Harden Elkington
Video games are now a $100 billion worldwide industry, with nearly two-thirds of American homes having household members that play video games on a regular basis. And it’s no surprise, Video games have been around for decades and come in a variety of platforms, from arcade systems to home consoles to pocket consoles and mobile devices.
They’re also frequently ahead of the curve in terms of graphics and gameplay.
So how did video games come to be?
The early history of video games
The very first video game was created in 1947 by a man named Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and his colleague, Estle Ray Mann.
The two men built a prototype called “Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device” for the United States Army, which allowed players to shoot targets on a screen using a controller.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that video games started to gain popularity.
In 1972, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney created a game called “Computer Space,” which was the first commercially available arcade game. The following year, they founded Atari, one of the most famous video game companies in history.
As video games grew in popularity, they began to appear on home consoles.
The first home console was the Magnavox Odyssey, which was released in 1972. Over the years, home consoles became more and more advanced, with games like “Super Mario Bros.,” “Pac-Man,” and “Final Fantasy” becoming household names.
Mainframe computer games
While home consoles were becoming more popular, video games were also being developed for mainframe computers.
These games were played by multiple people in different locations and usually involved strategy or simulation gameplay. One of the most famous early mainframe computer games was “Spacewar!,” which was created in 1962 by two students at MIT.
The first handheld console
In 1979, the first handheld console was released. The console, called the Game & Watch, was created by Nintendo and featured games like “Mario Bros.” and “Donkey Kong.”
The 8-bit era
The 8-bit era was a time when video games were beginning to become more popular and were being played on more platforms than ever before.
This era was dominated by Nintendo, which released consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).
The NES was especially popular and is often considered to be one of the most influential consoles in video game history.
The 16-bit era
Like the 8-bit era, the 16-bit era was dominated by Nintendo. However, this era also saw the release of consoles from Sega, including the Sega Genesis.
The Genesis was more powerful than the NES and SNES and is often considered to be one of the greatest consoles ever made.
The 32-bit era
The 32-bit era was the last era of console gaming before the introduction of 3D graphics.
This era was dominated by Sony, with consoles like the PlayStation and the PlayStation 2. The PlayStation 2 is often considered to be the best-selling console of all time.
The 3D era
The 3D era is the current era of console gaming.
This era began with the release of the Nintendo Wii in 2006 and is dominated by consoles from Sony and Microsoft. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are currently the two most popular consoles in this era.
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The rise of computer games
While console gaming was becoming more popular, computer games were also on the rise.
These games were played on personal computers and were often in 3D graphics. The most popular computer game of all time is “World of Warcraft,” which has been played by over 100 million people since it was released in 2004.
The future of video games
What will the future of video games hold?
Only time will tell, but it’s safe to say that video games are here to stay.
With new consoles like the Nintendo Switch and VR headsets like the Oculus Rift becoming more popular, we can only expect video games to become even more immersive and exciting.
Conclusion
As you can see, video games have come a long way since they were first invented.
They continue to evolve and change with the times, and it’s safe to say that they will continue to be a popular form of entertainment for years to come. Thanks for reading!
