Strong National Museum of Play also inducts Angry Birds, FIFA International Soccer
The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York announced the 2026 inductees to its Video Game Hall of Fame on Thursday, This year’s inductees include Dragon Quest (1986), Silent Hill (1999), Angry Birds (2009), and FIFA International Soccer (1993).
Image via Strong Museum’s X/Twitter account
© Square Enix, 2026 The Strong.
The Strong launched the World Video Game Hall of Fame in 2015. The hall’s inaugural class of games were Pong (1972), Pac-Man (1980), Tetris (1984), Super Mario Bros. (1985), Doom (1993), and World of Warcraft (2004).
In 2016, The Strong inducted The Legend of Zelda (1986), Sonic the Hedgehog (1991), Space Invaders (1978), Grand Theft Auto III (2001), The Oregon Trail (1971), and The Sims (2000).
In 2017, the inductees included: Donkey Kong (1981), Halo: Combat Evolved (2001), Pokémon Red and Green (1996), and Street Fighter II (1991).
In 2018, the inductees included: Spacewar! (1962), John Madden Football (1990), Tomb Raider (1996), and Final Fantasy VII (1997).
In 2019, the inductees included: Colossal Cave Adventure (1976) Microsoft Windows Solitaire (1990), Mortal Kombat (1992), and Super Mario Kart (1992).
The Strong nominated 12 candidates in 2020, out of which the inductees included Bejeweled (2001), Centipede (1981), King’s Quest (1980), and Minecraft (2011).
In 2021, The Strong inducted Animal Crossing (2001), Microsoft Flight Simulator (1982), StarCraft (1998), and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (1985).
In 2022, the Strong inducted: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998), Ms. Pac-Man (1982), Dance Dance Revolution (1998), and Sid Meier’s Civilization (1991).
In 2023, the Strong inducted: Wii Sports (2006), Barbie Fashion Designer (1996), Computer Space (1971), and The Last of Us (2013).
In 2024, the Strong inducted Resident Evil (1996), Ultima (1981), Sim City (1989), Myst (1993), and Asteroids (1979).
In 2025, the Strong inducted Tamagotchi! (1996), Defender (1981), Goldeneye 007 (1997), and Quake (1996).
The museum describes the selection process:
Anyone may nominate a game to the World Video Game Hall of Fame. Final selections are made on the advice of journalists, scholars, and other individuals familiar with the history of video games and their role in society.
The public can vote on any one of the candidates, with the public collectively acting as one member of the voting committee.
The museum’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games is hosting a permanent display of the Hall of Fame honorees in its eGameRevolution exhibit. The museum also houses the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play.
Sources: Strong Museum of Play, Square Enix
