The Strong’s International Center for the History of Electronic Games® (ICHEG) collects, studies, and interprets video games, other electronic games, and related materials and the ways in which electronic games are changing how people play, learn, and connect with each other, including across boundaries of culture and geography.

As a result of ICHEG’s efforts, The Strong’s collection of video games, other electronic games, and electronic game-related historical materials is the largest and most comprehensive public assemblage in the United States and one of the largest in the world. At 60,000 items and growing, the collection includes games and the platforms on which they are played, game packaging and advertising, game-related publications, game-inspired consumer products and other items that illustrate the impact of electronic games on people’s lives, and personal and business papers of key individuals and companies in the electronic game industry.

Beyond collecting and preserving such materials, ICHEG develops exhibits, contributes to the Play Stuff Blog, produces the live stream series “Game Saves at The Strong” on Twitch and an e-newsletter, conducts and encourages research and writing about the historical and cultural significance of video games and other electronic games, maintains a timeline of key moments in video game history, highlights key holdings and activities on its Facebook page, and presents at video game and play-related conferences. Further, ICHEG staff support a multitude of activities related to The Strong’s World Video Game Hall of Fame. Through all of these activities and more, ICHEG seeks to ensure that present and future generations can explore the history of electronic games, understand how they began and evolved, appreciate who played what roles in that evolution, and grasp the impact that electronic games have on society. (For more, see ICHEG Director Jon-Paul C. Dyson's interview, "Collecting, Preserving, and Interpreting the History of Electronic Games," in The Strong's American Journal of Play.)

Key Software, Hardware, and Company Collections

The Strong’s collections encompass the most important arcade video games of all time; examples of every major video game platform manufactured in the United States since 1972 and a broad selection of consoles from other countries; more than 22,000 video games for consoles and more than 12,000 for personal computers; examples of all significant handheld-game systems; more than 4,500 children’s electronic educational games and software titles; an extensive collection of children’s toys, such as Simon, Tamagotchi, and Webkinz, that combine digital and traditional play; and much more.

Early Arcade Video Games, 1971–1978

Early Pin Games and Electromechanical Pinball Machines, 1931–1976

Golden Age Arcade Video Games, 1978–1985

Solid State Pinball Machines, 1976–Present

Vector-Based Graphic Games, 1977–1985

Simulator Games, 1985–Present

Specialty Games, 1991–Present

Consoles, 1972–Present

Handhelds, 1976–Present

Personal Computers, 1979–Present

Children’s Electronic Toys, 1976–Present

Console Games, 1972–Present

Computer Games, 1978–Present

Educational Games, 1978–Present

American Pinball Companies (Bally, Midway, Williams) Collection, 1933–2000

Scott Adams Adventure International Collection, 1970 – 2015

2015 Atari Coin-Op Divisions Collection, 1972–1999

Brøderbund Software, Inc. Collection, 1979–2002

Her Interactive Collection, 1994–2012

Living Books Collection, 1993 – 2000

Microsoft Collection, 1993–2011

Minnesota Educational Computing Corporation Collection, 1968 –2011

Nintendo of America Collection, 1983 – 2010

2010 Nutting Associates Collection, 1967 – 1973

1973 Penguin Software Collection, 1970 – 2013

2013 Paul Sams Collection of Blizzard Games and Merchandise, 1992 – 2015

2015 Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) Collection, 1979–2001

Tengen, Inc. Collection, 1987–1994

Toys for Bob Skylanders Collection, 2009–2017

Wargaming Collection, 2000–2018

Westwood Studios Collection, 1985–2003

Key Holdings of Publications and Personal Papers

In keeping with ICHEG’s interest in the broad cultural history of electronic games, The Strong’s electronic game and related collections encompass not only games and game platforms, but also a wide variety of other materials such as packaging, advertising, publications, electronic game inspired consumer products, literary and popular inspirations of video game imagery, personal and business papers, and other associated artifacts and documents that represent or illustrate the design and development of video games and other electronic games and their impact on people’s lives.

Cort and Barbara Allen Atari Packaging Design Collection, 1976–1984

Atari Arcade Design Collection, 1973–1991

Ralph H. Baer Papers, 1968–2010

Bill Budge Collection, 1971 – 1985

1985 Dan Bunten (Dani Bunten Berry) Papers, 1949–1998

Books and Periodicals

Computer Gaming World Collection, 1982–2000s

Don Daglow Papers, 1977–2010

Brian Fargo Papers, 1983 – 2012

2012 Kevin Gifford Video Game Magazine Collection, 1970s–Present

Gerald A. “Jerry” Lawson Collection, 1967–1994

Jordan Mechner Collection, 1913–2014

Carol Shaw Collection, 1978 – 2002

2002 Prima Games Collection, 1990–Present

Trade Catalogs

Guy Welch Collection, 1988 – 2013

2013 Ken and Roberta Williams Collection, 1979–1996

Williams Pinball Playfield Design Collection, 1946 – 1995

1995 Will Wright Papers, 1989–2010

Access to the Collections

Many artifacts from The Strong’s electronic and video game collections are on public view, including classic arcade games, the latest video game consoles, game prototypes, handwritten papers and sketches from electronic game inventors, and more in eGameRevolution®, an expansive, artifact-rich museum exhibit, produced by ICHEG, that explores the history and impact of electronic games. Additionally, tens-of-thousands of items are accessible online through The Strong’s Google Arts & Culture page.

On-site access to non-public collections spaces is available to scholars, students, collectors, and other researchers by appointment. Appointments may be made via an online form, or by sending an email to jpdyson@museumofplay.org. Please provide a topic of research, indicate the materials desired, and any special needs.

Research Fellowships

To promote and advance play scholarship, The Strong invites academic professionals, independent scholars, museum scholars, and advanced graduate students at the Masters or PhD level to apply for research fellowships. Fellowships provide financial support for scholarly play research conducted on site at The Strong in Rochester, New York, for periods of study ranging from one week to three months.

Donate to the Collections

The Strong is actively seeking and acquiring additional examples of games, game platforms, handheld-game systems, children’s electronic educational games and software titles, toys that combine digital and traditional play, and supporting materials of all types, including other game-inspired consumer products, packaging, advertising, historical records, and business and personal papers related to the design and production of electronic games and their use. Queries from individuals and organizations that have important electronic games and related materials that merit a permanent home where they can help inform future generations are welcome.

To inquire about donating games, platforms, or other materials, contact:

Jon-Paul C. Dyson, Director, International Center for the History of Electronic Games

jpdyson@museumofplay.org

+1 585-410-6341