The International Video Game Hall of Fame and Museum has postponed the 2011 Big Bang event because, well, it doesn’t have any money.
Ottumwa, Iowa, isn’t known for much but it is famous around the world for one thing: as the birthplace of Walter “Radar” O’Reilly, the diminutive company clerk who starred for several seasons in the long-running television series M*A*S*H. For some reason, it also apparently ended up as the home of the International Video Game Hall of Fame and Museum, which was set to unveil the Museum of Historic Gameplay at the 2011 Big Bang event, where players could try their hand at consoles old and new.
“At Big Bang 2011 we are planning to expand our gaming stations featuring the top games of the last 30 years,” the Hall of Fame wrote in the original announcement. “And, to make the vintage gaming experience even more authentic, we have managed to make available many TV sets from ancient eras of technology to give you that look and feel of past times.”
Sadly, it is not to be, at least not right away. The IVGHOF has been forced to postpone the Big Bang “due to the lack of adequate revenues to operate the event and to continue operations to reach the goals of establishing the Hall of Fame.” To put it more succinctly, there’s no money.
“While the members of the IVGHOF are saddened by this development, we believe it is the right thing to do given the situation the IVGHOF is in,” the Hall said in a statement. This year’s induction process will continue, however, and the Big Bang will happen eventually. “The IVGHOF will set a new date once our current financial obligations are taken care of,” it added.
I don’t want to be the naysayer who points out that maybe some of these fiscal difficulties could have been avoided if the IVGHOF hadn’t decided to set up shop in freakin’ Ottumwa, but if somebody else was to make the point I sure wouldn’t disagree.
