Pong, Pac-Man, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., Doom, WoW inducted into Video Game Hall of Fame

By Jason Hahn June 6, 2015

pong pac man tetris super mario bros doom wow inducted into video game hall of fame — Stefano Tinti/Shutterstock

Six video games have the high distinction of being named as inductees to the first class of the World Video Game Hall of Fame: Pong, Pac-Man, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., Doom, and World of Warcraft. These games survived a nearly four-monthslong selection process that whittled down a field of 15 finalists.

The Strong National Museum of Play, based in Rochester, New York, named the inaugural class of World Video Game Hall of Fame inductees on Thursday. While the six finalists span 32 years (Pong was released in 1972, World of Warcraft was released in 2004), “all have significantly affected the video game industry, popular culture, and society in general,” according to the museum.

In late April, the museum announced the 15 finalists for 2015, which means these nine recognizable games didn’t make the cut: Angry Birds, FIFA, The Legend of Zelda, Minecraft, The Oregon Trail, Pokémon, The Sims, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Space Invaders.

Some of the finalists that didn’t make this year’s cut may be included in next year’s group of finalists, a Strong spokesperson told Ars Technica.

The World Video Game Hall of Fame recognizes arcade, console, computer, handheld, and mobile electronic games evaluated on their icon status, longevity, geographical reach, and influence. Nominations for the 2016 class will be accepted through March 31, 2016. Journalists, scholars, and others familiar with the history of video games will have a say in which games are ultimately in the running for next year’s class of inductees.

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Jason Hahn is a part-time freelance writer based in New Jersey. He earned his master's degree in journalism at Northwestern…

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