begins here: https://bsky.app/profile/kylleran.bsky.social/post/3mojibziqos2e
1974
Dungeons and Dragons by TSR
1975
Empire of the Petal Throne - M.A.R. Baker and TSR
Boot Hill - TSR
Tunnels and Trolls - Flying Buffalo
1976
Bunnies and Burrows - Fantasy Games Unlimited
1977
Traveller - GDW
1978
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons - TSR
Gamma World - TSR
Rune Quest - The Chaosium
1979
Adventures in Fantasy - Excalibre Games
Villains and Vigilantes - Fantasy Games Unlimited
1980
Basic Role-playing - Chaosium
Top Secret - TSR
1981
Call of Cthulhu - Chaosium
Champions - Hero Games
1982
Star Frontiers - TSR
Rolemaster - Iron Crown Enterprises
Star Trek: The Role Playing Game - FASA
1983
Warhammer - Games Workshop
1984
The Adventures of Indiana Jones - TSR
Das Schwarze Auge - Schmitt Spiel und Freizeit GmbH
Elfquest - Chaosium
Marvel Super Heroes - TSR
Middle-earth Role Playing (MERP) - Iron Crown Enterprises
Paranoia - West End Games
Toon - Steve Jackson Games
Twilight: 2000 - GDW
1985
Pendragon - Chaosium
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Palladium
1986
2300 AD - GDW
Ghostbusters - TSR
GURPS - Steve Jackson Games (SJG)
Harnmaster - Columbia Games
MechWarrior - FASA
1987
Ars Magica - White Wolf
Star Wars - West End Games (WEG)
Talislanta - Bard Games
1988
Cyberpunk 2013 - R. Talsorian Games
Macho Women with Guns - Blacksburg Technical Research Center
Space: 1889 - GDW
1989
Prince Valiant: The Story Telling Game - Chaosium
Shadowrun - FASA
1990 - so this is where things might be a bit squirrely as these are games that *I* remember being influential, but maybe they weren't?
Buck Rodgers XXVC - TSR
Hero System - Hero Games
RIFTS - Palladium
Torg - West End
1991
Amber Diceless - Guardians of Order
Kult - Aventyrsspel/Target Games
Tales from the Floating Vagabond - Avalon Hill
Dark Conspiracy - GDW
Vampire: TM - White Wolf
The World of Synnibarr - Wonderworld
1992
Dangerous Journeys - GDW
Fudge - Grey Ghost Press
Nephilim - Multisim (original French version, later Chaosium)
Over the Edge - Atlas Games
Werewolf: TA - White Wolf
1993
Amazing Engine - TSR
Earthdawn - FASA
Mage: TA - White Wolf
SLA Industries - Nightfall Games
1994
Castle Falkenstein - R. Talsorian
Human Occupied Landfill (HOL) - Dirt Merchant Games
Wraith: TO - White Wolf
1995
Changeling: TD - White Wolf
Heavy Gear - Dream Pod 9
1996
CJ Carella's WitchCraft - Eden Studios
Deadlands - Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Fading Suns - Ulisses Spiel
Feng Shui - Daedalus Entertainment
1997
Aeon/Trinity - White Wolf
Big Eyes, Small Mouth - Guardians of Order
Blue Planet - Biohazard Games
In Nomine - Steve Jackson Games
Legend of the Five Rings - Alderac Entertainment Group
1998
Alternity - TSR
Delta Green - Pagan Publishing
The Extraordinary Adventures of Baron Munchausen - Hogshead Publishing
Unknown Armies - Atlas Games
1999
7th Sea - AEG
Aberrant - White Wolf
All Flesh Must Be Eaten - Eden
Hunter: TR - White Wolf
Nobilis - Pharos Press
2000
Hero Wars/HeroQuest - Issaries, Inc.
Orkworld - Wicked Press
Star Wars Roleplaying Game (SWd20) - Wizards of the Coast
2001
After the Bomb - Palladium
Exalted - White Wolf
Godlike - Pagan Publishing
Hackmaster - Kenzer & Co.
Little Fears - Key20
2002
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Eden
The Burning Wheel - Luke Crane
Cartoon Action Hour - Spectrum Games
D20 Modern - Wizards of the Coast
Mutants and Masterminds - Green Ronin
Spycraft - AEG
Oh shit, how did I forget Transhuman Space by Steve Jackson Games.
2003
D6 Adventures - WEG
FATAL - Fatal Games
FATE - Evil Hat
Savage Worlds - Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Tri-stat dX - Guardians of Order
Unisystem - Eden
Also, don't @ me about FATAL. It's on the list not because it's good, but because it is notable/notorious.
2004
Dogs in the Vineyard - Lumply Games
Castles & Crusades - Troll Lord Games
Paranoia XP - WEG
Primetime Adventures - Dog Eared Designs
2005
Blue Rose - Green Ronin
Dread - The Impossible Dream
A Game of Thrones - Guardians of Order
True20 - Green Ronin
World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game - Sword and Sorcery Studios
2006
Don't Rest Your Head - Evil Hat
OSRIC - Knights and Knaves
Spirit of the Century - Evil Hat
2007
The Esoterrorists - Pelgrane Press
Scion - Onyx Path
Star Wars SAGA Edition - Wizards of the Coast
2008
Mouse Guard Roleplaying Game - Archaia Studios Press
Trail of Cthulhu - Pelgrane Press
Dark Heresy - Fantasy Flight
Shock: Social Science Fiction - the glyphpress
2009
Fiasco - Bully Pulpit Games
Lady Blackbird - John Harper
Pathfinder - Paizo Press
Rogue Trader - Fantasy Flight
2010
Apocalypse World - Lumply Games
The Dresden Files - Evil Hat
Lamentations of the Flame Princess - James Edward Raggi IV
Stars Without Number - Sine Nomine Publishing
2011
Microscope - Lame Mage Productions
The One Ring Roleplaying Game - Cubicle 7
Happy Birthday Robot - Evil Hat
2012
Dungeon Crawl Classics - Goodman Games
Dungeon World - Sage Kobold Productions
Monster of the Week - Evil Hat
Night’s Black Agents - Pelgrane Press
Star Wars Roleplaying Game - Fantasy Flight
Wolsung - Kuznia Gier
2013
13th Age - Pelgrane Press
Numenera - Monte Cook Games
Ok, so this is around the time that I stopped attending Gencon and Origins every year due to my other career and family stuff so from about here to 2020 is really shaky so suggestions are appreciated.