Dragon Quest and Silent Hill Among Newest Inductees to the World Video Game Hall of Fame
Angry Birds, Dragon Quest, FIFA International Soccer, and Silent Hill have officially joined the ranks of the World Video Game Hall of Fame at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. The 2026 inductees triumphed over a strong lineup of finalists, including Frogger, Galaga, League of Legends, Mega Man, PaRappa the Rapper, RuneScape, Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, and Tokimeki Memorial.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Dragon Quest series, which is often hailed as the cornerstone of Japanese role-playing games, celebrated for its engaging stories, memorable music, and a sense of grand adventure. Lindsey Kurano, the electronic games curator at The Strong, noted, “It would be difficult to imagine modern role-playing games without Dragon Quest. While its popularity has always been stronger in Japan, its impact on the gaming industry and other iconic RPGs is undeniable.”
Since its launch in 2009, Angry Birds has introduced millions to the world of touch-based mobile gaming during the smartphone revolution. Ben Mattes, the creative officer for Angry Birds, remarked, “What started as a game with incredibly simple mechanics and instantly recognizable designs has conquered transmedia categories far beyond its origins. Being inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame means we are standing shoulder to shoulder with the very greatest in gaming. This is a truly special recognition for us, and we’re deeply honored.”
Konami’s Silent Hill transformed the horror genre in 1999 with its innovative 3D graphics, dynamic camera angles, and psychological storytelling. The series has experienced a resurgence recently, thanks to the success of Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake and Konami’s upcoming Silent Hill f. Andrew Borman, director of digital preservation at The Strong, stated, “More than its clear commercial success, Silent Hill’s significance lies in how it pushed the horror genre into new psychological territories that engaged players’ emotions as much as their reflexes.”
The FIFA series from EA Sports stands as the most popular sports game franchise ever, with over 325 million units sold globally since the launch of FIFA International Soccer in 1993. Jeremy Saucier, The Strong’s vice president for interpretation and electronic games, explained, “FIFA International Soccer was an instant success. Despite launching in December 1993, it became the best-selling game in Europe that year. Given soccer’s worldwide popularity, FIFA had a larger global impact than other popular sports titles.”
Last year’s inductees included the classic arcade game Defender, id Software’s Quake, Bandai’s Tamagotchi, and the legendary Nintendo 64 title GoldenEye 007. Established in 2015, the World Video Game Hall of Fame honors games that have achieved lasting popularity and made significant contributions to popular culture and society. Anyone can nominate a game for consideration, but final selections are made based on the insights of journalists, scholars, and other experts in the field.
