Finalists Announced for the World Video Game Hall of Fame

The Strong has announced the finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame.

In June of 2015, The Strong National Museum of Play inducted its inaugural class in its newly established World Video Game Hall of Fame. The games inducted were Pong, Pac-Man, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., DOOM, and World of Warcraft.

Today, The Strong announced a new batch of finalists to be considered for induction, including some snubs from last year. The Legend of Zelda, Minecraft, The Oregon Trail, Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Invaders, The Sims and Pokemon Red and Green are once again vying for a spot on the list, alongside Elite, Final Fantasy, Grand Theft Auto III, John Madden Football, Nurburgring, Sid Meier’s Civilization, Street Fighter II, and Tomb Raider.

Nominations were accepted through February 29, and games were considered based on the following criteria:

Icon-status – the game is widely recognized and remembered
Longevity – the game is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over time
Geographical reach – the game meets the above criteria across international boundaries
Influence – the game has exerted significant influence on the design and development of other games, on other forms of entertainment, or on popular culture and society in general.

“These 15 World Video Game Hall of Fame finalists span decades, gaming platforms, and countries of origin-but what they all have in common is their undeniable impact on the world of gaming and popular culture,” says Jon-Paul C. Dyson, director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games. “Whether it’s an iconic game like The Legend of Zelda, a pioneering educational title like The Oregon Trail, or an innovator like Elite, which forever changed the design and development of other games, they’re among the most influential games of all time.”

The inductees will be announced during a ceremony on Thursday, May 5, and will be selected by a special advisory committee.