Which Is the First Video Game?

Many people think that the first video game was launched in the 1990s. It is easy to believe this fact if you have never been interested in the history of video games. In this article, we will try to debunk your confidence and tell you when the world's first video game was released.

What is a video game?

A video game is a specific computer program that implements gameplay or an app for electronic devices. Among the synonyms for the concept are terms like electronic game, computer game, PC video game, etc. Obligatory elements of any video game are:

• Visual interface through which the player controls the gameplay.
• Setting that includes a specific time, place of action, and external attributes of the game.

Which video game is considered the first?

Researchers of computer games cannot agree on which game can be considered the first video game. Therefore, we will introduce certain facts that will help you to draw your own conclusions.

The first group of researchers believes that the very first video-based computer game was titled Bertie the Brain. In 1950, it was invented by Joseph Cates and presented at the Canadian National Exhibition. This slot machine was over four meters high. You could play tic-tac-toe on it. For many of us, such a simple game would seem boring today. However, you should remember that at that time, Bertie the Brain was an unprecedented technological marvel.

The second group of researchers considers the first video game appeared in October 1958. At that time, William Higinbotham, a physicist, created a game that is considered to be the first video game. It was a tennis game with the simplest possible design. That game reminds us of the classic Pong video game released in 1972.

Other researchers of the video gaming industry think that the first video game was released in the 1970s. It was called Computer Space, which was presented at the Music Operators of America exhibition that took place in Chicago in 1971. The game had an interesting and recognizable plot at that time. It was the flight of a spaceship that was attacked by flying saucers. However, the game didn’t have a broad success. Instead, the Pong game, released in 1972, gained wide popularity. By 1974, more than 8,200 slot machines with Pong had already been sold.

The reason for the failure of the Computer Space game is not in its complexity. The Galaxy Game and Space Wars games with a similar space theme became popular because they had one detail that was missing in the very first video game. This is gravity. This technology was not present in the first video games because they were developed based on television technology rather than.

Conclusion

Now, you know different points of view on the history of the appearance of the first video game. It doesn't really matter when exactly it was released. The main thing is that today, we can enjoy thousands of computer video games on various themes. And this can perfectly diversify our leisure time. Don’t forget to play responsibly!