What was the very 1st game?

Video games are now an integral part of modern entertainment, with massive industries built around them, and millions of people playing games every day. But where did it all begin? The first video game laid the foundation for everything we see today, and understanding its origins is key to appreciating the evolution of the gaming world.

Let’s take a journey through history to uncover the very first video game ever made.

1. Tennis for Two: The Birth of Video Games (1958)

Often considered the first video game, Tennis for Two was created by William Higinbotham, a physicist at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, in 1958. Unlike today’s gaming consoles, this game was not made for commercial purposes—it was simply an interactive demonstration intended to entertain visitors at the lab.

Tennis for Two was a simple tennis simulation, displayed on an oscilloscope screen, where two players controlled paddles to hit a ball back and forth. Though very basic by today's standards, it was groundbreaking for its time. Unfortunately, Tennis for Two wasn’t saved for posterity in the way some of the later games were, but it’s still considered one of the first steps in the evolution of video gaming.

2. Spacewar! – The First Influential Game (1962)

While Tennis for Two holds the title for being the first video game, Spacewar!, created in 1962 by Steve Russell and a team of collaborators at MIT, is considered the first widely recognized video game. Unlike its predecessor, Spacewar! was designed to be played on a computer (the PDP-1) rather than a specialized display.

The game allowed two players to control spaceships that fired missiles at each other while navigating around a star in the center of the screen. Spacewar! was a monumental leap forward in terms of gameplay and graphics, especially considering the limited technology available at the time. It wasn’t just a game—it helped spark interest in video games and demonstrated that computer technology could be used for entertainment.

What made Spacewar! unique was that it wasn’t just confined to MIT. It spread to other research centers, universities, and even arcades, influencing early game developers and creators. It is often credited as being one of the first truly playable video games, and it showed the potential of gaming as an entertainment medium.

3. Pong: The First Commercial Game (1972)

While Tennis for Two and Spacewar! were innovative, it was Pong, released in 1972 by Atari, that truly marked the beginning of the commercial video game industry. Designed by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney, Pong was inspired by Tennis for Two, with players controlling paddles to hit a ball back and forth. But unlike earlier games, Pong was developed as an arcade game intended for the public.

Pong was an instant success, becoming the first commercially successful video game. It was simple, fun, and addictive, and it paved the way for a booming arcade gaming industry. The game's success led to the creation of numerous other arcade games, marking the birth of the video game industry as we know it today.

The Legacy of Early Video Games

The early pioneers of video games, including Higinbotham, Russell, and Bushnell, had no idea just how much their creations would shape the future. From the humble beginnings of Tennis for Two to the widespread success of Pong, the journey of video games is filled with innovative ideas, bold experimentation, and groundbreaking developments.

Pong was the start of the arcade game boom, and it was followed by an explosion of new video games, consoles, and home systems. These early games laid the groundwork for the massive gaming industry we see today, where video games generate billions of dollars in revenue and are enjoyed by players of all ages across the globe.

Conclusion: A Long Way From Pong

Looking back, it’s incredible to see how far video games have come since the days of Tennis for Two and Pong. The technology, gameplay, and graphics of today’s games are a far cry from what the first video game pioneers could have imagined. And while Tennis for Two may have been a simple demonstration, it sparked an entire industry that continues to grow and evolve.

The journey of video games is a testament to the creativity and innovation that drives the entertainment world. Whether you're a casual player or a hardcore gamer, we owe the games we play today to the first steps made in the 1950s and 1960s. So next time you fire up your favorite game, take a moment to appreciate the rich history that made it possible—starting with the very first video game.