Video games have at this point been around as long as people can remember. Originating as the pet projects of bored early computer scientists and engineers, they’ve slowly over time evolved into expansive and otherwordly experiences that rival, and at times surpass other forms of mainstream media such as movies or TV shows.
The beginnings
The very earliest stages of gaming can be traced back to the late 1950s, with the invention of the game “Tennis for Two” by genius physicist William Higinbotham. Higinbotham was a part of the team behind the infamous United States Manhattan Project, but post WW2 he took up a job at Brookhaven National Laboratory, and in his free time he developed the interactive two-player game that could be played on an oscilloscope. It was the first of its kind and was the beginning of a revolutionary new genre of analog (and later digital) media.
Video games introduced to the public
Fast forward to the 1970s and the birth of the Arcade Machine. Digital technology had at this point really started replacing old analog machines and computers, and digital circuitry was much more efficient and compact than its predecessor. Because of this compactness, digital arcade machines began to sweep the civilized world in popularity, and kids of all ages were infatuated with a new form of entertainment that had never been seen before.
The home console revolution
By the late 70s and early 80s, computers had gotten so advanced and compact that they could now fit in a small box that could be stored in your living room and connected to the TV. Of course, the concept of a video game console is taken for granted nowadays, but back then it truly was groundbreaking technology.
The Atari 2600 was arguably the biggest player in the market at this time, it was originally released in the United States in late 1977 and marketed towards all ages, most of all children. It was initially sold for $189.95 USD (about $1000 USD or $1440 CAD in today’s money!).
The video game crash
As video games started gaining considerable attraction and popularity among the general public, there was suddenly a rat race to produce and market the most affordable consoles and games. This ultimately resulted in most of them being of very poor quality, and consumers ultimately lost interest in video games, especially home consoles. The new popularity of home desktop computers contributed to the video game console industry’s nosediving in revenue and net worth. One of the most notorious examples of a game that contributed to the crash was E.T. for the Atari 2600. Made to promote the movie of the same name, E.T. was so made cheaply and quickly that consumers were appalled at the fact that such a huge brand name could produce a product so awful and unfun. Atari later famously buried all copies of the game in their possession in a New Mexico landfill.
The rise of Nintendo
In 1985, Nintendo threw its hat into the ring of Western video game consoles in an attempt to revive the industry. Some at the time thought that video games were done for, and any attempt at turning the industry around was but in vain. Nintendo, however, thought otherwise and released the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in North America in late 1985. Nintendo had already released the console in Japan two years prior under the name “Nintendo Family Computer” (“Famicom” for short), as Japan had not suffered the same crash that North America so miserably had.
Thanks to good marketing and Nintendo’s never-ending obsession for quality and polish in their products (one that made them stand out among others at the time, as well as a practice that still keeps customers coming back to this day), the NES was a hit! Inspiring more companies to rejoin the video game market, including Sega, who served as Nintendo’s prime competitor throughout the 80s and 90s.
Into the 21st Century and the modern era
The modern era of video gaming has seen players like Sony and Microsoft join the scene, with their respective Playstation and Xbox consoles. Those two, alongside Nintendo, comprise almost all of the Video game console market. Over the years, PC gaming has also seen a monumental rise. With anything from super fun browser games like Plinko gambling to huge experiences that can be found on platforms like Steam.
The future and beyond
While nobody can predict the future of gaming, it’s come a long way from its roots. We’ve just seen the announcement of brand new PC gaming graphics cards, as well as the heavily anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 over in the console space. The future looks bright for gaming, and with uncertain new technologies such as VR, AR, and AI-powered graphics and video games, there’s still room to grow and for new ideas in the gaming space.