Scream and Scooby-Doo Icon Hunts for Gaming’s Origins

Every player harbors a sanctuary—whether physical or mental—filled with the titles that forged their identity. Polygon’s latest monthly odyssey, Shelf Quest, transforms this sentiment into a recurring pilgrimage through gaming history.

In each installment, we invite a cultural icon or creator to navigate the labyrinthine aisles of a classic game shop. As they pull boxes from the shelves, they unearth the personal stories and oral histories etched into those cartridges and discs. It is a tribute to a collective past, honoring an era when joy was measured in a pocketful of quarters or the weight of a wired controller.

For Polygon, the ideal base of operations is Videogamesnewyork. Located in the heart of the East Village, this legendary outpost serves as a living archive of gaming heritage. The atmosphere is palpable; our team recently spent an afternoon there, admiring rare PS2 titles with the same reverence one might show a masterpiece at the Met. It was a transformative experience.

Our inaugural guest for Shelf Quest needed no coaching. Matthew Lillard—the versatile actor known for Scream, Scooby-Doo, Hackers, and Five Nights at Freddy’s—stepped into the shop and immediately began a journey through his own timeline.

“I arrived in 1970, so I am a direct product of this medium,” Lillard reflects during the episode. “I was at the perfect age to witness the exact moment Pong flickered into existence.”

Lillard’s perspective spans the full trajectory of the industry, from the neon glow of pizza parlor arcades to the revolution of home systems. He vividly recalls the sheer awe of seeing a title like Donkey Kong transition from a cabinet to a living room. “It felt like a genuine privilege,” he notes. “Back then, gaming wasn’t something you could just access at any moment; you had to savor it.”

Fast-forward to the present, and Lillard remains deeply immersed. While he admits to being humbled by younger players in modern online shooters, his devotion to the FIFA series remains unshakable. Pointing toward a wall of sports titles, he laughs, “I’ve purchased every single iteration. It’s the one annual ritual I never skip.”

Beyond the mechanics of play, Lillard contemplates how games have evolved into vital social hubs—a shift he witnessed firsthand through his son’s digital camaraderie during the pandemic. For him, the medium is ultimately defined by connection rather than competition. “Let’s ensure gaming remains a sanctuary for joy,” he concludes, before adding a competitive wink: “But make no mistake, I will still dominate you in FIFA.”

Welcome to the debut of Shelf Quest. This is only the beginning of the journey.

Source: Polygon