The 2021 inductions to the World Video Game Hall of Fame have just been announced, and they include classic hits like Animal Crossing and StarCraft. Every year, the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York recognizes four groundbreaking titles from gaming’s past and present for their impact on both the industry and gaming culture in general.
Over the years, a wide range of games has been honored by the Video Game Hall Of Fame, ranging from still-active series like Mortal Kombat and Super Mario Kart to more retro favorites like Tetris and The Oregon Trail. Last year’s inductions consisted of Minecraft, Bejeweled, King’s Quest, and Centipede.
2021’s World Video Game Hall Of Fame inductions were announced yesterday, consisting of Microsoft Flight Simulator, Starcraft, the original Animal Crossing, and the educational PC game Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? According to Kotaku, runners-up included a wide range of nominees such as the original Guitar Hero, Portal, the first Call Of Duty, and even the arcade game adaptation of Tron. These were among thousands of submissions to the Strong National Museum of Play, which decides which titles go into the Hall Of Fame by way of a vote by a committee of industry journalists and scholars following a poll by the general public.
Animal Crossing and Microsoft Flight Simulator have spawned franchises that continue to this day, with last year’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons proving a lasting success on the Nintendo Switch in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current iteration of Microsoft Flight Simulator seeing several mods and updates since its launch in August. Meanwhile, StarCraft set the golden standard for Real-Time strategy games when it was first released in 1998, and Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? spawned several sequels covering different school subjects and various television adaptations - the most recent of which is an animated Netflix series.
The Video Game Hall Of Fame has always honored titles that have made a lasting impact on the industry, and this year’s recent crop of inductees is no different. It seems that the focus this year was on strategy and simulation, genres best personified by the likes of Animal Crossing and Starcraft. As for the great nominees that didn’t make the cut this year, the Strong National Museum of Play will no doubt be ready to introduce a new line of inductees in 2022.
Source: World Video Game Hall of Fame, Kotaku