The 2018 inductees into the Video Game Hall of Fame have been decided. As of May 3rd Spacewar!, John Madden Football, Tomb Raider, and Final Fantasy 7 have joined the hall of fame. Each game had its own unique reason for being on the list of finalists but they have all made their impact on video game history. One changed the way we look at sports-themed games, another changed the way we look at female characters, another gave us a villain that will never be forgotten, and one may have kick-started the entire industry. Each one of these games deserves their place in the hall of fame but there are many more out there that deserve it as well. As it turns out you can help decide what games get inducted next year. The only requirements are that the games must have had a significant impact on the industry and proven their popularity over time.
How games are selected
A video game of any type can be nominated, arcade, console, mobile, computer, or even handhelds. This year thousands of nominations came from all over the globe resulting in 12 finalists. Once finalists are determined 27 members of an international advisory committee vote for the winners. In addition, the public is also allowed to vote for their favorites in a public vote. The top three games in the public vote receive an additional committee level vote. In the end, there are 30 votes cast at the committee level that determine the winners.
There are now 20 games in the hall of fame. It got started in 2015 and in the first two years, they added six games. However, in 2017 and 2018 they only added four. At this point, it’s hard to say if that will be the future standard or if they will go back to six games a year.
Past inductees include: World of Warcraft, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., Doom, Pong, Pac-Man, The Oregon Trail, The Legend of Zelda, Space Invaders, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Sims, Grand Theft Auto 3, Street Fighter 2, Pokemon Red and Green, Halo: Combat Evolved, and Donkey Kong.
The infographic below has more information on the inductees for 2018 and what makes them a special part of video game history.
To learn more visit the hall of fame website.
