Museum of Modern Art Announced Its Selection of Video Games

Are video games art? If you asked us we would say yes but the answer comes from Museum of Modern Art as it has announced its first selection of 14 video games. The first selection includes the popular Sci-Fi MMO game Eve Online too! The selection begins with Pacman, the classic from 80's, continues with the unforgettable Amiga title Another World and includes Sim City as well. Read on for details of MoMA's first selection of video games to be placed in Museum’s Philip Johnson Galleries in March 2013.

Museum of Modern Art Announces its first selection of Video Games

Eve Online is there too! It's incredibly pleasing to see an MMO (it's the only MMO in the selection) in MoMA's selection of video games. That was expected anyway, wasn't it. Some would argue if Eve Online deserves to be in the first list of selected games but we believe the game definitely deserves to be there. Sure many MMO fans will wonder how and why World of Warcraft is not included in the selection but that's a question that should be asked to MoMA's experts. As this is called the "first selection", who knows which MMOs will be included in the following selection(s).

Eve Online the only MMO in MoMA's selection of 14 video games

CCP's CEO Hilmar Veigar Petursson was also delighted to see his product in the list. He said: "As we are poised to enter our second decade of growth and prosperity, it is an indescribable honor for us and for everyone who's ever worked on EVE to even be considered alongside these fellow revolutionary games. We're proud of our developers for envisioning and shaping EVE Online's unique game universe and most humbly thankful to our players for bringing true substance to it."

Looking at the list; I guess noone will ever argue Pacman or Tetris. I suppose they were automatically included in the selection. It's nice to see Another World in there too. I personally fell in love with Another World on Amiga. Portal, Dwarf Fortress, The Sims and Sim City were also expected. Let us know if you think MoMA has forgotten your favorite video game in this first selection of video games.

Here is the list of 14 video games selected by Museum of Modern Art:

• Pac-Man (1980)
• Tetris (1984)
• Another World (1991)
• Myst (1993)
• SimCity 2000 (1994)
• vib-ribbon (1999)
• The Sims (2000)
• Katamari Damacy (2004)
• EVE Online (2003)
• Dwarf Fortress (2006)
• Portal (2007)
• flOw (2006)
• Passage (2008)
• Canabalt (2009)

How did MoMA select these games? What were the main criteria?

MoMA's criteria was to not emphasize only the visual quality and aesthetic experience of each game, but also the many other aspects—from the elegance of the code to the design of the player’s behavior—that pertain to interaction design.

Source: MoMA

Use the Subscribe button and we will send you updates on this game. (You need to be logged in)