Magic: The Gathering Inducted Into National Toy Hall of Fame

The National Toy Hall of Fame, established in 1998 and operated by The Strong museum in Rochester, [...]

By Rollin Bishop

The National Toy Hall of Fame, established in 1998 and operated by The Strong museum in Rochester, New York, has officially revealed the 2019 National Toy Hall of Fame inductees. This year, the special group that joins previous inductees includes Magic: The Gathering, the popular trading card game from Wizards of the Coast.

"Magic: The Gathering changed the landscape of collectible card gaming with its introduction more than 25 years ago, and it's become a part of pop culture—leading to book series, electronic games, and even a series on Netflix," curator Shannon Symonds states in the press release announcing the game's induction. "The fact that it continues to maintain popularity is a testament to its revolutionary gameplay and constant evolution, making it engaging for beginners and experts alike."

Other inductees this year include MatchBox Cars and the coloring book. The other finalists that didn't quite make the cut this year included Care Bears, Fisher-Price Corn Popper, Jenga, Masters of the Universe, My Little Pony, and more. Last year's inductees included Magic 8 Ball, pinball, and Uno.

Inductees are chosen based on the following criteria, according to the National Toy Hall of Fame's official website:

  • Icon-status: the toy is widely recognized, respected, and remembered.
  • Longevity: the toy is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over multiple generations.
  • Discovery: the toy fosters learning, creativity, or discovery through play.
  • Innovation: the toy profoundly changed play or toy design. A toy may be inducted on the basis of this criterion without necessarily having met all of the first three.

What do you think about Magic: The Gathering making it into the National Toy Hall of Fame? Are you currently playing after the release of the Throne of Eldraine set? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!

Magic: The Gathering's most recently released standard set, Throne of Eldraine, is available wherever such things are sold. Upcoming sets for 2020 include Theros: Beyond Death and Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths. You can check out all of our previous coverage of Magic: The Gathering right here.

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