History of Computer & Video Games

Origins

• On December 14, 1948, a patent was issued to Estle Ray Mann and Thomas T. Goldsmith, for a game called "Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device." This precursor to the modern video game allowed players to adjust the speed and direction, using knobs, of a missile as it moved toward a target. The game's technology was as basic as eight vacuum tubes. During the early 1950s and 1960s, British computer scientist Christopher Strachey and professor A. S. Douglas developed other prototypes for computer games.

1970s

• In the fall of 1971, two arcade games, "Galaxy Games" and "Computer Space" were released. The former was developed by Stanford University students and was available only on that campus. The latter, though, was distributed to over 1,500 locations across the country. The creators of "Computer Space," Nolan Bushnell and Teb Dabney, founded the video game manufacturer Atari, Inc. The first release was "Pong," which had an easy-to-use interface and became a major hit. In the 1970s, Magnavox also released the first console, the Odyssey, along with the first home video games.

1980s

• In 1980, the first major color video game, "Pac-Man," arrived in arcade form. Around this time, Atari released the Video Computer System, which became a wide-selling home console. Two other console manufacturers, Mattel and Coleco Industries, took large shares of the video console market. Though computer games were being made during the 1970s, they were not commercially distributed, as they often broke copyright law and were developed on university mainframe computers. During the wave of home computer purchases in the early 1980s, games, including early online interactive games, became widely available. In 1983, though, the computer game industry crashed, with several developers closing their doors. In 1985, Nintendo released its NES system.

1990s

• In the 1990s, the complexity of video games took a large step forward. Improved graphics, a larger degree of strategy, and better overall production values helped the home console industry reach a larger international market, across a larger section of the population. Landmark games of this period include "Myst," "Dune II," "Sonic the Hedgehog," "Street Fighter," and "Alone in the Dark."

2000s

• Over the course of the 21st century's first decade, video games oscillated between casual-play, simple games and complex, highly violent games. Games like "Resident Evil" drew controversy for portraying violence. In the 2000s, home consoles introduced online play, ever increasing production value, and a wider range of titles. "The Sims," an avatar-based game, became the biggest selling computer game ever. Released in 2006, the Nintendo Wii reached a record audience, focusing mainly on casual-play games, with limited complexity and strategy.