Top 10 Most Iconic Video Game Posters of All Time (2025 Edition)

Published On: November 22, 2025

Flat lay of iconic video game posters including Final Fantasy VII and Halo on a neon-lit gaming desk, 2025 collectible edition

Gamers use gaming posters and memorabilia to express themselves and feel validated, mainly by how they choose to decorate their surroundings and connect with other gamers. Posters have evolved past promotion, from 1980s Atari’s art to modern movie designs. They capture its feeling, make us feel nostalgic, and often become famous in their own right.

In this 2025 update, game posters are ranked by their cultural impact, creativity, influence, and collectibility. The choices rely on sales data, community voting, art auction results, and critical reviews, highlighting the most original and memorable designs across gaming history.

10. Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)

Artist: Bungie Art Team

The first poster for Halo features Master Chief emerging from a cryopod. He stands on a mysterious ringworld. A vast alien landscape stretches before him. The sky above looks majestic. This image later became the basis for the “hero’s shadow and the vast world” trope.

The perfect blend of mystery and scale makes it iconic.It was introduced at the Xbox launch. Simple, large-scale sci-fi action was promised, a new era of gaming. Master Chief’s glowing visor, while revealing his face, allowed players to see themselves in him. This is what made it so familiar. Gears of War and Destiny, among others, show its influence on later game posters. Today, even vintage standees of it sell for a fortune at auction.

9. BioShock (2007)

Artist: Irrational Games Art Team

Few posters become as iconic as BioShock’s. In the foreground is a towering Big Daddy, in a brass diving suit. His little sister stands beside him. The shattered skyline of Rapture is visible in the background. The entire scene combines fear, power, and mystery. The tagline gives it deeper meaning: “A man chooses; a slave obeys.”

BioShock poster came at a time when “art games” were booming. It didn’t embrace surrealism, instead blending the Art Deco style with body horror. Big Daddy’s figure became a Darth Vader-like icon in gaming. His image found its way into cosplay, tattoos, and academic discussions. This poster proved that games could also offer insightful commentary on art.

8. Grand Theft Auto

Artist: Rockstar Games

Rockstar’s grid-style collage first appeared in Vice City. It was a bright, neon-filled blend of 1980s Miami. Scarface-inspired imagery, flamingos, and Tommy Vercetti stood amidst pastel buildings. The entire poster felt like a pulse of the era.

Rockstar’s entire visual identity is embodied in this poster. Every GTA game since then was influenced by it. Its unique quality stemmed from its pop-art style, which celebrated album art and movies. Vice City’s art openly showcased its satire and excess, which is why limited edition prints always sold out quickly.

7. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)

Artist: Nintendo

Link rides Epona in the morning light. Ganondorf’s shadow is visible on the distant horizon. The poster clearly indicates that the game has now entered a 3D world. The gold-foil cartridge was unique in itself. The poster echoes that with a shiny metallic touch.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998)

Ocarina’s art shows how Nintendo has grown. From childlike cartoons, it’s moved straight to epic fantasy. Open-world design was revolutionized by the game. Even today, it’s still a perfect example of marketing that creates a “sense of wonder.”The poster’s emptiness speaks to its huge size, long before Breath of the Wild.

6. Doom (1993)

Artist: Don Ivan Punchatz

The box art for the original Doom is still memorable. Doomguy stands on Mars, surrounded by demons, fending them off with a shotgun. This image became one of the most copied in gaming history.

Punchatz, the Magic: The Gathering artist, is the creator of this oil-painted poster. Even before the game launched, it became a symbol of “hellish action.” Even metal album covers were changed by its raw intensity. It became the poster child for PC gaming’s rebellious style. The 2016 Doom reboot’s reversible cover was a direct tribute, showing its lasting impact.

5. Metal Gear Solid (1998)

Artist: Yoji Shinkawa

Only white color in the background. Solid Snake is centrally positioned, in a forward stance. Shinkawa’s ink-wash style makes his work more intense. This poster brought a fresh perspective to character-focused art.

Shinkawa’s art added a fashionable aesthetic to the military theme. The poster features no explosions, no other characters. The focus is solely on Snake. It’s a direct reflection of Kojima’s cinematic visions. This style ushered in a new era in Japanese illustration and remains Konami’s most famous promo piece to this day.

4. Super Mario Bros. (1985)

Artist: Shigeru Miyamoto

Mario is seen leaping through the air. The Mushroom Kingdom stretches out behind him. Bowser, defeated, appears to be lying in the distance. The poster is simple, but its impact was revolutionary.

It was gaming’s first true global icon. The poster’s bright primary colors immediately drew the eye. Its fluid construction sold the concept, predating platforming. It established Nintendo’s visual style. Museums, design shows, and fashion collaborations all featured its now-famous identity.

3. The Last of Us (2013)

Artist: Naughty Dog Art Team

Joel and Ellie are seen walking away from a devastated Boston. The calming effect comes from the teal-orange colors on the poster. Only these two people matter. It quietly avoids the zombie-horde stereotype.

Post-apocalyptic imagery had become commonplace. But The Last of Us distinguished itself with emotion. The poster’s calm tone reveals its heart. It proved that games could also tell deep, mature stories. Many survival games today follow this path.

2. Mega Man 2

Artist: Marc Ericksen

The “Bad Mega Man” poster was originally intended to be a joke. Mega Man is holding a pistol, not an arm cannon. The body design is also incorrect. However, time has changed it. Now it has become a beloved poster among fans.

This poster started out as a quick sketch. But its unconventional style became its distinctive trait. It gave rise to the initial prominent meme in gaming. Later, you could find it on shirts, in documentaries, and within Capcom’s anniversary collections. It shows how strange yet interesting the early Western localizations were.

1. Final Fantasy VII (1997)

Artist: Tetsuya Nomura

Cloud is standing solo in front of Midgar in the poster, with the city lights behind him. The Buster Sword is planted on the ground. This image remains one of gaming’s most iconic.

FFVII’s art made it clear that the world was changing—from 2D to 3D, and from medieval fantasy to cyberpunk. Cloud’s spiky hair and his fierce presence became the hallmark of a generation. Anime, music videos, and fashion were influenced by the poster, along with games. By mimicking the style, the remake showed the original was already flawless. No other poster defined the PlayStation era so completely.

These posters remind us that great games often begin with great art. In 2025, as physical media becomes increasingly rare, their cultural value only grows. Which poster defined your gaming journey? Share in the comments below.