Finalists for the 2019 World Video Game Hall of Fame Unveiled

The World Video Game Hall of Fame that is based in Rochester, New York, scanned and deliberated thousands of nominations for the Hall of Fame Class of 2019 before announcing its final 12. See the …

The World Video Game Hall of Fame that is based in Rochester, New York, scanned and deliberated thousands of nominations for the Hall of Fame Class of 2019 before announcing its final 12.

See the list below:

  • Candy Crush
  • Centipede
  • Colossal Cave Adventure
  • Dance Dance Revolution
  • Half-Life
  • Microsoft Windows Solitaire
  • Mortal Kombat
  • Myst
  • NBA 2K
  • Sid Meier’s Civilization
  • Super Mario Kart
  • Super Smash Bros. Melee

Gaming Immortalized

Games who will make it to top three will form one ballot and will accompany the 27 other ballots presented by members of the International Selection Advisory Committee. The Committee itself is composed of journalists and scholars who are well versed with history and records of video games and their role in our society and culture.

The World Video Game Hall of Fame that is based at The Strong Museum in Rochester acknowledges individual electronic games of all types, such as arcade, console, computer, hand-held, and mobile. Those, honored with winning a spot in the hall, have left a legacy in the video game industry or pop culture.

Last year, John Madden Football, Spacewar!, Tomb Raider, and Final Fantasy VII were inducted. The Class of 2019 will be the fifth batch to go into the hall since its inception in 2015.

Gaming Industry: A Colossus

Newzoo analysts assessed the video game industry at nearly $140 billion in 2018, with more than 2.3 billion active gamers. The numbers overshadowed the $43.4 billion in profits produced by the American film industry.

The 12 Hall of Fame finalists span decades, gaming platforms, and countries of origin but all have had an impact, Jon-Paul Dyson, director of The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games, said in an NY Times news release.

“Whether it’s a true pioneer like ‘Colossal Cave Adventure,’ a mobile gaming phenomenon like ‘Candy Crush’ that’s been played by hundreds of millions, or a game like ‘Mortal Kombat’ that pushed boundaries and changed the landscape of the gaming industry,” Dyson said, “they’re among the most influential games of all time.”

Cast Your Votes

Video game fans around the world can vote for their favorite contenders between March 21 and March 28 as part of a “Player’s Choice”, click here to show your support. The World Video Game Hall of Fame inductees for 2019 will be proclaimed through a special ceremony at The Strong museum on May 2nd at 10:30 AM ET.

Tracy has been working for RealGear since the first day it went online. She reads every e-sports related newspaper and website. She is a huge Twitch.tv fan and a gamer with a soft spot for Lineage 2, WoW, and Guild Wars 1 and 2. She says she does not suffer from PvP insanity, she enjoys every minute of it. Tracy defines herself as a person who’d spend two hours customizing a character rather than indulging in an activity that would not be as nearly rewarding as playing games and testing hardware.

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