Edit: see master thread:
https://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread/249268/master-thread-favorite-games-from-different-countries/
I recently got a bit curious about where the games I enjoy come from. I of course have a good idea, whether a game is Japanese or "Western". Obviously Japan and USA have gigantic gaming industries, but there are other countries that have flourishing gaming industries, of course countries like France and Poland come to mind.
I would like to make a handful of threads to create a bit of a "map" of the most beloved games from different countries. I won't be doing all 195, some countries like US and Japan have just developed way too many hits to make a poll that covers even the most popular titles, and other countries either don't have a gaming industry , only have obscure indie titles.
I am starting with my good friends from Germany. Now, considering the size and economy of the country, Germany may not exactly be a super power in the gaming industry, France and UK certainly have a stronger presence, however Germany has undeniably also produced some absolute BANGERS. In particular they have historically had huge success on the PC platform.
I hope people would like to participate in the poll and write their favorites if missing in the options. I also appologize if I miss some obvious titles, it takes a bit of research to find out which games are developed where, I don't know of any good single sources that stores all the information. Feel free to correct me if I make mistakes.
The rule is that the main Developer should be from the country, publisher is irrelevant. Support teams do not count. If two teams from different countries have contributed equally or almost equally, they can count for both countries. Likewise if a developer is split between two nations, and there is no reason to believe it mainly made the game in the other country. In case of incomplete information, I sometimes may have to do a qualified guess on whether a game qualifies or not (let's hope that is not needed).
Some notable German developers and their games:
Ubisoft Blue Byte (Formerly Blue Byte)
These could almost fill a poll alone with all their strategy and city building simulators. They have been going strong since the 90's with the Battle Isle and The Settlers franchises and have taken over the Anno series sine 2009 (2015 as sole developer). The Settlers II seems to be the most beloved game in the franchise, while IV has it's share of fans. Anno 1800 is the most popular in its franchise, certainly since Blue Byte took over and potentially since the series inception.
Most notable games:
Anno 1800
The Settlers II
The Settler IV
Crytek
Oh yes, certainly a huge technological pioneer of the 00s with the CryEngine. Both the original Far Cry and Crysis set new graphial benchmarks in the industry. The former spawned one of Ubisoft's most succesful franchises, though Crytek only developed the first game. Crysis became an acclaimed trilogy and a persistet meme (can it run Crysis?), people tend to prefer the first in the trilogy.
Most notable games:
Far Cry (first game only)
Crysis
Crysis 2
Crysis 3
Piranha Bytes
Another popular developer for PC gamers of the 00s. They devloped the strongly acclaimed cult favorite RPG, the Gothic trilogy. Fans seem to be divided on which of the first two is better, while the third is generally seen as a disappointment. Piranha Bytes then developed the Risen series, where the first game also has considerate popularity.
Most notable games:
Gothic
Gothic II
Risen
Factor 5
Finally a developer more focussed on consoles, the now defunct Factor5. They mainly ported titles developed by others or worked as assistance team. They did make a lot of te Turrican titles. However their greatest success was as main developer on the beloved Star Wars: Rogue Squadron games. The third game is usually less admired, but the first on the N64 and the second on GameCube are fan favorites. The company met their demise following the poorly received PS3 exclusive Lair.
Notable games:
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
Deck13
Still to develope a huge critical success, but have gotten a presence in the industry with action RPGs such as Lords of the Fallen, The Surge and probably their biggest success The Surge 2. Edit: The Company's indie branch also made Chained Echoes, one of the most celebrated tribute games to 16-bit era JRPGs.
Notable game:
Lords of the Fallen
The Surge
The Surge 2
Chained Echoes
Yager Development
Maybe seen more as a one-hit wonder, but what a hit, right? Spec-Ops the Line is often pointed to as one of the great examples of storytelling in games, offering critical commentary on the very genre of games it exists in.
Notable game:
Spec Ops: The Line
Shin'en Multimedia
One of the more acclaimed developers of arcade-style games in recent times. They have made many Shoot 'em ups and indie platformers, but their biggest success is probably the Fast RMX an expanded port of the already acclaimed Wii U title Fast Racing Neo.
Notable game:
Fast RMX
Other titles worth considering:
The Whispered World
Tropico 6
Everspace 2
Giana Sisters series
Desperados 3
Last edited by Vinther1991 - on 21 June 2025
