International Video Game Hall of Fame Logo

IVGHOF History

MISSION:

The International Video Game Hall of Fame and Museum is dedicated to honoring excellence in the field of electronic and interactive gaming by recognizing the champions, games, industries, culture and professionals related to this popular activity from a historical point-of-view. 

VISION STATEMENT AND PURPOSE:

The International Video Game Hall of Fame (IVGHOF) is organized for the purpose of educating the public as well as recognizing and awarding excellence within the complete history of Interactive Entertainment, including celebrating current landmark achievements and is focused specifically on the following areas:

  • The Games 
  • The Developers
  • The Industry Leaders
  • The Players/Competitors
  • The Impact of Interactive Entertainment on Culture

ORGANIZATION:

The International Video Game Hall of Fame (IVGHOF) has been created to honor the luminaries of the Video Game Age and to preserve the artifacts and memorabilia generated by this dynamic and ever-evolving industry.  The IVGHOF is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization that can accept donations and issue tax receipts.

The IVGHOF is taking a leadership role in the active research and preservation of historical relics, items, products and achievements that pertain to the worldwide video gaming culture.

In addition to providing traditional Hall of Fame recognition within the video game industry, the IVGHOF is also in the process of creating a state-of-the-art interactive museum that will showcase important documents, games, artifacts, photos, awards and other memorabilia that are part of our growing collections.

The IVGHOF is managed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors which serves with no compensation and is composed of esteemed members of the video game industry, including some former inductees of the IVGHOF.

It’s the IVGHOF’s mission has three primary components:

(a) the Hall of Fame which highlights and draws attention to important individuals, games, organizations and culture in the ongoing evolution of the video game age, highlighting notable achievements since its inception.

(b) A Museum of Video Game History that will have extensive exhibits on display that focus on important games, events, technological breakthroughs, innovations, cultural themes and important milestones within the history of the electronic gaming industry.

(c) Archival Preservation, comprehensive to the worldwide gaming industry, with artifacts, historical memorabilia and notable games themselves, being arranged into many different historical collections that will be periodically put on display via a program of rotating exhibits.  It will also include exhibits detailing key information and historical relevance to all Inductees to better understand and appreciate those individuals and products that helped drive the industry to where it is today.

 

EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH:

The IVGHOF is also inviting educational institutions to join us in an academic alliance that gives today’s students the opportunity to use these materials to conduct research, to author papers and publish books.

This includes members of the IVGHOF giving talks, lectures and panels relating to the ongoing understanding of where innovations came from and how they are being used today, including the origins of eSports and competitive gaming.

The IVGHOF invites students to help us create scholarly documents to examine the impact that the video game industry has had on the popular culture of our times. The IVGHOF seeks to pioneer a new discipline that promotes the scholarly examination of today’s video game culture.

HISTORY:

The IVGHOF was founded by Walter Day in 2009, for the core purpose of celebrating and recognizing the ever-evolving game culture along with the innovations and historical significance pertaining to certain individuals, games and organizations that helped drive the industry to where it is today.

Mr. Day was the original founder and owner of the Twin Galaxies International Scoreboard which, during the Golden Age of video games in the 1980’s, became the world authority on player rankings, gaming statistics and championship tournaments.  His efforts led to video games and gaming achievements being recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.  Mr. Day was instrumental in organizing the early days of competitive gaming during a time when the industry was still in its infancy.

The IVGHOF builds upon the legacy of Walter Day and Twin Galaxies to preserve the history of electronic gaming by recognizing, rewarding and re-establishing the feats, innovations and evolution of the world’s largest form of entertainment.