This is a detailed overview of Billy Mitchell net worth and a deep dive into his income sources, including his rise to fame.
Billy Mitchell first rose to fame in the 1980s when Life magazine published a photo of him alongside several game champions. This was during the peak of arcade gaming and gave Billy all the motivation he needed to continue breaking new records.
He is the first person to have achieved a perfect score of 3,333,360 points on Pac-Mac. Billy is also recognized by Guinness World Records and Twin Galaxies as the holder of several records on arcade games such as Donkey Kong and Pac-Man [1].
Billy Mitchell’s net worth is an estimated $1m to $2m. However, he doesn’t just rely on his income stream from his stardom as a video gamer. He also runs a restaurant business.
Let’s break down his main sources of income.
Table of Contents
Billy Mitchell Net Worth: $1m to $2m
Billy Mitchell Income Sources
Billy Mitchell is a popular gamer who has made several records across popular arcade games such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. Here is a quick look at his income stream.
- Video gaming career
- Restaurant business
- Merchandising (sales figures are not known)
Income Source 1: Video Gaming Career
Billy Mitchell made a small fortune based on his video gaming career.
Billy’s video gaming career has been heavily documented in mainstream media, including Life Magazine and Namco. He reached out to Walter Day, a prominent recordkeeper for arcade scores to help him set a new record for Donkey Kong. In 1982, he managed to set a new record of 874,300.
*Note: It is not clear how much Billy earned from his video gaming career. Although it can be understood that the earnings were not substantial enough for him to pursue a full time career in gaming. This was before the advent of social media and video game walkthroughs, so Billy’s income earning potential was limited.
Income Source 2: Restaurant Business
Billy Mitchell is known for breaking video game records, but this isn’t the source of his wealth. He is a successful restaurateur and moved away from video games to spend more time at his Rickey’s Restaurant, which was owned by his family. He would eventually take ownership of the establishment.
It can be argued that the restaurant business is his main source of income and video games were merely a passion.
Income Source 3: Merchandising
Billy Mitchell’s online career hasn’t done particularly well since the advent of social media and he hasn’t been able to capitalize on his work from the 1980s. With that said, there are many collectors and enthusiasts who would eagerly buy memorabilia belonging to Billy Mitchell, including merchandise.
Billy Mitchell merchandise can be found on various platforms such as Red Bubble and Amazon. It is unclear how much he makes from merchandising.
Billy Mitchell Early Years
Billy Mitchell was born in a well-to-do family on July 16, 1965, in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He grew up in South Florida and pursued pinball in grade school. He took to video games because he felt that they made him popular.
He attended Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory School and was invited by Day in a photoshoot to participate in Electronic Circus to demonstrate his skill at various arcade games.
Billy Mitchell Professional Life
Billy Mitchell reached out to Walter Day, an employee at Twin Galaxies in Ottawa, Iowa to learn more about high scores at various arcade and classic games. He made history as the first player to achieve a score of 3,333,360 at Pac-Man. Other records include 1,062,800 points for Donkey Kong and 1,270,900 for Donkey Kong Jr.
MTV named him as one fo the “Top 10 Most Popular Video Gamers of All Time”. Mitchell was also represented with an award by Masaya Nakamura, a businessman who founded Namco.
Billy Mitchell Controversy
Billy Mitchell’s video game records have been disputed [2]. This was first brought to light by Jeremy Young, a moderator of the Donkey Kong Forums who pointed that Childs swapped the circuit board and also claimed that the video did not know the complete record-breaking runs.
This earned him the ire of the internet as many magazines came out to debunk his scores. Evidence has also emerged of Mitchel using MAME – a software-based emulator to achieve his scores instead of applying an authentic game arcade.
Here is a video of an expose on Billy Mitchell, who is currently being sued for millions [3].
Accusations against Billy Mitchell
Billy Mitchell Quotes
“I gotta try losing some time.”
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Billy Mitchell Biography
Legal Name | William James Mitchell Jr. |
Net Worth | $1 million |
Source of Wealth | Video games, restaurant business, merchandising |
Date of Birth | July 16, 1965 |
Place of Birth | Holyoke, Massachusetts, United States |
Gender | Male |
Height | Unknown |
Weight | Unknown |
Religion | Unknown |
Straight Marital Status | Married |
Partner | Unknown |
Children | 1 daughter, 1 step-daughter |
Names of Children | Unknown |
Nationality | American |
Frequently Asked Questions Billy Mitchell
What is Billy Mitchell’s net worth?
The American video game player is said to have a net worth of $1 million.
What Are Billy’s Main Sources of Income?
Billy Mitchell owns a popular restaurant chain called “Rickey’s World Famous Restaurant”.
What are some of Billy’s high scores?
Billy Mitchell’s records include 3,333,360 at the original Pac-Man. He has also been recognized as the first player to achieve one million points to establish a new Donkey Kong record.
References
[1] https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/18/21296046/guinness-billy-mitchell-donkey-kong-pac-man-records-reinstated – Billy’s world records in video games.
[2] https://kotaku.com/billy-mitchell-s-old-website-now-debunks-his-controvers-1847712280 – Kotaku covers Billy Mitchell’s controversial career.
[3]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ74cr1x6SE – Billy being accused of several allegations.