | Over 4.2 million |
| PC | Over 2.5 million |
| Total | Over 13 million copies |
As the FPS/MMO hybrid sequel to 2014‘s Destiny, Bungie knocked Destiny 2 out of the park by perfecting their patented gameplay formula centered around addictive loot cycles. Their sprawling mythos also compelled fans thanks to handsome world-building across interstellar locales like icy planets, alien forests, and cyborg ship graveyards.
Over 15 expansions since launch added ton more story chapters too, keeping the Guardian vs Enemy narrative epic trucking along. With top-notch shooter mechanics, build diversity, and continually refreshed endgame challenges, Bungie ensures fans have reasons to re-enlist years later.
Why It Endures:
- Mythic Sci-Fi Setting: Fascinating characters and lore engross franchise fans who can‘t get enough of Destiny‘s enigmatic universe
- RPG Progression: Chasing new Loot and optimizing character builds to try new ability combinations provides enduring hooks for months.
- Cooperative Play: Experiencing thrilling 12-player Raids and playing daily Heroic missions with friends makes Destiny extremely social.
If You Like This, Play:
- Borderlands 3 offers similarly over-the-top co-op looter shooter adventures
- Warframe dives deeper on F2P co-op in an odd sci-fi universe
9. Divinity: Original Sin II
The Hook: With creative quests and almost limitless roleplaying customization, no two adventures played the same in this signature RPG epic.
What Players Still Love:
- Experimenting with combos between the deep combat systems and environmental elements
- Stumbling upon creative solutions for quests thanks to the reactive game world
- Six unique origin characters and custom companions to build parties around
Pillars of Eternity and Divinity: Original Sin introduced a renaissance of classic computer RPG design in today’s gaming landscape. Of the pack, 2017’s Divinity: Original Sin 2 stands out through masterfully granting players toolbox after toolbox enabling tackling quests and combat scenarios in hundreds of ways based on their custom character builds.
Between manipulating elemental spells, crafting custom magic gloves with status effects, or using skills like Teleportation to infiltrate secret areas, Divinity encouraged creativity at all turns. Add 200+ skills to mix for your party and an enchanting high-fantasy setting, and it’s no surprise fans lost 100+ hours on their first playthroughs.
Why It Endures:
- Freedom in Progression: With so many skill and gear options, players relish tailoring characters exactly how they want.
- Quest Variety: Quests play out vastly differently depending on player choices, retaining surprise even on additional playthroughs
- Co-op Multiplayer: Playing with friends doubles the strategic possibilities, while also providing laughs around every corner.
If You Like This, Play:
- Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous offers similar isometric party-based adventuring
- Disco Elysium wows with reactive quests, though uses narrative over combat
8. Cuphead
The Hook: This indie darling had looks that kill thanks to fleischer cartoon aesthetics dialed up to 11. Under its gorgeous hood lied masochistic run-and-gun challenges defeating all but the most hardcore players.
What Players Still Love:
- Testing dexterity against 15+ unique boss fights and their phases
- Gawking over hand-drawn, buttery smooth 2D animations
- Jazzy, perfectly matched big band soundtrack
很多细节。。。
Why 2017 Games Endure
Across these 10 titles that own a piece of gamers‘ hearts and memories, common traits emerge explaining their sustained relevance half a decade later. Every entry leveraged technical advancements of the time for immersive visuals and sound design. Tight controls, satisfying gameplay loops, and rewarding progression systems kept bringing us back.
Charismatic characters, charming worlds brimming with secrets, and masterfully paced narratives also distinguish the cream of the crop. Each game sets exemplary bars for design principles driving modern gaming.
Most importantly, they understand the value of community in multiplayer experiences, continual content updates, and listening to fan feedback. Games that do these things right achieve longevity beyond buying trends, especially in today’s crowded marketplace.
Ultimately, the 2017 landscape represented a high water mark for AAA polish meeting indie heart to craft believable worlds and systems we happily lost ourselves in for hours untold. That spark of fun and innovation continues kindling our nostalgia and convincing us to hit "Continue" over and over.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the highest grossing video games of 2017?
The mobile MOBA Arena of Valor (Honor of Kings) by Tencent was 2017‘s top earner, generating over $2.4 billion. It beat out PC titans League of Legends ($2.1 billion) and Dungeon Fighter Online ($1.9 billion) which took the #2 and #3 revenue spots respectively.
What won Game of the Year in 2017?
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild won multiple Game of the Year Awards, including at The Game Awards 2017, D.I.C.E. Awards, and Game Developers Choice Awards. Top honors went to other titles as well, like What Remains of Edith Finch at BAFTA.
Did any new consoles release in 2017?
2017 saw the long-awaited launch of the Nintendo Switch console in March alongside the Xbox One X – an upgraded Xbox One capable of 4K gaming – in November.
What generation of video games was 2017 part of?
2017 marked the transition from the 7th (Xbox 360, PS3) to 8th (Xbox One, PS4, Switch) generation of video game consoles.
What were the most influential games of 2017?
Breath of the Wild and Horizon Zero Dawn‘s open worlds focusing on emergent exploration mechanics set influential markers. Fortnite kicked off gaming‘s Battle Royale fixation. Divinity: OS2 and Nier Automata reminded developers of deeply crafted single-player experiences‘ value.
Do games from 2017 hold up graphically today?
Absolutely – Many utilize art styles resistant to aging like Zelda‘s anime aesthetic or Cuphead‘s hand-drawnPresentation. Tech leaders like HZD have detailed textures/models on par with later PS4 releases. Stylized games like Fortnite Moon update graphics easily without altering their iconic looks.
