As we reported back in February, the Smithsonian American Art Museum had previously announced that an "Art of Video Games" exhibit would run from March 16, 2012 through September 30, 2012. The museum was looking for input from the community on what titles should be included, and the voting ended on April 17. Today, the institution has announced the results of that poll, listing the broad range of games that will be featured in the exhibit.
"Video games use images, actions, and player participation to tell stories and engage their audiences. In the same way as film, animation, and performance, they can be considered a compelling and influential form of narrative art," the Smithsonian's site read, "New technologies have allowed designers to create increasingly interactive and sophisticated game environments while staying grounded in traditional game types. The exhibition will feature eighty games through still images and video footage."
What do you think about that, Mr. Ebert?
The exhibit will also have five playable games – "Pac-Man," "Super Mario Bros," "The Secret of Monkey Island," "Myst," and "World of Warcraft" – as well as video interviews with notable game developers, large prints of select game screenshots, and antique consoles. Apparently over 3.7 million votes were cast in the poll to select the entrants, spanning over 175 countries.
Glancing over the list of eighty games that will be exhibited, most of the titles you would expect ("Zelda," "Donkey Kong," "Doom II," etc.) are are included. Sure, there's obviously going to be a few of your personal favorites missing (where in the hell are "Space Harrier" and "Beyond Good & Evil?"), but the list is generally a pretty decent representation of game history.
If you can't make it out to Washington, D.C. to see the gallery in person, the site does mention that the exhibit will be available for traveling shows after its closing.