The Space Invaders Tournament – 1980

In 1980, Atari held The Space Invaders Tournament, the first organized video game competition.

The Space Invaders Tournament - 1980
The Space Invaders Tournament – 1980

The tournament included more than 10,000 participants who competed at regional tournaments and was won by 16-year-old Rebecca Heineman. Heineman would go on to be a founding member of Interplay Productions and other video game companies.

The Space Invaders Tournament - 1980
The Space Invaders Tournament – 1980