The National Toy Hall of Fame has officially announced this year’s inductees, and one of the biggest trading card games of all time has finally made the cut.
Pokémon cards were inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame on the morning of Thursday, November 5, as the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary. Other new additions from this year’s lineup include Bingo, Care Bears, and the classic slide, which beat out nominees like Bop It!, mahjong, and Polly Pocket.
"Pokémon TCG’s widespread appeal and global presence are undeniable," said curator Mirek Stolee. "The Pokémon TCG successfully adapted card game formulas established by its predecessors, making it more accessible and infusing it with the lovable Pokémon creatures."
The National Toy Hall of Fame was established in 1998 to "recognize toys that have inspired creative play and enjoyed popularity over a sustained period." The Hall of Fame is currently housed at the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, which is also home to the World Video Game Hall of Fame.
Anyone can nominate a toy for consideration. A panel of museum curators, historians, and educators then evaluate these nominees based on four pillars: icon status, longevity, discovery, and innovation. The Hall of Fame has a relatively loose definition of a toy, having previously inducted a cardboard box and the concept of 'sand' in addition to classics like LEGO, Barbies, and slinkies.
This isn’t the first time a trading card game has made it onto the prestigious toy list. Magic: The Gathering was added in 2019, nearly 10 years after the induction of another tabletop classic, Dungeons & Dragons.
The Strong website now has a section dedicated to the Pokémon TCG, where it describes the game’s history and cultural impact:
"[Pokémon TCG] has played a pivotal role in popularizing the concept of trading card games and has served as an entryway into the hobby for millions. The Pokémon TCG has even spawned its own video game (for Game Boy) and app (available on multiple platforms), thus completing the circle back to its video game origins. Recently, the cards have become the focus of major financial speculation. Online viewers watch content creators “rip,” or open, TCG packs, in the hope of finding valuable, rare cards."
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://www.ign.com/articles/pokemon-cards-get-official-induction-into-national-toy-hall-of-fame
