Jonathan S. Harbour of the University of Advancing Technology argues that Tomb Raider (1996) by Eidos Interactive (now Square Enix Europe) is "largely responsible for the popularity of this genre".
Hell, Max Payne was definitely more popular, and it came out in 2001.
Well you are right but I'm talking about the style and feel that one of those earlier pivot resident evils created. It plays the same as gears of war and all other cover shooters that followed. Sure third person existed but everything today plays in a way that series established.
yeah it was such an improvement so instantly adopted that people forget 3rd person shooters used to put your character right in the middle before that.