Here Are The 12 Finalists For The World Video Game Hall Of Fame In 2026

Hall of Fame candidates

The Strong Museum has announced the 12 nominees for induction into the World Video Game Hall of Fame.

The list includes titles nominated in previous years, including Angry Birds, along with a number of first-time finalists. Some of these include Silent Hill, Mega Man, and League of Legends.

The nominations are based in part on submissions from fans, and while an official jury will decide 2026's inductees, fans will get a final say in the "Player's Choice" category.

The three games that get the most votes will make up one ballot and will join the other ballots from members of the International Selection Advisory Committee. This is a group of people made up of journalists and scholars from across the globe.

The 2026 inductees to the World Video Game Hall of Fame will be announced on Thursday, May 7.

The World Video Game Hall of Fame was launched in 2015. Some of the Hall of Famers so far include Tetris, Doom, Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros., and The Sims. They're judged based on four main categories: "icon status," "longevity," "geographical reach," and "influence."

Angry Birds

Finnish developer Rovio's Angry Birds was first released in 2009 and became a worldwide hit, achieving billions of downloads. Sonic studio Sega bought Rovio and the Angry Birds IP in 2023.

Dragon Quest

Chunsoft's 1986 RPG Dragon Quest is also nominated this year. The game is known for its story and music, and for helping influence other games that came later, including Final Fantasy.

FIFA International Soccer:

FIFA International Soccer was first released in 1993, and while there were soccer/football games before it, this one broke out like no other. EA Sports later ended its relationship with FIFA, but the series lives on today in the form of EA Sports FC.

Image credit: The Strong Museum.

Frogger

Konami's iconic Frogger was first released in 1981 in arcades. The concept is simple: You control a frog who has to make it across a five-lane highway without getting squished. It's now one of the most iconic and recognizable video games of all time.

Image credit: The Strong Museum.

Galaga

1981's Galaga, a sequel to 1979's Galaxian, is an arcade space shooter from Midway that was later ported to PC, console, and mobile.

Image credit: The Strong Museum.

League of Legends

A relatively newer game, the MOBA League of Legends was created by Riot Games and released in 2009. It had humble origins from its days as a fan-inspired map, but is now an international behemoth with millions of players and a fierce competitive scene.

Mega Man

Capcom's 1986 platform shooter Mega Man was originally released for the NES. It spawned numerous sequels that have together sold more than 44 million copies.

PaRappa the Rapper

One of the first rhythm games, PaRappa the Rapper from developer NanaOn-Sha and publisher Sony is known for its visuals and music. A number of other music-based games would follow, including DDR, Guitar Hero, and Rock Band.

Image credit: The Strong Museum.

RuneScape

RuneScape was released in 2001, and the online game has stayed online ever since. More than 300 million accounts for the game have been created over that time, with people from 150 countries logging in.

Image credit: RuneScape.

Silent Hill

1999's Silent Hill from developer Konami scared people in new ways with its innovative 3D graphics and updated camera. The series has grown a lot since then with numerous sequels and multiple movies.

Image credit: The Strong Museum.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Skyrim, from developer Bethesda Game Studios, is a landmark RPG that has sold millions of copies and is available on pretty much every platform imaginable. Skyrim was released back in 2011, and the long-awaited sequel, The Elder Scrolls 6, is in the works now but has no release date.

Tokimeki Memorial

Yet another Konami game, Tokimeki Memorial, is a nominee for the Hall of Fame this year. The 1994 game helped popularize the dating sim genre. It was never localized outside of Japan, however.

Image credit: The Strong Museum.