Here Are the 2025 World Video Game Hall of Fame Finalists

The World Video Game Hall of Fame has revealed this year’s finalists for induction, and public voting is now open until March 13. Each year, the World Video Game Hall of Fame receives thousands of nominations online, and staff members choose the finalists based on various aspects, including longevity, geographical reach, and how they influenced game design and even pop culture. From there, the inductees are chosen in a ballot vote by an international committee of experts, while the three products that receive the most public votes count as one ballot in the final tally. This year’s inductees will be announced at an on-site ceremony at The Strong National Museum of Play on Thursday, May 8.

This year’s finalists are an eclectic mix of classic games that truly revolutionized the industry, along with some physical toys like Tamagotchi. Dating back to 1981 is Defender, a true classic that proved players were game for more complex and challenging games in the arcade. Another title dating back to 1981 is Frogger, which also jumped into arcades. There’s also Mattel Football from 1977, which was the first blockbuster handheld electronic game, paving the way for Nintendo’s Game Boy.

Stepping closer to the 1990s is Golden Tee, which debuted in 1989. The golf game featured a simple trackball controller for making golf shots, and the franchise continues to thrive today. We also have several creations from 1996: Tamagotchi, Quake, and Harvest Moon. Tamagotchi is making a modern comeback, while id Software’s Quake is well-known among anyone interested in first-person shooters. Harvest Moon arguably pioneered the cozy game genre that we know today, which includes Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley. Other finalists from the 1990s include Age of Empires, GoldenEye 007, and NBA 2K (released in 1999). Age of Empires blended turn-based and real-time strategy elements and remains a popular series even today. GoldenEye 007 is arguably the most infamous Nintendo 64 game, despite being the third best-selling game on the console behind Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64. The NBA 2K series needs no introduction if you’re a basketball fan, as it has sold over 130 million units over the years.

Moving into the 2000s, there’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Angry Birds. The former was released in 2007 and transitioned the popular franchise from the World War II era to modern times. Then there’s the latter, Angry Birds, which opened the eyes of millions to the possibilities of mobile gaming. Some might argue that without Angry Birds, we wouldn’t have games like Genshin Impact.

See the full list of the 2025 World Video Game Hall of Fame finalists below.