World Video Game Hall of Fame announces new inductees

World Video Game Hall of Fame's Class of '25

On Thursday, the Strong National Museum of Play tapped four classic games to join its World Video Game Hall of Fame.

Like others before it, the organization’s Class of 2025 comprises enduring electronic games that have impacted both the cultural zeitgeist and the state of gaming as a whole.

Four starkly different games are on this year’s honoree list, but each one is an all-timer in its own right.

The new (albeit retro) inductees are:

Tamagotchi, the 1990s handheld pet simulator that served as a family-friendly junction between more traditional toys and gaming.

Defender, Williams Electronics’ 1981 challenging (and, yes, sometimes maddening) arcade scrolling shooter.

Goldeneye 007, Rare and Nintendo’s 1997 first-person shooter based on the 1995 James Bond flick GoldenEye.

Quake, Id Software’s revolutionary and gritty three-dimensional first-person shooter, released in 1996.

The four winners were chosen from a dozen finalists, which included FroggerGolden TeeHarvest Moon, and other heavy-hitters.

The Strong’s World Video Game Hall of Fame, based in Rochester, New York, launched in 2015. The exhibit is a permanent fixture in The Strong National Museum of Play’s “ESL Digital Worlds: High Score” exhibit.

Every year, the Hall of Fame “recognizes individual electronic games of all types—arcade, console, computer, handheld, and mobile—that have enjoyed popularity over a sustained period and have exerted influence on the video game industry or on popular culture and society in general.”

Staff with the International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG) identify impactful games that meet four distinct criteria: Icon Status, Longevity, Geographical Reach, and Influence. Once the team selects nominees, each individual in a panel of experts picks their top three titles. The panel’s votes are then tabulated, resulting in the winners. Additionally, the museum issues a public poll, the results of which act as one collective voter submission. Members of the public can also nominate their favorite titles for consideration.

This year’s foursome joins last year’s five honorees: UltimaSimCityResident EvilMyst, and Asteroids.

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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.

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