Video Game Timeline

By Miatto
  • First Video Game

    First Video Game
    Physicist Willy Higinbotham invents the first "video game" at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York. His game, a table tennis-like game, was played on an oscilloscope.
  • Spacewar Is Created

    Spacewar Is Created
    Steve Russell, a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, creates Spacewar, the first interactive computer game.
  • Creates Interactive Games With T.V.

    Creates Interactive Games With T.V.
    Ralph Baer, an engineer at Sanders Associates, receives support from his company to explore his idea of creating interactive games using a television.
  • Baer Was Successful

    Baer Was Successful
    Baer and team are successful in creating two interactive TV games a chase game and a tennis game. They are also able to manipulate a toy gun so that it detects spots of light on the TV screen.
  • Magnovox Licenses Baer's TV Game

    Magnovox Licenses Baer's TV Game
    Magnavox licenses Baer's TV game from Sanders Associates.
    Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney begin their attempt to create an arcade version of Spacewar, calling it Computer Space.
  • Computer Space is the first arcade game

    Computer Space is the first arcade game
    Computer Space becomes first video arcade game ever released. 1500 games are distributed.
  • Atari Vs Magnavox

    Atari Vs Magnavox
    Baer claimed that Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell had copied Magnavox’s version of electronic Ping-Pong after Bushnell played the game at a Magnavox dealership demo a few months before Pong was released.
  • First Home Video Game System

    First Home Video Game System
    Magnavox's Odyssey, the first home video game system, is showcased at a convention in Burlingame, CA.
  • Pong Is Released

    Pong Is Released
    Atari's Pong is released with help from Sears Roebuck, which finances the production of 150,000 units. It becomes the hottest selling Christmas present. Sears sells the product exclusively, with the Sears Tele-Games logo.
  • Telstar is released

    Telstar is released
    Coleco releases its first home video-game console called Telstar.
  • Video Computer System is released

    Video Computer System is released
    Atari introduces its first cartridge-based home video system called the Video Computer System which later becomes known as the Atari 2600. It retails for $249.95.
  • Atari creates Football

    Atari creates Football
    The trackball makes its entrance into the video-game industry as the controller in Atari's new arcade game Football.
  • Atari makes Cosmos

    Atari makes Cosmos
    Atari develops a handheld console that displays holograms. Named "Cosmos," this product was never released.
  • First Video Game Magazine

    First Video Game Magazine
    Arnie Katz and Bill Kunkel found the first video-game magazine, Electronic Games.
  • Atari 5200 is released

    Atari 5200 is released
    Atari releases the Atari 5200 to compete with Coleco's Colecovision
  • Tetris is created

    Tetris is created
    The popular game Tetris is developed by Russian programmer Alex Pajitnov. It is played on a PC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fQtxKmgJC8
  • Nintendo releases NES

    Nintendo releases NES
    Nintendo's NES is released in the U.S. after being test-marketed in NY one year earlier
  • The SMS is created to complete the NES

    The SMS is created to complete the NES
    To compete with the NES, Sega introduces the Sega Master System (SMS).
  • Atari 7800 is released

    Atari 7800 is released
    Atari releases the Atari 7800 to stay competitive in the market.
  • Wilson Vs Midway Games

    Wilson Vs Midway Games
    A 13-year-old boy named Noah Wilson passed away after his best friend stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife, severing his aorta. The court held that Midway Games was not liable for the death under the First Amendment, as the State of Connecticut could not violate their free speech rights to make video games.