History of Video Games

January 30th, 2012

Table of ContentsIntroductionThe “First” Video Game (1962-1971)ArcadesVideo Games Become PopularArcade GamesConsole Timeline (1972-1996)Conclusion

IntroductionVideo games have been an

important concept in the advancement of technology for over 40 years now.

Since 1975, they have not only become one of the most popular sources of entertainment, they have also played a major role in globalization, allowing people from all over the world to communicate amongst each other.

The “First” Video GameIn 1962 Steve Russell invents

SpaceWar!, a game that was developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

It wasn’t the first actual video game developed, however it was the first intended to be played on computers

Game was developed for a computer that cost over $150,000 making it unmarketable and unknown to the general public.

ArcadesIn 1971, Nolan Bushnell

along with Ted Dabney (whom later founded Atari together in 1975) programmed the SpaceWars! game to play on a television screen

Together they created the first Arcade Machine, Computer Space, which operated at 25 cents per 90 seconds.

Video Games Become PopularIn 1975, Atari

released Pong as a home video game on their first console

Pong becomes a huge success among a teenage market

The sales of video game entertainment systems also begin to skyrocket

Arcade GamesFrom 1977 to the

late 1980’s, video games became extremely popular as coin-operated machines in arcades.

Games such as Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders became extremely successful.

Early ConsolesIn 1972, Ralph Baer created the

Magnavox Odyssey. It was the first video game console playable on home televisions

Magnavox mass-produced these consoles which featured 5 diskettes that generated different code already located in the machine and 2 huge controllers that used 6-C batteries apiece

HAL (A.I.) first introduced Atari releases 2600 in 1975, these

entertainment systems are referred to as the 1st generation of consoles

2nd & 3rd Generation Consoles(8-Bit)

Atari 2600

Nintendo Entertainment System(NES - 1985)

4th Generation(16-Bit)

Super Nintendo (SNES)

Sega Genesis

Turbografx-16

5th Generation(32-64 bit)Atari Jaguar(32 Bit)

Sega CD(32 Bit)

Playstation(64 Bit)

Nintendo 64(64 Bit)

This era began what would later be known as “the Console Wars”. Both 64 Bit machines ended up being mainstream machines that would later be the downfall for both the Sega and Atari companies as console developers due to cost efficiency and playability

With the release of the 64-Bit console, video games became playable in 3-Dimensional worlds

ConclusionTechnology continues to grow and improve

on a daily basisThe consoles we use today (Xbox 360, PS3,

etc.)contain processors so much more powerful than as little as 5 years ago that the measurement of bits is no longer appropriate

Video games are now in a stage of voice recognition, motion detection, among other things that will continue to bring technology to further developments