They're timeless. They're groundbreaking. They inspire us, make us question our standards, and provide a roadmap for the future of development. They are the games that innovate and move the industry forward, and Gamasutra is proud to recognize them with our series of Quantum Leap Awards.

In January 2007, Gamasutra asked its esteemed readership of games industry professionals, educators, and students to vote on the most important multiplayer games of all time, as part of its ongoing Quantum Leap Awards series. Specifically, we asked the following:

Q: Which (non-MMO) video game has made the biggest 'quantum leap' in multiplayer gameplay?

You spoke, and we listened. Because of the wide variety of answers we received, tabulating a top list of award winners was impossible. Here, instead, Gamasutra presents highlights from the responses our readers gave to the above questions.

Battlefield 1942

Battlefield 1942, for allowing and rewarding cooperative teambased play, and integrating it into the tactical gameplay so well. Just say "I need a target for artillery!" and Snipers on your team can whip out their binoculars, giving you thier view of the target. No other multiplayer game lets you really make such use of your teammates.

Logan Bender, Cricket Moon Media

Tribes

Dynamix created the template for both team-based gameplay and "kit selection" that have been iterated on by every multiplayer-focused FPS since its release way back in 1998. Despite having a steep learning curve that scared off more than a few potential players, Tribes still managed to find a strong following that progressed the game to an ultra-competitive artform of teamplay.

Tribes' focus on playing as a team, filling roles, seperating offensive and defensive units, supporting flag carriers, etc, etc. pushed the future of FPS multiplayer gaming from pure deathmatch/"cowboy" gaming to one where squad play and team focus is just as important as "point and click" kills. Tribes represents a significant quantum leap in FPS multiplayer gaming...and sucked away five years of my life!

Nathan Vella, Capybara Games