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First Gaming System
The first gaming system designed for commercial home use was when Ralph Baer and his team released his prototype called the "Brown Box."
The "Brown Box" was a vacuum tube circuit that could be connected to a television set and allowed to users to control tubes that chased each other on the screen. -
Technological Advancement
Technological advancements, such as Intel’s invention of the world’s first microprocessor, led to the creation of games such as Gunfight in 1975, the first example of a multiplayer human-to-human combat shooter. It came with a new style of gameplay, using one joystick to control movement and another for shooting direction. -
Pac-Man
In July of 1980 a missing slice of pizza inspired Namco's Toru Iwatani created Pac-Man. This year a version of Pac-Man for Atari 2600 became the first arcade hit to appear on a home console. -
Multiplayer Gaming over Networks
Multiplayer gaming over networks really took off with the release of Pathway to Darkness in 1993, and the “LAN Party” was born.
Multiplayer gaming took the gaming community to a new level because it allowed fans to compete and interact from different computers, which improved the social aspect of gaming. -
First Internet-ready gaming Console
Sega Dreamcast, the world’s first Internet-ready console, in 2000, that real advances were made in online gaming as we know it today. Dreamcast came with an embedded 56 Kbps modem and a copy of the latest PlanetWeb browser, making Internet-based gaming a core part of its setup rather than just a quirky add-on used by a minority of users. -
Steam
Valve energizes PC gaming with its release of Steam. The digital distribution platform that allows players to download, play and update games. -
Move Towards Mobile
Since smartphones and app stores hit the market in 2007, rapid developments in mobile technology over the last decade have created an explosion of mobile gaming. Mass multiplayer mobile games such as Clash of Clans are bringing in huge sums each year, connecting millions of players around the world through their mobile device or League of Legends on the PC. -
The Future
Virtual reality (VR) company Oculus was acquired by Facebook in 2014, and released its Rift headset in 2016. The opportunities to create fully interactive, dynamic “worlds” for MMORPG, in which players could move around, interact with other players and experience the digital landscapes in a totally new dimension, could be within arms reach. It appears that gaming in 2025 will be almost unrecognizable to how it is today. -
Nintendo Switch
As smartphones and tablets become more popular as gaming platforms. Nintendo Switch is a hybrid that blends mobile and console experiences. The system allows players to take hit games Like Super Mario Odyssey with them wherever they go. -
Global Pandemic
A global pandemic fuels growth of the video game industry. Millions of people turn to games such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Among Us, and Fall Guys. People played and connected with friends and strangers through safety of their mobile phones, computers and consoles.