Hobbies And Interests
Inventor
The Odyssey was created by gaming pioneer Ralph Baer, who originally came up with the idea while working for Sanders Associates in the 1960s.
Producer
Baer and his associates produced several working prototypes, including one known as the Brown Box, which they pitched to several different television companies without much success. Finally, Magnavox agreed to distribute the unit in 1972.
Release Date
The original version of the Magnavox Odyssey was released in the fall of 1972.
Features
The Odyssey came with 12 game cards, including Tennis, Table Tennis, Football, Simon Says, States, Roulette, Haunted House and Cat and Mouse. Additionally, the system featured the first ever light-gun peripheral, which worked alongside the Shooting Gallery game.
Sales
Through 1972 through 1975, 350,000 Odyssey units were manufactured and sold by Magnavox.
Successor
In 1976, Baer and his staff began work on the Odyssey2, which was released in the U.S. in 1978 and would go on to sell approximately two million units worldwide.
Honors
In honor of his pioneering work in the gaming industry, Baer was presented with a National Medal of Technology from then-President George W. Bush in 2006.