The Strong Museum has announced the 12 finalists for this year's World Video Game Hall of Fame, including Minecraft, Metroid, Tomb Raider, Half-Life, and Call of Duty. The Strong Museum gaming director Jon-Paul C. Dyson said these games and the other finalists all had an "undeniable impact" on gaming and pop culture and are among the "most influential games of all time."

　　The other nominees included Asteroids, Dance Dance Revolution, Final Fantasy VII, John Madden Football, King's Quest, Ms. Pac-Man, and Spacewar!

　　The Strong’s World Video Game Hall of Fame names the 12 finalists for 2018. #videohall https://t.co/2wgizy2fme pic.twitter.com/dQ4Os4yoAw

　　— The Strong Museum (@museumofplay) March 27, 2018

　　The Strong Museum opened public nominations for the World Video Game Hall of Fame, and the organization received "thousands" of entries from more than 100 countries are the world. The winners, which are voted on by journalists and scholars, will be announced on May 3. New for 2018 is the "Player's Choice" ballot, which lets fans vote on which games they think are most deserving. The three games with the most votes will make up a ballot that will be considered alongside those from the previously mentioned journalists and scholars.

　　Games are recognized for a number of criteria, including "icon-status," longevity, and geographical reach, as well as impact on design and development on other games, pop culture, and society. Full details on the criteria can be found on the Strong Museum's website.

　　This is the fourth World Video Game Hall of Fame class. You can see the existing inductees at the bottom of this post. They are on permanent display at The Strong Museum in Rochester, New York.

2018 World Video Game Hall Of Fame Finalists

Previous World Video Game Hall Of Fame Inductees