Cue internet arguments over which GTA game would truly deserve that privilege.
Some of you may be familiar with "The Strong", the USA's national museum of play. Under play, it doesn't necessarily mean entertainment as a whole, but rather toys and games. Video games aren't the only things The Strong deals with, as physical children's toys are the main focus. Even so, mature electronic entertainment has found itself a division within the museum.
The "International Center for the History of Electronic Games" is constantly trying to chart the timeline of video games from the very first prototypes to the newest releases. They're also compiling a comprehensive gaming Hall of Fame to include the greatest and most influential releases throughout the history of the medium.
Previously, the Hall of Fame contained Doom, World of Warcraft, Pac-Man, Pong, Tetris and Super Mario Bros. This year, another six games were inducted to the Hall of Fame, composed of Space Invaders, The Oregon Trail, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Sims, The Legend of Zelda and last but not least, GTA III.
While it is true that the 3D era of GTA probably had the most influence on the gaming industry as a whole, it is not necessarily III that was the most loved or influential. While it is still a worthy choice, undoubtedly many fans would have preferred to see San Andreas take its place, with fewer voices calling for Vice City.
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Regardless of the massive monetary and popular success of the most recent installment, GTA V, not enough time has passed since release for it to be truly considered a "classic". We probably need to see another major GTA game release before V achieves that status in the collective consciousness of the fans, but it definitely secured itself a spot in future "best games of all time" lists.
Seeing a GTA game chosen for the Hall of Fame so early on is curious. The affect of the franchise on the industry cannot be overstated, but when it goes head-to-head with the likes of Doom and Pong, one would assume that older games were targeted for selection.
GTA can be considered to be the most controversial mainstream game the industry has ever produced, forcing rating boards to re-evaluate their own methods of rating various games. It even introduced a new level to certain regions.
Which GTA game would you have chosen to be inducted to the gaming Hall of Fame?
