World Video Game Hall of Fame Announces 2025 Inductees
The World Video Game Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play has announced its 2025 inductees, with Defender, GoldenEye 007, Quake, and Tamagotchi joining the prestigious list. These four games have significantly influenced popular culture and the video game industry, and were selected from a field of finalists that included Age of Empires, Angry Birds, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Frogger, Golden Tee, Harvest Moon, Mattel Football, and NBA 2K.
According to Jeremy Saucier, assistant vice president for interpretation and electronic games at The Strong National Museum of Play, Defender, which was released by Williams Electronics in 1981, "proved that players would embrace more complex and challenging games in the arcade." The game’s intense gameplay and complicated control scheme helped create a new market for more difficult games, and it sold more than 55,000 units, making it a bestseller. Saucier notes that Defender "paved the way for richer video game possibilities for developers and players alike."
GoldenEye 007, which was released in 1997 for the Nintendo 64 console, is another game that has had a lasting impact on the industry. The first-person shooter, based on author Ian Fleming’s iconic British superspy James Bond, was lauded for its in-depth story and immersive gameplay, and its highly popular four-person multiplayer mode influenced many multiplayer games that followed. Andrew Borman, director of digital preservation at The Strong National Museum of Play, notes that GoldenEye 007 "is still considered one of the best multiplayer experiences ever produced on a Nintendo system," and its impact can be felt in nearly all console FPS games that followed, including Microsoft’s epic Halo franchise.
Tamagotchi, which was launched in 1996, bridged the gap between toys and video games, allowing players to nurture and raise a digital pet. The game’s popularity spurred the pet simulation genre, yielding popular games such as Neopets and Nintendogs. Kristy Hisert, collections manager at The Strong National Museum of Play, notes that Tamagotchi "offered a distinct form of play that differed from popular video game electronics of the time," providing players with feelings of connection, caring, and customization.
Quake, which was released in 1996, was a revolutionary game that shook up the gaming world with its 3-D engine and multiplayer mode. The game’s code has been linked to dozens of other games and continues to be used in some modern games nearly 30 years after its release. Lindsey Kurano, electronic games curator at The Strong National Museum of Play, notes that Quake’s legacy lives on in its atmospheric single-player campaign, its influence in how online games are played, and its active modding community.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play was established in 2015 to recognize individual electronic games of all types that have enjoyed popularity over a sustained period and have exerted influence on the video game industry or on popular culture and society in general. The inductees were announced at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, on May 8, 2025, and are on permanent view on the museum’s second floor in ESL Digital Worlds: High Score.
As reported by VentureBeat, the selection process for the World Video Game Hall of Fame involves nominations from the public, followed by a selection committee that includes journalists, scholars, and other individuals familiar with the history of video games and their role in society. This year’s candidates also included Age of Empires, Angry Birds, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Frogger, Golden Tee, Harvest Moon, Mattel Football, and NBA 2K.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame’s recognition of Defender, GoldenEye 007, Quake, and Tamagotchi serves as a testament to the significant impact these games have had on the video game industry and popular culture. As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it is clear that these games will remain an important part of gaming history.
The Strong National Museum of Play’s World Video Game Hall of Fame is a leading authority on the history of video games, and its annual inductees are a reflection of the games that have had a lasting impact on the industry. The museum’s collection includes a vast array of video games, as well as other interactive exhibits that showcase the history of play.
For more information on the World Video Game Hall of Fame and its inductees, visit The Strong National Museum of Play’s website.
The World Video Game Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play continues to provide a valuable resource for gamers and non-gamers alike, highlighting the importance of video games as a significant part of our cultural heritage. As noted by VentureBeat, "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."
