Gaming: A Historical Timeline

1822 - the first computer is created. The Analytical Engine was the first general-purpose, automatic, mechanical computer able to solve any calculation given. Although far from capable of running any video game, it contained basic computing units which we still use in computers today.

Fast forward 140 years and the first computer game on a video display was created – Spacewar! Developed by MIT professor Steve Russell, the game played for the PDP-1 (Programmed Data Processor 1) (Programmed Data Processor-1) was a space combat game played by two people, in which the game aimed to shoot down the other ship while avoiding collisions with nearby stars. However, considered the most influential video game in the industry’s history, Spacewar! It could only be played on giant, cutting-edge computers, mostly found at universities, so its impact was withheld mainly by the small programming community of its day.

Come 1970, the first commercial home video game console hit the market. The Magnavox Odyssey was developed by German video game inventor Ralph H Baer but would, unfortunately, be discontinued after only 300,000 sales. Despite the mismanagement of the release, this was the birth of home gaming as we know it However, with arcade games still dominating the market, the spotlight was mainly on games such as Computer Space and Pong, the iconic 2D table tennis game, which would act as the seeds of growth for the arcade industry. Pong was the first arcade game to gain international acclaim, and Atari certainly didn’t slow down development after its success. Following the Magnavox Odyssey, Atari would release the Atari 2600 in 1977, also known as the Video Computer System, which featured interchangeable game cartridges sold separately. The VCS would effectively catalyse the second generation of gaming consoles. This would be considered the ‘Golden Age’ of video games, where rapid growth and technological advancement would further spread the industry’s influence. However, in 1983, the United States video games industry experienced a significant crash due to several factors. The oversaturated games console market, competition from P.C. gaming and an excess of low-quality games Such is an example of Atari’s infamous E.T., considered the worst video game ever made. It was not until 1985 that the industry began to recover. The Japanese gaming industry began to make its mark on the North American sector, thanks to the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Nintendo’s products began to land on American shelves, including the iconic Super Mario Bros and The Legend of Zelda. No longer a novelty, video games were now an iconic part of quintessential American life.

With digital technology ever developing, the 5th generation of video games unlocked 3D gaming. Real-time 3D polygonal graphic rendering was incorporated into Sony’s groundbreaking PlayStation, which knocked Sega and Nintendo off the market. Sony would continue to dominate the market into the next generation. In 2001 the PlayStation 2 was released, which remains today the highest-selling gaming console of all time, with 159 million sales. The console brought us iconic gaming titles such as Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid 2 and the ageless Grand Theft Auto series. The success of Sony’s PlayStation would see companies such as Microsoft joining the playing field, such as the release of the Xbox in 2001, sparking the rivalry between the two industry behemoths.

By the mid-2000s, Sony, Sega, and Microsoft remained significant players in the console market. Microsoft and Sony developed online digital services such as Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. This revolutionised gaming online, allowing players to connect with friends virtually and purchase video games digitally. Connection to online players triggered the creation of MMO/MMORPG games (Massively Multiplier Online/Role-Playing Games), such as the cultclassic World of Warcraft. Suddenly, gaming was bringing people closer than ever before.

Video games began seeing increasingly large budgets for development, comparable to the Hollywood movie industry; Final Fantasy VII cost an estimated $40-45 million to develop. As a result, these high-budget games and companies became informally known as ‘AAA’ or ‘triple A’ games, sitting at the top of the industry’s hierarchy. Early triple-A titles include Final Fantasy VII and Shenmue, each costing over $40 million!

The 8th generation of gaming consoles began with the release of Nintendo’s Wii U, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Games were continuously becoming increasingly photorealistic, incorporating innovative and dynamic storylines and characters many hold close to their heart to this day. Video games were swiftly spreading their influence everywhere in the form of significant gaming awards, conventions, merchandising, on social media platforms and international Esports events.

In 2005 and 2006, the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii kicked off the next generation of highdefinition gaming. The PlayStation 3 brought prominent names such as The Last of Us, LittleBigPlanet and God of War III, and the Xbox 360 got Halo 3 and 4, Alan Wake and Gears of War. With development budgets growing ever larger and aided by rapid developments in technology, the industry was thriving.

The industry now shows no sign of slowing its advances, especially in a digital world; if anything, its growth has accelerated During the Covid-19 pandemic, U.S. video game sales reached $56.9 billion, an increase of 27%. By 2026, the industry is predicted to reach a staggering $321 billion net worth. Currently larger than the movie and music industries combined, the video game sector is undoubtedly a glimpse into the future of our modern society With virtual and augmented reality becoming the norm, it is only a matter of time before we become entirely digital. Endless possibilities await us as a society, whether escaping to a fictional world in which you are in complete control or connecting with others around the world from your own home It is clear that video games have always been and will continue to be among the main driving forces of connection between millions of people, regardless of race, gender, age or sexuality.