International Video Game Hall of Fame facts for kids

The International Video Game Hall of Fame (IVGHoF) is a museum that is planned to be built in Ottumwa, Iowa, in the United States.

Ottumwa calls itself the "Video Game Capital of the World." This is because the city was home to the Twin Galaxies arcade. This arcade became a very important place for many video game competitions. The museum's group is a non-profit organization. It was created by business leaders and people living in Ottumwa. Its goal is to honor "the champions, industries, and professionals" of the video game world. The museum building has not been built yet. The IVGHoF last added new members to its Hall of Fame in 2022.

History

How the Idea Started

The idea for this museum began around 2009. Ottumwa claimed to be the "Video Game Capital of the World" in 1982. This happened after Twin Galaxies became known as the official place for arcade game high scores. This claim had not been challenged since then.

Around 2009, community leaders thought about creating a museum. They knew that other attempts to build a video game museum in the United States had not worked. They saw this as a chance to use their city's famous history. Leaders understood that the video game industry had changed a lot since 1982. Arcade games were less popular, and consoles and computers were more common. However, they still felt Ottumwa could be the right home for this museum. They compared it to Cooperstown, New York, which is home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. City leaders also hoped the museum would help their city. They wanted to bring in more money from tourism to their farming community.

The city council and chamber of commerce approved a group to plan the museum. The museum's organizers wanted to collect money to build a modern building. They thought it would cost between $30 million and $50 million. The museum would have interactive displays to celebrate its honored members. They also planned to get at least one working version of each of the estimated 100,000 coin-operated and home video game systems ever made. Their first goal was to start building within five years.

First Inductions and Events

The museum welcomed its first group of members during a multi-day event called "Big Bang 2010." This event took place on August 7, 2010. Some of the first people honored in the Hall of Fame included:

• Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto
• Namco's Masaya Nakamura
• Home video game pioneers Ralph H. Baer and Nolan Bushnell
• Game designer Steve Ritchie
• Members of the first Xbox design team, like Seamus Blackley
• Several arcade game high-score champions, including Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchell

The event also honored Pac-Man. This was done on the 30th anniversary of the arcade game's release. It was also added to the Hall of Fame. The first events brought at least 3,500 visitors to the town. In later years, the IVGHoF held smaller events. This was due to not enough donations. They still held ceremonies to honor new members. This helped them meet their goals better.

Video Game Walk of Fame

In 2016, the IVGHoF and the town created the "Video Game Walk of Fame." This is located along the town's main street. It is thought to be the first of its kind. The IVGHoF focuses on people and groups in the video game industry. The Video Game Walk of Fame was made to remember important video games. In its first year, the IVGHoF chose Pac-Man for the first "star." It was put on display on August 7, 2016. This happened alongside the events to add new members to the Hall of Fame.

Inductees

The IVGHoF chooses members from both the video game industry and from players. They also select certain video games. The process starts with an open nomination. Then, the public helps narrow down the choices. Finally, a group of video game journalists, executives, and gamers vote for the final members.

Developers and industry leaders

Competitive gamers

Games

Community Action Award

Walter Day Lifetime Achievement Award

See also

In Spanish: Salón Internacional de la Fama de los Videojuegos para niños