Pong, Pac-Man, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., Doom, WoW inducted into Video Game Hall of Fame

By Jason Hahn Published June 6, 2015

pong pac man tetris super mario bros doom wow inducted into video game hall of fame — Stefano Tinti/Shutterstock

Six video games have the high distinction of being named as inductees to the first class of the World Video Game Hall of Fame: Pong, Pac-Man, Tetris, Super Mario Bros., Doom, and World of Warcraft. These games survived a nearly four-monthslong selection process that whittled down a field of 15 finalists.

The Strong National Museum of Play, based in Rochester, New York, named the inaugural class of World Video Game Hall of Fame inductees on Thursday. While the six finalists span 32 years (Pong was released in 1972, World of Warcraft was released in 2004), “all have significantly affected the video game industry, popular culture, and society in general,” according to the museum.

In late April, the museum announced the 15 finalists for 2015, which means these nine recognizable games didn’t make the cut: Angry Birds, FIFA, The Legend of Zelda, Minecraft, The Oregon Trail, Pokémon, The Sims, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Space Invaders.

Some of the finalists that didn’t make this year’s cut may be included in next year’s group of finalists, a Strong spokesperson told Ars Technica.

The World Video Game Hall of Fame recognizes arcade, console, computer, handheld, and mobile electronic games evaluated on their icon status, longevity, geographical reach, and influence. Nominations for the 2016 class will be accepted through March 31, 2016. Journalists, scholars, and others familiar with the history of video games will have a say in which games are ultimately in the running for next year’s class of inductees.

Topics

Contributor

Jason Hahn is a part-time freelance writer based in New Jersey. He earned his master's degree in journalism at Northwestern…

Gaming

Ubisoft confirms Assassin’s Creed remakes are in the works

Basim perched on a ledge overlooking Baghdad

In a company interview with CEO Yves Guillemot posted on the Ubisoft website Thursday, the executive reveals that there are remakes of Assassin's Creed games in the works, although he doesn't specify which ones.

"Players can be excited about some remakes, which will allow us to revisit some of the games we've created in the past and modernize them," he says, implying that it could pertain to games made before Odyssey. "There are worlds in some of our older Assassin's Creed games that are still extremely rich."

Gaming

Surfaced patent shows what an Xbox streaming console would’ve looked like

An Xbox Series X sits next to both Series S models.

There have been a few Xbox devices that have never come to fruition, one of which was Keystone, a prototype for an affordable game streaming device you could hook up to your TV or monitor. Thanks to a surfaced patent, we've gotten an even closer look at what it would've potentially looked like.

The patent, first spotted by Windows Central, gives us a more complete view of the device. We've previously seen the Keystone in the flesh. Microsoft Gaming head Phil Spencer is known for hiding teases and interesting collectibles on the shelf in his office. In a 2022 X (formerly Twitter) post congratulating Bethesda on Fallout's 25th anniversary, you can see a small white device on the top shelf that's actually a Keystone prototype. Xbox told Digital Trends that it was a version of the device made before it decided to "refocus our efforts on a new approach.”

Gaming

Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for June 28

Someone playing Wordle on a smartphone.

We have the solution to Wordle on June 28, as well as some helpful hints to help you figure out the answer yourself, right here. We've placed the answer at the bottom of the page, so we don't ruin the surprise before you've had a chance to work through the clues. So let's dive in, starting with a reminder of yesterday's answer.
Yesterday's Wordle answer
Let's start by first reminding ourselves of yesterday's Wordle answer for those new to the game or who don't play it daily, which was "ORDER." So we can say that the Wordle answer today definitely isn't that. Now, with that in mind, perhaps take another stab at it using one of these Wordle starting words and circle back if you have no luck.
Hints for today's Wordle
Still can't figure it out? We have today's Wordle answer right here, below. But first, one more thing: Let's take a look at three hints that could help you find the solution, without giving it away, so there's no need to feel guilty about keeping your streak alive -- you put in some work, after all! Or just keep scrolling for the answer.

Today’s Wordle includes the letter D.
Today’s Wordle uses two vowels.
Today's Wordle can refer to a large number of animals, particularly livestock like cattle or sheep, that are moving together in a group.