Quck answer
The first video game was invented by William Higinbotham in 1958. Higinbotham, a physicist, created a simple tennis game on an analog computer called “Tennis for Two.” It was played on an oscilloscope screen and used a controller to hit a virtual ball back and forth. While it was not widely known at the time, Higinbotham’s invention laid the foundation for the future development of video games.
You adore them. You engage in them on large-screen televisions via special consoles. You play them on your smartphones. You play them on your computer. What are we referring to? None other than video games!
Today, video games continue to be as popular as ever. Every year, the video game industry generates over $17 billion in revenue. Gaming enthusiasts are always searching for the newest and most impressive graphics and gaming experiences. A look back in history will demonstrate just how far video games have progressed.
So who devised the very first video game? Although it may seem like a simple question, the history of video game development is somewhat intricate.
As early as the late 1940s, Thomas T. Goldsmith, Jr., and Estle R. Mann patented a device they called a Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device. It was an electronic device with screen overlays that users could employ to play basic games. As you may assume, it didn’t really resemble what we think of as video games today.
In 1958, William Higinbotham created an electronic game called Tennis for Two that could be displayed on an oscilloscope. His creation was a basic game, but once again, it wasn’t a widely available game that could be easily played by the masses.
The first true video game wouldn’t be invented until 1967 when an engineer named Ralph H. Baer created the first prototype of what would eventually become the Magnavox Odyssey, the world’s first video game console. Baer, often referred to as the “Father of Video Games,” was the first person to create a system that converted electronic signals into pictures on a television screen through a raster pattern…or what we now know as a video game.
The original Magnavox Odyssey included a few simple games, such as a chase game, checkers, and a shooting game using a rifle peripheral device. The system came with two paddle controllers, as well as a few other accessories typically associated with board games. It was a tremendous success, selling over 700,000 units in its initial three years of production.
As video games made their way into households, their popularity soared, and others soon began to develop competing systems. Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney established Atari Computers in 1972. In 1975, Atari released Pong as a home video game, leading to a significant rise in the popularity of video games.
Since those early years, many different types of video games and consoles have come and gone. Today, Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s Playstation remain the two most popular video game consoles, while children and adults alike still enjoy playing video games on their computers and smartphones.
Give It a Try
Step away from the computer and pick up that joystick or controller! It’s time to gain some hands-on experience with video games by trying out the following activities with a friend or family member:
- Interested in revisiting the past? Explore the significant events in the History of Online Gaming to understand the evolution from bulky arcade games to the portable video games we have today. Additionally, you can visit the Atari Arcade and play classic Atari video games online. Yes, that’s right! We not only permit you to play video games, but we actually encourage it! Don’t forget to invite a friend or family member to join you and engage in discussions about these games, especially with adults who may have played them as children. Enjoy the nostalgia with them!
- It’s time for a field trip! Request an adult friend or family member to take you to a local video game store. Explore the range of video game consoles, games, and accessories available for purchase. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Compare the processing capabilities of modern video game consoles with those of the initial consoles discussed in today’s Wonder of the Day. Engage in conversations with the experts at the store and inquire about the features they anticipate in the next generation of video game consoles to be released in the coming decade.
- Ready for a challenge? Create your own video game! You don’t need to be a computer programmer; you just need to develop a concept for an innovative game. By now, you likely have an understanding of the types of games that are currently popular. Your task is to conceive a game that is unlike anything available on the market today. So, let your imagination run wild and put your brain into overdrive! If possible, utilize pencils, pens, markers, or crayons to illustrate how your game would appear on the screen. What will be the storyline of your game? What characters, creatures, or people will be involved? Have fun thinking beyond the confines of the video game console!
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