The Birth of Digital Gaming
OLX89 – The true birth of digital games can be traced back to the late 1950s when American universities became the first places where young academics and tech enthusiasts experimented with the emerging medium of computers. During this pioneering era, in 1961, student Steve Russell developed “Spacewar!” — the first computer game. These early efforts were limited to a small audience since they were only available on expensive university computers. The real era of computer and video games began with two founding fathers: Ralph Baer, who developed the first console, the Magnavox Odyssey, and Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, who followed in 1972 with the video tennis game “Pong.” By the early 1970s, consoles were regularly supplied with corresponding game software.
The Golden Age of Video Games (Mid-1970s to 1982)
The period from the mid-1970s to 1982 is often referred to as the “Golden Age of Video Games.” Many classic arcade games that are now considered cult favorites, such as “Space Invaders” and “Asteroids” by Atari, debuted as arcade machines and later saw adaptations on the latest generation of home consoles. The most popular consoles of this time included Mattel’s Intellivision, CBS’s ColecoVision, and the legendary Atari VCS 2600. The young industry in the United States experienced rapid growth, with record-breaking results year after year.
However, blinded by positive market developments, many companies produced large quantities of low-quality software that filled warehouses but failed to attract buyers. As sales declined, many software developers and console manufacturers went bankrupt. This downturn led to the major crash of the North American gaming industry in 1983, resulting in a market shakeout. Nevertheless, a new generation of digital games was already on the horizon, ready to lead the industry forward.