29 Inducted into Videogame Hall of Fame

The Videogame Hall of Fame will hold its first induction ceremony this week. Event organizers hope to attract up to 5,000 visitors to the event which will see 29 people inducted.

Inductees include videogame developers such as Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto and Namco Founder Masaya Nakamura, a number of high-score champions and the 8-bit classic, Pac-Man.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the four day event, appropriately titled the Big Bang, will commence on Thursday.

With the support of city officials, the organizers are aiming to collect over 4,000 coin-op arcade units to be the centerpiece of an interactive museum. Ottumwa Mayor Dale Uehling says "the city wants to become the Cooperstown of video games."

Check out the full list of inductees below:

- Eric Akeson, Turbo Pac-Man Champion
- Kevin Bachus, X-Box Design Team
- Ralph Baer, Historic Industry Pioneer
- Rob Barrett, Tutankham Champion
- Otto Berkes, X-Box Design Team
- Seamus Blackley, X-Box Design Team
- Nolan Bushnell, Historic Industry Pioneer
- Brian Cady, Tempest Champion
- Paul Dean, Spy Hunter Champion
- Ben Falls, Moon Patrol Champion
- Dennis “Thresh” Fong, Legendary PC Gaming Champion
- Ben Gold, Legendary Arcade Champion
- Ike Hall, Past Donkey Kong World Champion
- Ted Hase, X-Box Design Team
- Ken House, Dig Dug Champion
- Andrew Laidlaw, Galaga Champion
- Chris Mansfield, Kicker Champion
- John McAllister, Asteroids Deluxe Champion
- Billy Mitchell, Legendary Arcade Champion
- Shigeru Miyamoto, Creator of Donkey Kong
- Masaya Nakamura, NAMCO Founder
- Steve Ritchie, Legendary Game Designer
- Perry Rodgers, Mario Brothers Champion
- Todd Rogers, Legendary Arcade Champion
- Scott Safran, Asteroids Champion
- Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, Legendary PC Gaming Champion
- Steve Wiebe, Donkey Kong, Jr. Champion
- Phil Younger, Berzerk Champion
- Pac-Man - Classic Arcade Game