Ottumwa, Iowa: Birthplace of eSports Plaque
Large bronze plaque marks the former spot of the Twin Galaxies video arcade, which created the world's first rules for competitive video gaming. It went out of business in 1984.
- Address:
- 226 E. Main St., Ottumwa, IA
- Directions:
- Downtown, on the south side of E. Main St. between S. Market and S. Green Sts. Plaque is on the front of the building with the red awning.
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Large bronze plaque heralds the birthplace of organized competitive eSports (video game playing). This was the site in the early 1980s of Twin Galaxies -- history's most famous video game arcade.
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Ottumwa proclaimed itself "Video Game Capital of the World" in 1982, but "eSports" sounds at least 20 years less dated -- and cooler. The plaque was unveiled August 16, 2015. Twin Galaxies closed in 1984.