Nintendo World Championships

Today, the concept of a professional gamer is widespread, but even a few years ago, the concept would have caused many to roll their eyes. No one could possibly make a living playing video games. However, the concept has been percolating for years. Consider the Nintendo World Championships from 1990. The biggest video game tournament in history was by no means this one. One was conducted by Atari in 1981 and offered $50,000 in prizes.

The Wizard, a 1989 film starring Fred Savage, was about two brothers who travel to California to compete in a Nintendo competition. The entire film was essentially a giant Nintendo advertisement, and it worked. It also ensured that each and every child was aware of the reality of video game tournaments. The 1990 Nintendo World Championships featured 8,000 players in 29 locales the next year.

Even a specific World Championships game for the tournament was included; it was never intended to be played elsewhere. Tetris, Rad Racer, and Super Mario Bros. were the three games on the cartridge. Approximately 100 of the games are thought to have been exported illegally. A copy with a torn label sold for $100,000 in 2014. Another was acknowledged as having been exchanged for a $550,000 Tom Brady rookie card when it was sold at auction in 2021 for $180,000.