Top 10 Moments of the Decade

The decade's definitive events.

With 2010 fast approaching, it's time to cast our mind back and reflect on what's been a tumultuous decade for gaming. We've seen scandal, high sales, sex, and more drama than in your average episode of Hollyoaks. But what were the most important moments of the decade? What events shocked and stunned and sent gamers screaming to YouTube? What earth shattering revelations will never be forgotten? Here, in a special VideoGamer.com's Top 10, we tell you, with a run-down of the defining events from the last ten years.

10. Manhunt blamed for teenage murder - 2004

In July 2004, UK stores removed Rockstar's 18-rated kill-em-up Manhunt from their shelves after the parents of murdered schoolboy Stefan Pakeerah blamed the game for their son's death. The media, predictably, latched on to the decision, whipping up an anti-video game storm riddled with misunderstanding and factual inaccuracies. Dissenting voices tried desperately to be heard above the din of moral panic, but the damage had been done. Britain's condemning eyes were fixed on video gaming, and game ratings were to be the subject of constant scrutiny for the remainder of the decade. As for Manhunt, it became the most in-demand game of the time. There 'aint nothing more attractive than a thing you can't have.

9. PS3 CGI-gate - E3 2005

With Uncharted 2 and Killzone 2 currently re-writing the graphics rulebook, no-one doubts the power of the PS3. But back in 2005, following the console's controversial unveiling at the E3 tradeshow, there were more than a few sceptics. The furore revolved around now infamous video footage of Guerrilla Games' Killzone 2 and Evolution Studios' MotorStorm. The videos were stunning - almost impossibly so - and the internet cried foul. "That's CGI!" they claimed. "That's false." Was it in-game or not? In 2008 Guerrilla described the video as a "target render of what we thought would be possible on the PS3". In the same year, Evolution described the MotorStorm video as a "test render". Whatever the truth, gamers are more sceptical now then they've ever been.