World Video Game Hall of Fame announces 2024 inductees

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The World Video Game Hall of Fame inductees were announced at the Strong National Museum of Play on Thursday!

This year’s inductees were Asteroids, Myst, Resident Evil, Sim City, Ultima.

The Hall of Fame recognizes games for their longevity, geographic reach, and influence on video game design and pop culture. Inductees are decided by a panel of judges made up of journalists and scholars familiar with the history of video games and their impact on society. A special fan vote also carried some weight this year.

Here is a breakdown of the inductees:

Asteroids

Atari’s Asteroids was first released in 1979 and quickly surpassed Space Invaders as the most popular game in many arcades. It sold more than 70,000 arcade units and became Atair’s bestselling coin-operated game before it was made available in homes on the Atari 2600.

Speaking about Asteroids, Jeremy Saucier who is the assistant vice president for interpretation and electronic games said, “Through endless variants and remakes across dozens of arcade, home, handheld, and mobile platforms, Asteroids made a simple, yet challenging games about blasting rocks into one of the most widely played and influential video games of all time.”

Myst

This game was released by Broderbund in 1993, and became the best-selling computer game in the 1990s, selling more than 6 million copies. Early CD-ROM technology offered high storage capacity but slow loading times that fit the slow-paced, contemplative style of the game.

“Few other games 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,” said Kristy Hisert, collections manager at the Strong Museum.

Resident Evil

Known as Biohazard in Japan, this was the first game to popularize the “survival horror” genre. Created by game director Shinji Mikami and released by Capcom in 1996, Resident Evil inspired a franchise of films that have grossed more than $1.2 billion.

Lindsey Kurano, the video game curator at Strong Museum said, “Resident Evil’s combination of cheesy B-movie dialogue, engrossing gameplay, and chilling suspense made it a favorite of gamers searching for more mature video games, and it helped establish one of gaming’s most enduring franchises.”

SimCity

Released by Maxis in 1989, this game helped expand the audience for video games by offering an urban design simulator that appealed to both children and adults.

Aryol Prater, the research specialist for Black play and culture stated, “Simulations are some of the oldest forms of video games, but few have had the popularity, influence, or staying power of SimCity. At a time when many people thought of video games in terms of arcade shooters or console platformers, SimCity appealed to players who wanted intellectually stimulating fun on their newly bought personal computers.”

Ultima

Ultima, designed by Richard Garriott and released in 1981, is credited with helping to define and inspire the computer role-playing genre.

Andrew Borman, director of digital preservation said, “Ultima helped define the computer role-playing game genre. Although it may not be a household name, the game, and the series it spawned, are legendary among role-playing game fans and game developers around the world.”

Here is a break-down of the other finalists:

Elite

— Elite, developed in Great Britain, pioneered innovative 3D graphics and the idea of open-world games by allowing players to control ships that roamed the galaxy.

Guitar Hero

— Guitar Hero, with its licensed music and social gameplay, has sold more than 25 million units, earning more than $2 billion. It was launched by Harmonix and acquired by Activision.

Metroid

— Nintendo’s Metroid with its protagonist, Samus, gave the gaming industry its first playable human female character in mainstream video games. The franchise has sold more than 20 million units worldwide.

Neopets

— The browser-based, free-to-play Neopets offered a social component that allowed players to chat with each other and form guilds. With 25 million active users at its 2005 peak, it served as a testing ground for cyber safety mechanisms and immersive advertising.

Tokimeki Memorial

— Konami’s Tokimeki Memorial elevated the dating simulator genre, offering a cohesive narrative, colorful graphics, and engaging gameplay.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

— Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, launched by Neversoft/Activision in 1999, led to sequels that have generated about $1.4 billion in sales. The real-life skateboarder Hawk said the game “simultaneously ignited my career and overshadowed it.”.

You Don’t Know Jack

— You Don’t Know Jack reimagined the television game show for the home video game market. Streaming versions of the multiplayer game saw a boost during COVID-19 lockdowns.

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