Who invented the first game system?

There isn't a single "inventor" of the first game system, as the concept evolved over time with contributions from various people. However, we can point to some key figures and developments:

Early Influences:

* 1940s: Claude Shannon, an American mathematician, proposed the concept of a "theoretical machine" capable of playing chess. This marked a significant theoretical advancement in computer gaming.

* 1950s: The Nimrod Computer (1951) was built by Ferranti and showcased at the Festival of Britain. It was a digital computer that could play a simple game of noughts and crosses (tic-tac-toe).

The First "Game Console" (Arguably):

* 1958: The "Tennis for Two" was developed by William Higinbotham at Brookhaven National Laboratory. This analog computer used an oscilloscope to display a simple game of tennis, and it's considered by some to be the first video game and the first console-like device.

Towards Modern Consoles:

* 1960s: Companies like Ralph Baer (1966) and Nolan Bushnell (1971) developed more sophisticated video game consoles with dedicated hardware for playing specific games.

* 1972: Magnavox Odyssey, developed by Ralph Baer, was the first commercially released home video game console, featuring replaceable game cartridges.

Therefore, it's challenging to pinpoint a single inventor of the first game system. The evolution of game systems involved contributions from several individuals and research groups.