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Angry Birds, FIFA, Dragon Quest, Silent Hill Join Hall

5/9/2026

Summary

Museum Announces Inductees

Museum of Play announced Angry Birds, Dragon Quest, FIFA International Soccer and Silent Hill as 2026 World Video Game Hall of Fame inductees on May 7, 2026 at its ESL Digital Worlds exhibit in Rochester, N.Y., while eight other finalists remain pending.
Angry Birds exceeds 2 billion downloads, while FIFA International Soccer sold 325 million games by 2021 and Silent Hill sold 2 million copies with its film grossing $100 million.
The Hall has 50 inductees.

Summary

Angry Birds Milestone

Angry Birds has surpassed 5 billion total downloads worldwide.
Creative officer Ben Mattes said the franchise now includes live-action games, licensed merchandise, an animated series and theme-park attractions.
The third film, The Angry Birds Movie 3, is scheduled for theatrical release in December 2026.
Mattes noted that the Hall of Fame induction marks a historic recognition for a mobile-first game within the broader gaming pantheon.

Summary

Square Enix Celebrates

Square Enix announced Dragon Quest Day on May 27, 2026, marking the series' 40th anniversary.
The franchise has sold over 97 million units worldwide and was inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame for its influence on RPG design.
The HD-2D remakes of I-III (the Erdrick Trilogy) and Dragon Quest VII Reimagined are now on Nintendo Switch 2, Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam and Microsoft Store.

Summary

Dragon Quest Record

Dragon Quest holds a Guinness World Record for being the longest-running Japanese RPG series.
The series was created by Yuji Horii, with character designs by Akira Toriyama and music by Koichi Sugiyama.
It debuted in the United States in 1989 under the name Dragon Warrior.
Dragon Quest XI S has shipped nearly 9 million units worldwide.
Square Enix’s U.S. subsidiary licenses the Dragon Quest IP alongside Final Fantasy and Space Invaders.

History

Historical Context

Leveraging Ottumwa’s 1982 claim as “Video Game Capital of the World,” leaders drafted a museum plan in 2009 and held the International Video Game Hall of Fame’s first “Big Bang” ceremony on August 7 2010, inducting Shigeru Miyamoto, Pac-Man and others before 3,500 visitors. The event marked the industry’s move from arcade dominance to console and mobile play, prompting cities to use gaming heritage for tourism.

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Museum Announces Inductees

Museum of Play announced Angry Birds, Dragon Quest, FIFA International Soccer and Silent Hill as 2026 World Video Game Hall of Fame inductees on May 7, 2026 at its ESL Digital Worlds exhibit in Rochester, N.Y., while eight other finalists remain pending.
Angry Birds exceeds 2 billion downloads, while FIFA International Soccer sold 325 million games by 2021 and Silent Hill sold 2 million copies with its film grossing $100 million.
The Hall has 50 inductees.

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