WARNING – Voting Approaching

As we approach the end of the year, things are in full tilt with regard to getting the materials for the exhibition.  As with any large scale project, especially one that is a confluence of creative materials, there is a natural ebb and flow.  A give and take; always in a state of flux until you affix it in a physical form or commit is to digital bits on a web site.  This is the state that we have been occupying over the past several months, but we are about to put that stake in the ground and define the assets that will be in the exhibition.

Sort of.

One of the things I was adamant about when developing the concept for this exhibition was that this be an echo of the collective voice of the games industry.  This is not limited to the developers, designers and artists that create these engrossing, exciting and thoughtful works.  This includes you, the game players.  It is important to me that, when you visit the exhibition in 2012, there is a reflection of the games and experiences that matter to you.  So, we are doing something that is not common in the museum world: we are going to let you vote on the games that make it into the exhibition you will come and visit.

There will be more details forthcoming as we race to the deadline we have set for launching the voting website in January, 2011, so hang tight.  However, I can share this bit of information with you.  This will not be a free form, write-in vote system.  240 games have been selected that would follow the narrative we have developed in demonstrating the evolution of genres.  What this means is that you will select the games from the list we have assembled for the exhibition.

What this also means is that there will be games missing.  Games you love.  Games that will have you question as to what the hell we were thinking when we didn’t include them.  The reality is that there is only so much space we can devote to the exhibition and we would need three museums just house every important work.  And we would still be missing someone’s favorite pick.  To be clear, one of my favorite systems of all time was cut due to space limitations.  I am not immune to feeling disappointed just because it was my decision to cut it.

Know that this exhibition is not supposed to be an exhaustive compendium of all great games over the past 40 years but, rather, a mindful examination of the evolution of the form over 40 years, examined as art.  It is my hope that this is the first of many exhibitions to come.

More information coming soon!