Video Game Hall Of Fame Announces Its First Class

The first entries in the Video Game Hall of Fame have been announced, including six of the most influential pieces of virtual entertainment to ever keep players glued to the screen.

A total of six games have been selected as the inaugural class for the Video Game Hall of Fame, including Pong, Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros., Tetris, Doom and World of Warcraft. That’s a pretty varied list, including a little something from just about every corner of the gaming world.

Honestly, I’d hate to be the guy who had to make a selection for something like this. We’re talking about decades’ worth of games, covering a huge variety of genres and play types, all boiled down to a handful to be considered some of the most important titles to date.

That’s why the International Center for the History of Electronic Games decided to open it up to the masses, letting folks vote on which titles they felt belonged in the first batch of Hall of Fame entries. We reported last month that the field had been narrowed down to just 15 games, including everything from Halo and FIFA to Space Invaders, The Oregon Trail, Pokemon and The Sims.

Those games I just listed didn’t make the final cut, but they should serve as a nice refresher for the quality of candidates. Each one could be added to the final list and I wouldn’t have an argument against it. These titles turned a lot of folks into lifelong gamers, as well as paved the way to the world of gaming we live in today. I wouldn’t be surprised to see all of those titles added to the Hall of Fame Roster in the coming years but, for now, we’ve got a total of six making up the introductory lineup.

Jon-Paul Dyson, Director of the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, made the announcement official earlier today, welcoming the likes of Pac-Man, Mario and L-shaped blocks to the exclusive club.

“All of these games stand out because, in addition to being great games, they have transcended the world of gaming to impact our wider culture,” said Dyson. “Games become eligible for the World Video Game Hall of Fame by meeting four basic criteria. They’re iconic, have longevity, reach across international boundaries, and exert influence on the design and development of other games, on other forms of entertainment, or on popular culture and society. Each member of the first class of inductees meets these criteria, and together the six trace the tremendous growth in the development and impact of video gaming.”

Dyson hits the nail on the head here. Gaming wouldn’t be what it is today without these six titles. Even if you haven’t played any of these games, you’re probably well aware of what they are and what they’ve meant to the industry, demonstrating the kind of cultural penetration each game has to offer.

So, now that the first class has been announced, which game would you like to see added during the next induction?