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Back in the '90s, Wing Commander: Privateer made me realize what kind of games I like

    I think I've subconsciously judged almost every game since 1993 on how well it can capture how Wing Commander: Privateer gave me the feeling.

    Steam and PlayStation (the two platforms I use most) have created an annual wrapper in recent years, similar to the wildly popular Spotify Wrapped. Based on this, I can report that my most played games in 2025, from most hours down:

    1. No one's heaven
    2. Civilization VII
    3. Assassin's Creed Shadows
    4. The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion remastered
    5. The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
    6. The Elder Scrolls III Morrowind
    7. World of Warcraft
    8. Meridian 59
    9. Corrupted Grail: Fall of Avalon
    10. Unreal tournament

    With the exception of Civilization VII And Unreal tournamentEach of these games is a kind of open-world experience that's all about immersing yourself in a far-away land (or galaxy).

    I like what I like, and my knowing that that's what I like, started in the early 1990s Wing Commander: Privateer.

    Hijacker has taught me that I enjoy games that offer space to live out the fictional life I create for myself much more than games that take me through a written story and a series of carefully designed challenges.

    Yes, it has a story and story missions, but that's hardly the point, partly because they're not really that good. The exciting part of this game is exploring new systems, seeing the beautiful CG artwork for their settlements, learning the capabilities of your ships and slowly upgrading them, and gaining mastery of the pseudo-simulated economy.

    A ship landed in a spaceport

    These CG-rendered planet backgrounds captured my imagination in the 1990s, and they still do, although nostalgia probably plays a role.


    Credit: GOG

    The story that matters Hijacker is the story I tell myself in my head. To this day, the games I love most offer at least a taste of that experience.

    Hijacker's far-reaching (and drama-laden) legacy

    To say that this game influenced later titles would be an understatement, but of course we have to acknowledge that this formula originally became popular in 1984. Elite. Hijacker just married that formula Wing Commander's universe and flight mechanics, with a much more handcrafted setting. However, that attitude is crucial. I like the original Eliteand this certainly wasn't the case in the mid-80s, but today it plays like a tech demo for what's to come.