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Alumni

The players who participated as part of the U.S. National Video Game Team® in the past. Members are listed by alphabetical order using first name.

 

Determining who exactly should be considered USNVGT Alumni has been interesting, as few true records were kept and different eras came with different types of criteria and qualifications for entry. Therefore, consider this section to be a work in progress. If you feel you should be listed but do not see yourself listed here, or if you are listed and would like to update your photo or talk about your days as part of the USNVGT, use the Contact link. We'd love to hear from you!

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Ben Gold

One of video gaming's first superstars, Gold was the first player in history to win two televised video game competitions. The first came on That's Incredible! in 1983, followed by a victory over Eric Ginner in a Millipede contest filmed for a television show pilot later that same year.

Brent Walker

Joined team in 1986 after first encountering the team at The Gold Mine arcade in Austin. Fan of pinball in addition to video games. Today, Walker works for Apple, a company with deep ties to video game history itself.

Chris Emery

One of the earliest arcade champions. In 1984, Chris set a Sinistar world record that stands to this day. He is now a successful entrepreneur in the confection industry. 

Darren Olson

Early arcade champion was among the three finalists who competed on the famous That's Incredible! Video Game World Championships in 1983. Known today as Chris Steele.

David Nelson

Former Twin Galaxies Chief Referee. Appointed Team Captain for attempted USNVGT reboot in 2000s. Winner of numerous Funspot Arcade Tournaments.

David White

A member of the EGM-era USNVGT, David appeared in Volume 3 of the Secret Video Game Tricks, Codes & Strategies videocassette, giving tips on various Nintendo titles.

Dwayne Richard

Multiple world record holding arcade champion. One of the two main characters in documentary film Man VS Snake: The Long and Twisted Tale of Nibbler

Ed Semrad

Famed video game critic was among the first to review the Nintendo Entertainment System and served as the Editor-In-Chief of Electronic Gaming Monthly

Eric Ginner

Video gaming's first superstar player, Eric gained fame in 1981 for winning Tournament Games International's Centipede championships. Ginner would move on to work at Atari during the Jaguar and Lynx era. 

Gary Hatt

Member of the Team in the 1980s, Hatt still holds records on a variety of titles including Bank Panic and Badlands

Jason Reynolds

At just 13 years of age, Jason gained membership onto the team by winning a 1988 Nintendo competition aired on That's Incredible's "Incredible Sunday" broadcast. 

Jay Kim

Part of the first group in the 1983 reboot of the USNVGT by Walter Day. 

Jim Allee

Part of the USNVGT era that appeared in the Secret Video Game Tricks, Codes & Strategies videotapes. These cassettes were the precursor to today's "Let's Play" videos popular on Twitch and YouTube.

Ken Williams

The longest tenured 'Sushi-X' that was made famous in the early days of Electronic Gaming Monthly.

Leo Daniels

One of competitive gaming's first multi-title champion, Leo acted as a consultant for one of the first-ever strategy guide books and was featured in the film Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade.

Mark Bersabe

One-time competitor on titles such as Millipede, Space Duel and Bubbles was also a successful competitive BMX racer. He moved on to spend most of his adult life in Silicon Valley as a successful software engineer.

Mark Hoff

An early member of the USNVGT, Mark continues his work to celebrate the legacy of early competitive video gaming to this very day. 

Martin Alessi

Famed writer during the early eras of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Martin is also well remembered for being one of the few USNVGT members to appear in the famed Secret Video Game Tricks, Tips and Strategies videocassette series. He was also one of the few members to be part of both the modern and legacy eras of the Team.

Perry Rodgers

Champion of classic titles such as Popeye and Galaxian. One of two members to appear in Atari 7800 televisions commericals. Went on to work for Sony. Game development credits include titles such as Spyro The Dragon, Grandia and PaRappa the Rapper.

Scott Rogers

Brother to Todd Rogers, Scott's favorites included Bosconian & Battlezone. He loved reading and fixing things. 

Steve Harris

Co-founder of Electronic Gaming Monthly, Harris was one of the most instrumental people in keeping the USNVGT alive from the mid-1980s through the first half of the 1990s. One of the most talented arcade players of the 1980s.

Steve Ryno

Steve was an important figure in several of the early USNVGT publications. He would move on to work as a game developer for a variety of companies during the era of the 16-bit console wars.

Steve Sanders

The first-ever Team Captain during the USNVGT's origins in the Electronic Circus. Author of The Video Masters Guide to Donkey Kong and noted Joust and Pac-Man champion. Attorney in the modern day.

Terry Minnich

The famed "Trickman Terry" from the early days of Electronic Gaming Monthly. Today, owner and operator of Pixel Blast Arcade in Lisle, Illinois.

Tim Collum

Winner of the Texas Video Game Championship in 1982 held by Southland Corporation and 7-Eleven. Also won the 1982 Ms. Pac-Man Tournament aired on That's Incredible!, the first of several video game competitions the show would air in the 1980s. 

Todd Rogers

One of the first-ever paid professional gamers, Todd came to the industry's attention by baffling Activision programmers with his skills in the early 1980s.

Tom Asaki

Chief rival of current co-owner Tim McVey on Rock-Ola's Nibbler in 1983-84. Featured in documentary film Man VS Snake.

Walter Day

The second Team Captain, Walter re-established the USNVGT in 1983 and stayed on board until 1986. Most famously the co-founder of the Twin Galaxies scoreboard, Day continues to celebrate players to this day.

William "Billy" Mitchell

Billy Mitchell was part of both the 1982 and 1983 versions of the USNVGT. He would later gain international media attention for a perfect score on the classic Pac-Man arcade game.

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