Why is Ottumwa known as "The Video Game Capital of the World"?
Did you know that back in the 80's Ottumwa, Iowa was proclaimed as the Video Game Capital of the World by then Ottumwa Mayor Jerry Parker? This claim to fame was backed by the legacy of Twin Galaxies in Ottumwa which played host to one of the first organized video game competition events, which drew top players from all over the country to compete. Ottumwa was also the place where Walter Day and Twin Galaxies became the "official score keepers for the world of video games and pinball playing and was vested with the authority to verify "official world record high scores" and crown new world champions. In 1982 player rankings in the video game world became a major focus of the media and Twin Galaxies in Ottumwa called on all the superstar players to come to Ottumwa for a contest and media event. In November of 1982 reporters from Life Magazine traveled to Ottumwa to do a story and photograph the 16 best North American Video Game players at that time. Then in January, 1983 ABC TV's show That's Incredible filmed a show in Ottumwa that featured 19 of the best video game players to compete in what was considered the very first Video Game World Championship.
There are also two great films that capture the history of Ottumwa's video gaming legacy. If you have not seen Chasing Chosts or King of Kong, they are great films that support Ottumwa's claim to fame as the "Video Game Capital of the World". One of the featured films at the recent Los Angeles Harbor Film Festival was Chasing Ghosts, which documented the history and led to further discussion regarding Ottumwa's claim as the ideal place for the future home of the "Video Game Hall of Fame". There is incredible support for the proposed project and a strong community committee has been formed which is moving forward to formally establish the International Video Game Hall of Fame in Ottumwa. Presently there is not an official museum or Hall of Fame for the great history of video game related memorabilia. So, with the documented video game history in Ottumwa, having the International Video Game Hall of Fame here in our City makes sense. Some compare us to Cooperstown. If you search the internet there are many recent articles on Ottumwa as the Video Game Capital of the World and future site of the International Video Game Hall of Fame. 40 years of Video Game history needs a home and someone to tell the story. Ottumwa deserves to be that place. See these story links recently published on MSNBC.com and The Des Moines Register. A search will pull up many other articles as well.
More News
- 14th Annual Holiday Nights N Lights
posted October 30, 2018 - 3rd Annual Church Street Christmas Stroll
posted October 30, 2018 - Chamber Bucks Program issued over $18,800 in Chamber Gift Certificates last year!
posted March 7, 2018 - Faces of the Chamber
posted August 5, 2017 - New Welcome to Ottumwa Video
posted February 17, 2017 - Why is Ottumwa known as "The Video Game Capital of the World"?
posted August 4, 2009
