Video Game History Timeline

By Evan Smith

The First Video Game - 1958

• Physicist William Hinginbotham created the first video game. It was a very simple tennis game.

The First Interactive Computer Game - 1961

• In 1961 Steve Russell created Spacewar

The First Video Arcade Game – 1970/1

• In 1970 Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney attempted to create a arcade version of Ralph Baer’s Spacewar.

• In 1971 Computer Space (Spacewar) became the first video arcade game was released.

The First Home Video Game System – 1972/5

• In 1972 Bushnell and Dabney created the first home video game system and called it ‘Atari’

• In 1975 the first game created by Atari is Pong and was released with the production of 150,000 units.

The First Cartridge Based System - 1977

• In 1977 Atari introduced its first cartridge based home video system called Video Computer System which later became know as the Atari 2600.

Nintendo - 1983

• Nintendo created their first console called the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).

• Within the same year Cinematronics debuts Rick Dyer’s Dragon Lair, the first video game to feature laser-disc tech.

• It was released in 1983 in Japan and 1986 in the U.S.

Tetris - 1985

• Playable on PC, Russian programmer Alex Pajitnov creates the popular game Tetris.

Nintendo Game Boy - 1989

• Nintendo releases the handheld Game Boy.

Super NES - 1991

• Released in the U.S by Nintendo for $249.95.

Age Ratings - 1994

• It was made mandatory to display an age rating on the video game packaging to limit the use of violent content being shown to children.

Sony and Nintendo - 1995

• Sony brings the PlayStation to the U.S and sells for $299. It becomes the most popular game console in 1997 with 20 million units sold.

• Nintendo releases the Nintendo 64 in Japan (1996 in the U.S).

Events - 1999

• Billy Mitchell attains a score of 3,333,360 in Pac-Man which is the highest possible score someone can get.

• Due to the Columbine Highschool shootings light gun games were not released by SEGA. It also caused the banning of imported guns with American consoles.

Sony and The Sims - 2000

• Sony’s PlayStation 2 launches and sells out by early morning.

• The Sims is released and quickly becomes a hit and by 2002 it becomes the best selling PC game ever.

Microsoft and Nintendo - 2001• Microsoft and Nintendo introduce their next-generation

systems within days of each other. Microsoft claims its Xbox offers "the most powerful game experiences ever." The product (estimated retail price of $299.99) comes with a built-in hard drive and Ethernet port.

• Nintendo's GameCube (suggested retail price of $199.95) delivers new forms of interactive gaming for players and an easier development environment for game creators.

• Nintendo also releases the GameBoy Advance, a portable gaming system.

Nintendo - 2004

• Nintendo releases the Nintendo DS, a portable system with two screens, one of which can be used as a touch screen.

Nintendo and Sony - 2006

• Nintendo releases the Wii, a gaming system that lets gamers use the controller in revolutionary ways, such as swinging it like a tennis racket, holding and tilting it like a steering wheel, and more.

• Sony also debuts the PlayStation 3, a very sophisticated and expensive game system.

GTA 4 and Social Games - 2008

• Grand Theft Auto 4 breaks sales records its first week after gamers bought more than 6 million copies.

• The Wii Fit is launched.• Social gaming becomes popular with Farmville

and Angry Birds.

Microsoft and Sony - 2010

• Sony and Microsoft takes the motion control system idea from Nintendo and apply them to their own consoles.

Skyrim - 2011

• Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim showcases the beauty, majesty, and massiveness of video games as players explore a seemingly endless, beautifully rendered fantasy world.

Sony and Microsoft - 2013

• Both Sony (PlayStation 4) and Microsoft (XBox One) release new gaming platforms this year.

• Nintendo also released the Wii U in December 2012

2020