Angry Birds, FIFA International Soccer, Dragon Quest and Silent Hill Inducted into World Video Game Hall of Fame

The World Video Game Hall of Fame inducted Angry Birds, FIFA International Soccer, Dragon Quest and Silent Hill on May 7, 2026. The four games were added at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, and placed within the museum’s HOF rotunda as part of its ESL Digital Worlds exhibit. The announcement came during an onsite ceremony in the hall’s new home.

The 2026 inductions brought the total number of games in the World Video Game Hall of Fame to 53. The hall is in its 12th year as of 2026. , Tetris and World of Warcraft. Angry Birds and FIFA International Soccer were both nominated as finalists in that inaugural 2015 ceremony.

By contrast, 2026 was the first time Dragon Quest and Silent Hill were shortlisted. The 2026 finalists that were not selected included The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Frogger, Galaga, League of Legends, Mega Man, PaRappa the Rapper, RuneScape and Tokimeki Memorial. The World Video Game Hall of Fame recognizes games based on icon-status, longevity, geographical reach and influence.

Com reported that the 2026 class was chosen for meeting those criteria in distinct ways. Angry Birds was released in 2009. Kristy Hisert, director of collections management at the Strong, said it helped launch the mobile gaming revolution.

“Angry Birds helped launch not only billions of birds but the entire mobile gaming revolution. It shattered records and helped transform people’s relationships with the palm-sized communication and gaming devices they carry in pockets and purses,” Hisert stated. Ben Mattes, creative officer for Angry Birds, welcomed the recognition.

“Characters, emotion, and story are what keep our fans coming back to our games year after year. The induction to the World Video Game Hall of Fame means we are standing shoulder to shoulder alongside the very greatest of gaming. This is a truly special recognition for us, and we’re deeply honored by it,” Mattes said.

Dragon Quest was released in 1986. Lindsey Kurano, the Strong’s electronic games curator, highlighted its foundational role in role-playing games. “It would be difficult to imagine the modern role-playing games without Dragon Quest.

While Dragon Quest’s popularity has always been greater in Japan than abroad, its influence on the gaming industry and other iconic RPG games is undeniable,” Kurano stated. FIFA International Soccer launched in December 1993 and was the best-selling game in Europe for 1993. Jeremy Saucier, vice president for interpretation and electronic games at the Strong, described its immediate impact.

“FIFA International Soccer was an instant success. Despite launching in December 1993, it was the best-selling game in Europe for that year. Given soccer’s worldwide popularity, FIFA had a larger global imprint than other popular sports titles,” Saucier said.

Silent Hill took 12 years to be inducted after first becoming eligible. Andrew Borman, Director of digital preservation at the Strong, pointed to its genre innovation. “More than its clear commercial success, Silent Hill’s significance lay in the ways that it pushed the horror genre in new, psychological directions that engaged players’ emotions as much as their reflexes,” Borman stated.

The Strong National Museum of Play oversees the hall and makes final selections from nominations submitted by the public and reviewed by scholars, experts and writers. com reported that past inductees have included Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Invaders, Minecraft and Tamagotchi, while titles such as Metal Gear Solid, Fallout and BioShock have yet to appear on the ballot.