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The first video game was made
A physicist, William Higinbotham created the first video game, called Tennis for Two, to increase interest in his lab. https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/200810/physicshistory.cfm#:~:text=In%20October%201958%2C%20Physicist%20William,Brookhaven%20National%20Laboratory%20open%20house. -
The first game that connected to televisions was invented.
Created by Ralph Baer, the Brown Box was a prototype console that would let you play games using your T.V. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1301997 -
The first commercially produced game was made.
The arcade game Space Wars was made by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney for Syzygy Engineering, it is considered the first commercialy released video game. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-first-popular-video-game-kicked-off-generations-virtual-adventure-180971020/#:~:text=That%20is%2C%20until%20a%20group,machine%20and%20promptly%20caught%20fire. -
The first home console was released
The Magnavox Odyssey was a video game console that you could play in your own home by connecting it to your TV. https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_1302004 -
The first portable video game was created.
The toy company Mattel created the game Mattel Auto Race, which was the first video game that you could play on the go. https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?entryid=3583 -
The popularization of mobile games
Snake was a basic game where the player controls a snake and makes it grow, it was preloaded on to Nokia phones and quickly other phones followed suit leading to the influx of mobile games on the app store today. https://www.gameopedia.com/the-history-evolution-and-future-of-mobile-gaming/ -
Nintendo entered the video game industry
Nintendo, a company that previously focused on developing toys and playing cards, started to create video games. Nintendo is one of the biggest companies in video games and has continuously revolutionized gaming https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1020&context=art108#:~:text=In%201978%2C%20Nintendo%20had%20started,%2C%20Ltd%E2%80%8B%2C%202020). -
The first 3D game was made.
Made by the video game company Atari, Battlezone was an arcade cabinet that had 3D graphics that was also one of the first successful first person shooters. https://spectrum.ieee.org/battlezone -
The first 8-bit console was released
Nintendo released the Famicom game console, which had used 8-bit processors this allowed for greater visuals and sound. https://www.britannica.com/technology/Nintendo-console -
The first 16-bit game console was made.
The NEC Home Electronics' PC Engine was the first 16-bit console released even if it wasn't very popular. 16-bit processors allowed consoles to run more powerful games. https://history-computer.com/fourth-generation-video-game-consoles-the-16-bit-generation/ -
The first 32-bit console was created
The FM Town's Marty was the first 32 bit console. 32-bit processing power on video game consoles allowed them to have better display resolutions and graphics in general. https://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg90-fm_towns.htm#page=reviews -
The first 64-bit console was made
The Atari Jaguar, was the first console with 64-bit processing power which allowed for more 3D polygons and texture mapping. https://history-computer.com/the-atari-jaguar-history-launch-and-failure/ -
The first online multiplayer game was released.
Island of Kesmai was made by the Kesmai company in 1985. It used ASCII graphics and was inspired by the popular TTRPG Dungeons & Dragons, it allowed players to play games together through the internet even if they weren't in the same location. https://www.filfre.net/tag/island-of-kesmai/ -
Motion controls were popularized
The Wii was a console created by Nintendo that used motion controls more than most previous consoles, it was made to appeal to the average family and succeeded spreading the interest in video games to a large audience. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nintendo-Wii -
The first televised esports competition happens.
On the USA Network the first televised esports competition was held, the game played was halo 2. The growing popularity of games and competitions in them lead to the current prevalence of esports competitions on Twitch, a popular website where people can livestream themselves. https://www.siue.edu/esports/about/history.shtml#:~:text=As%20the%202000's%20rolled%20around,most%20prominent%20hosts%20in%20Esports.