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ROCHESTER, New York—Which video games will make it into the World Video Game Hall of Fame this May? Will Guitar Hero rock the competition? Is Elite a cut above the rest? Will Resident Evil scare up a win? Can Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater roll through the contenders?
The Strong’s World Video Game Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York, today announced the 12 finalists for induction: Asteroids, Elite, Guitar Hero, Metroid, Myst, Neopets, Resident Evil, SimCity, Tokimeki Memorial, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Ultima, and You Don’t Know Jack.
“The finalists this year have the honor of competing to be in the 10th class of inductees to the World Video Game Hall of Fame,” says Jon-Paul C. Dyson, director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games. “Even 10 years in, there’s no shortage of deserving contenders that have had enormous influence on pop culture or the game industry itself. These games span decades. Asteroids is an icon of the late 70s arcade. Myst showed the potential of CD-ROM technology in the 90s. Neopets became a staple of browser-based, free games as we entered the 2000s. And Guitar Hero, which is less than 20 years old, has already proven its staying power.”
The World Video Game Hall of Fame received thousands of nominations for consideration for the 2024 class. Fans may vote for their favorite finalists from March 14 to March 21 as part of a “Player’s Choice” ballot at worldvideogamehalloffame.org. The three games that receive the most public votes will form one ballot and will join the other ballots submitted by members of the International Selection Advisory Committee, which is made up of journalists and scholars familiar with the history of video games and their role in society. (The public, collectively, will have the weight of one judge.) The final inductees will be announced in an onsite ceremony in the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s new home—part of the ESL Digital Worlds exhibits at The Strong—on Thursday, May 9, at 10:30 a.m.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame recognizes electronic games that meet 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; and 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.
Anyone can nominate a game to the World Video Game Hall of Fame and view past inductees at worldvideogamehallofame.org.
About the World Video Game Hall of Fame
Established in 2015, the World Video Game Hall of Fame at The Strong 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.
About The Strong®
The Strong is a highly interactive, collections-based museum devoted to the history and exploration of play. It is one of the largest history museums in the United States and one of the leading museums serving families. The Strong houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of historical materials related to play generally and video games in particular and is home to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the World Video Game Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the National Archives of Game Show History, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play. Together, these enable a multifaceted array of research, exhibition, and other interpretive and educational activities that serve a diverse audience of adults, families, children, students, teachers, scholars, collectors, and others around the globe.