Hall of Fame candidates
The Strong Museum has announced the 12 nominees for induction into the World Video Game Hall of Fame.
The list includes titles nominated in previous years, including Angry Birds, along with a number of first-time finalists. Some of these include Silent Hill, Mega Man, and League of Legends.
The nominations are based in part on submissions from fans, and while an official jury will decide 2026’s inductees, fans will get a final say in the “Player’s Choice” category.
The three games that get the most votes will make up one ballot and will join the other ballots from members of the International Selection Advisory Committee. This is a group of people made up of journalists and scholars from across the globe.
The 2026 inductees to the World Video Game Hall of Fame will be announced on Thursday, May 7.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame was launched in 2015. Some of the Hall of Famers so far include Tetris, Doom, Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros., and The Sims. They’re judged based on four main categories: “icon status,” “longevity,” “geographical reach,” and “influence.”
Angry Birds
Finnish developer Rovio’s Angry Birds was first released in 2009 and became a worldwide hit, achieving billions of downloads. Sonic studio Sega bought Rovio and the Angry Birds IP in 2023.
Dragon Quest
Chunsoft’s 1986 RPG Dragon Quest is also nominated this year. The game is known for its story and music, and for helping influence other games that came later, including Final Fantasy.
FIFA International Soccer:
FIFA International Soccer was first released in 1993, and while there were soccer/football games before it, this one broke out like no other. EA Sports later ended its relationship with FIFA, but the series lives on today in the form of EA Sports FC.
Image credit: The Strong Museum.
