The World Video Game Hall of Fame recently inducted five games into its prestigious collection: Asteroids, Myst, Resident Evil, SimCity, and Ultima. These games were chosen based on their significant impact on both the video game industry and popular culture, spanning several decades and technological advances while appealing to a diverse range of gamers.
Asteroids, created by Atari in 1979, marked a milestone in gaming history as the company’s top-grossing arcade game. Its success led to numerous variations and releases on various platforms, cementing its position as a beloved classic. According to Jeremy Saucier, Assistant Vice President for Interpretation and Electronic Games at The Strong Museum, where the Hall of Fame is based, “through endless variants and remakes across dozens of arcade, home, handheld, and mobile platforms, Asteroids made a simple, yet challenging game about blasting rocks into one of the most widely played and influential video games of all time.”
Ultima, developed by Richard Garriott and released in 1981, paved the way for the computer role-playing genre. The game inspired eight sequels and has been credited with influencing later titles such as Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. Digital Preservation Director Andrew Borman observed that “at a time when many people thought of video games in terms of arcade shooters or console platformers, Ultima appealed to players who wanted intellectually stimulating fun on their newly bought personal computers.”
SimCity, launched by Maxis in 1989, attracted audiences beyond traditional gamers as it challenged players to construct their cities and respond to issues. Sequels and spin-offs followed, including The Sims, which was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016. Aryol Prater, Research Specialist for Black Play and Culture, remarked that “SimCity’s appeal went beyond children as it presented a sophisticated challenge that appealed to adults as well.”
Myst, released by Broderbund in 1993, sold over six million copies due to its use of early CD-ROM technology, resulting in a level of immersion previously unavailable in computer games. Collections Manager Kristy Hisert described the game as having “few other games that can match Myst’s ability to open imaginative worlds. It was a work of artistic genius that captured the imagination of an entire generation of computer game players, and its influence can be seen in many of today’s open-world games.”
Resident Evil, developed by Capcom in 1996, introduced the survival horror genre through its cheesy B-movie dialogue, engaging gameplay, and spine-chilling suspense. Video Game Curator Lindsey Kurano noted that “Resident Evil’s popularity helped popularize this genre and offered mature entertainment for older teenagers and adults.” The game’s success led to a highly successful movie franchise, generating over $1.2 billion as of 2022.
Nominations for future inductees are accepted via the World Video Game Hall of Fame website, with a selection committee comprising international members submitting their preferred selections from the shortlist. Fan votes are also considered equally, as the public’s input is regarded as a single committee member.
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