2021 World Video Game Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The Strong National Museum of Play has announced the 12 finalists that could enter the World Video Game Hall of Fame later this year. Some of these games are more deserving than others, but the titles span some of the most beloved games and franchises of all-time. This year's official inductees will be announced virtually on Thursday May 6th at 10:30 a.m. ET from the museum's location in Rochester, NY. An argument can be made for all of the games, but only three will join the Hall of Fame's 28 previous inductees. The full list of finalists is, as follows:

• Animal Crossing
• Call of Duty
• FarmVille
• FIFA International Soccer
• Guitar Hero
  
• Mattel Football
• Microsoft Flight Simulator
• Pole Position
• Portal
• StarCraft
• Tron
• Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

The finalists will be voted on by a group of gaming journalists and scholars. Several factors will be taken into consideration, including the game's overall cultural impact. There will also be an online Player's Choice ballot that the general public will be able to vote on through March 25th.

It will be exciting to see which three games make the final cut! Animal Crossing's presence on the list is particularly interesting, as the game was hardly an immediate success for Nintendo. Many could argue that the franchise was relatively niche, but the success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons over the last year has made it nothing less than a phenomenon. Whether or not that will be enough to propel it past games like Call of Duty, however, remains to be seen!

Of course, there are also games on the list that were undeniably big, but have had a smaller impact in recent years. Guitar Hero was a smash success for Activision, but the franchise has been mostly dormant for the last decade. Mattel Football was beloved when it released in 1977, but it could be argued that its impact isn't quite felt any more.

The judges will weigh these factors and more over the next few months! No matter which games make the final cut, it will be impossible to please everyone, but there's always next year!

What do you think of this year's finalists for the World Video Game Hall of Fame? Which three games do you think most deserve a place? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!