Video: The History of Video Games
by Blake Snow 
{ Apr 19th 2006 at 5:29AM }
Follow the continued post break to view the Discovery Channel's History of Video Games. Though a bit long at 46 minutes, the documentary does a nice job covering the games industry from Pong to Nintendo. What would you define as the most pivotal point in gaming, and are are we at a crossroads with the current next-gen cycle upon us?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TeaTom @ Apr 19th 2006 7:01AM
I don't think that it's possible to point out just one moment in gaming that could be defined as pivotal.
Here are a few defining moments in my opinion though...
Pong.
Space invaders.
pac-man and the Atari(2600) allowing people to play an arcade game at home.
The 83/84 crash and subsequant rise of the Famicom.
Mario.
Sega(in the west) & Hudson (in the east) forming a market with 'sides' and loyalties.
The Gameboy
windows95 and PC gaming with the x86 architecture and seperate graphics cards.
Sega's Virtua series bringing a new (polygonal) dimension to gaming that many had not yet seen.
Mario 64.
Online gaming.
And I think we may also look back at 2 things happening now, firstly Nintendo's market diversification with their line of non-games, and also I believe at the end of this generation the level of graphics will reach such a level as to make them truly un-important any longer.
There's many other points of course, those are just a few that I see as having been quite important.
ymmv @ Apr 19th 2006 7:20AM
You know what I'd like to see? A history of video games that didn't only consist of games consoles but also included the home computers that were so popular in the eighties.
I'm getting really tired of every history of gaming in the eighties completely neglecting the Commodore 64, Spectrum, MSX, Atari ST and Amiga machines that were a lot more popular in Europe than the NES, SNES and Sega Master System ever were. I didn't know anybody who had a Nintendo or Sega console, but all my friends had a C64 or an Amiga. Only with the introduction of the Sony Playstation (more than a decade later) did I become interested in consoles.
striderhayasa @ Apr 19th 2006 7:47AM
It never ceases to amaze me how people talk about the history of gaming and they never mention the Amiga or Commodore. the Amiga was displaying 4,096 colors on screen in Hold And Modify mode when the Mac and PC were displaying only two. It proved great graphics and sound for the time and an OS that was surprising more stable.
Anyway, The Amiga was pivotal because it was constantly held as a game machine when gaming was nonexistant on the PC. Lamatron (Robotron 2084 homebrew rip) is awesome as well as Turrican, Out of this World, Gods and Agony are just a few games that I loved on my Amiga 500 and 2000. It was the machine of choice to develop on for many aspiring designers, animators and programmers especially in Europe. Dave Perry himself recommended the Amiga as a great start for up and coming game designers.
Another milestone The NES reviving the gaming industry from its 1984 death
The Gameboy is definately a milestone, showing that gaming on the go is real.
The release of the Genesis is a milestone for Sega seriously challenging Nintendo's dominance.
PS1 is another for being the harbringer of Sega's demise and the end of Nintendo's dominance.
The DS for taking portable gaming in a new direction they many people didn't believe in, and making them believers to the tune of millions of games sold and dominating the top 20 in Japan for a year (and counting) in the face of PS2, Xbox360 and PSP.
The PSP for having the power of a PS2 console in your hand and for convincing millions of people that a pretty but flawed portable can sell on name alone, with a stupidily expensive price tag, a useless disc format for movies, a retardedly short battery life, a ass matic D-pad, sleep inducing load times, and a library of ports without a killer app to the first.
The Xbox for bringing online gaming to the console masses
The xbox 360 for proving that Japan will never accept an American console, regardless of how good it may be.
The Revolution for the potentially good controller setup. Sure it's unproven but talk about going bravely into uncharted waters. If the revmote works as advertised, (thanks Game Informer, the article was ass but at least you did answer some of my questions) then it will change the way we play games.
DG @ Apr 19th 2006 8:12AM
I think there are five major eras:
1) Pong: The original mass market video game
2) Atari: The original mass market home console
3) NES: Obvious
4) Arcade dominance/SNES and Genesis ports: Going to the arcades was as much a part of gaming for me as playing Genesis. The arcade originals (fighting games and racing games, mostly) offered a visual and aural experience you weren't able to find at home.
5) PSX/2/3/Xbox/360/GCN/N64: Introduced Sony and Microsoft as major players and effectively killed off arcades as we knew them. While they once held standard cabinets, they are now rooms to house gimmicky inputs and DDR machines. Once Tekken was effectively built on PSX hardware, all bets were off. The primary market for game manufacturers became the home market. Unfortunately, we've learned how well sequels do at the marketplace, and we're presently embracing for the third generation in a row of war/racing/fighting with prettier graphics every few years. In the past ten years, the major innovations have been analog joysticks, rumble pads, and online play. Neat, but one would have thought we'd be further along by now.
The sixth major era will be the Revolution. It will redefine what gaming experience is.
Martin @ Apr 19th 2006 8:26AM
"The PSP for having the power of a PS2 console in your hand and for convincing millions of people that a pretty but flawed portable can sell on name alone, with a stupidily expensive price tag, a useless disc format for movies, a retardedly short battery life, a ass matic D-pad, sleep inducing load times, and a library of ports without a killer app to the first."
PSP wasn't the first handheld to bring console power to a handheld, it was only the first successful so far one.
Probot @ Apr 19th 2006 8:29AM
I think the title of this post should be History of the Video Game Industry, since this starts well after video games were created. And aside from a small deviation, it could also be limited to the history of the console gaming industry.
However, the part about Code Masters was interesting since I never really followed computer games, so all that history is new to me.
As for the next-gen, I think the focus is so different for each company that the industry is going to have to go in three different directions at once. That could mean a bigger industry or a fractured industry.
Fielin @ Apr 19th 2006 8:37AM
I don't think the so-called "next generation" consoles are a pivotal point. They bring more of the same, in terms of game, and technology.
Although I have a 360, I have to admit that right now, everything in the box is just an enhancement of what we found on PS2& Xbox.
Online experience isn't exactly a revolution, as it has been commonplace on PC for a long time, and could be found on Xbox Live since the beginning.
HD will bring nothing new to the world of gamers.
I sincerely think that the only new technologies that could bring video games to a new era will come from Nintendo. New ways to interact with the game (as in touching the screen, or moving around with the controller) will bring a new generation of games.
Not enhancing already commonplace technologies.
JAS @ Apr 19th 2006 9:01AM
The xbox 360 for proving that Japan will never accept an American console, regardless of how good it may be.
America have never released a good console, the 360 is utter crap wake up and give bill gates his ass back.
Marc @ Apr 19th 2006 9:37AM
The most pivotal point in gaming for me would be the release of the N64 and the PS1. Both were the forfathers for the 3D gaming that we take for granted now.
Although Mario 64 would be the pivotal game for me just b/c every 3D game follows the same formula from Mario 64, and every 3D game owes it's existence to Mario.
Matthew @ Apr 19th 2006 9:40AM
The answer is actually quite simple. The most pivotal time in gaming is when Shigeru Miyamoto was hired at Nintendo. Seriously. Some people will never understand how influential this man is. Games became popular; they became a huge phenomenon after Miyamoto started working on games himself. He truly is the Shakespeare of the industry.
mocax @ Apr 19th 2006 9:51AM
Cyberwars? Ultimate Discovery?
They got that on discovery channel?
Stitch Faced Angel @ Apr 19th 2006 9:58AM
Sorry that it is so long, but there is a lot of milestones to me. Milestones include, good or bad, and in no order:
Creation of the Industry
The Crash of 1983
Com 64 (for helping keep the industry alive in its dark time)
Nintendo starting Its Rise to the top
Mario (For proving the marketing power of a game character)
Zelda (Fu*k GTA, the free roaming "Sandbox" Genre started with Zelda)
Dragon Quest (for starting the modern RPG Genre)
Gradius (Showing that Shooters are kick @$$. Sorry, I still consider it the king of the Genre)
Final Fantasy (Showing that recycling can be good and REAL bad at the same time)
Mega Man (helping realize that other ideas for a different industry (anime) can work in gaming)
Metal Gear (Stealth with almost no killing can be done, and more fun then a kill them all)
Gameboy (Starting the portable Market on the right path)
Nintendo Power
Ninja Gaiden (For me, proving that anyone can beat a hard @$$ game with enough practice)
Phantasy Star 2 (Killing a main lead can shock anyone)
Sega (Rivaling the top dog, and proving that there can be more then one System to appeal to the masses)
Strider (Proving that you do NOT have to hit an enemy in the way, and that hitting one does not have cause damage)
Mortal Kombat (For starting controversy)
Chrono Trigger (Multiple Endings Work Well)
PS1 (showing that a format jump is necessary in the evolution of gaming)
Tomb Raider (Sex appeal can sell. Duh...)
Resident Evil (Showing that in this day and age, gamers are adults and want to play more then just kid friendly games.)
Silent Hill (Making me scared to the point of screaming out loud at times)
Gran Turismo (Show that realistic in gaming can be done)
NEO GEO (starting the memory card idea, and showing
the true art in 2-D Sprites)
N64 (showing how Analog can help a gaming)
Mario 64
Zelda OoT
Working Designs (Helping show there is a market for
Japanese Games in America)
Internet (helping bring gaming online)
Saturn (Showing how rushing can start a freefall to hell)
Xenogears (Religion and Gaming can mix if done Right)
Virtual Boy (showing that we are NOT ready for VR yet. it hurts my Eyes and kills my neck...)
Ever Quest
DVDs (Helping to bring more worlds and better immersion thru having more memory to use)
Phantasy Star Online (Helping with the Home Console Online Market)
Ico, Beyond Good and Evil (Games can be art)
Xbox (Helping with online Gaming, and proving that hard drives should be the Norm)
GTA (Starting Controversy, and helping get aggression out)
All Current Gen (Hype is good and Bad, and usually does more harm then good)
DS and Revolution Controller (Showing that it is time to let controlling evolve)
PSP (great power can be put in a small package)
This is all what were milestones to me. I know that a lot will disagree with some points, and thats cool. All of this is from what I have seen over the years.
jaemz @ Apr 19th 2006 10:00AM
I was pretty impressed with that video. While it didn't cover many of the aspects I remember from gaming in the early 1980s, it did report on several things that I didn't know before.
The video covered most of the 'important' pivotal games (pong, space invaders, pit fall, donkey kong, mario and tetris), but I felt it left huge gaps in other areas. It mentioned nothing about the Pacman craze. It mentioned very little about the early days of the PC game industry, which I felt was very important because it was the only platform available for home video gaming between the Atari/ColecoVision fall and the rise of the NES. Even after the NES came out, many of us still prefered to game on the PC.
As far as being at a crossroads with the current next-gen cycle upon us... I would not really agree. The X360 has some games out that are alot of fun, the PS3 and Revolution are promising as well. (however, the recent move to overcharge for games and their online components could create a backlash that damages any progress made... but it is too early to tell)
The best lesson from that video comes from Atari (and Miyamoto), a lesson I think will resonate for years down the road... treat the game makers with respect, allow the programmers to have fun making FUN games. Once game makers lose the focus on fun and only concern themselves with the business of making money, gamers lose interest.
Give us fun games, and we will line up to buy them.
Anton @ Apr 19th 2006 11:22AM
The most pivotal point in gaming, in my opinion, would have to be the release of the PS2, everyone has got one now and it is probably the first console that appealled to the masses (through singstar and eye-toy).
staunton chess set @ Apr 19th 2006 11:58AM
I'll just add one that nobody has mentioned yet.
The creation of 'Wolfenstein' and 'Doom' paved the way for FPS games and 'Doom' became the poster boy for video game violence.
jaemz @ Apr 19th 2006 12:13PM
staunton, while I agree with what you are saying... this video (History of Videogames) seems to just cover the 70s and 80s.
Doom was huge in when it came out in 1993, and it definately inspired games that followed.
Deadpool @ Apr 19th 2006 12:37PM
There is a LOT of stuff that was left out of this that only channels like G4 really cover with their icons series. I was really disappointed.
DCSimian @ Apr 19th 2006 1:01PM
I agree with most of what's already been said.
Also something to mention would be Xbox Live. Even if you hate Microsoft, it did provide a successful model where console games could be played online.
No one's really mentioned Will Wright's games, such as SimCity or The Sims. I think they really help bring people in from outside our community. And these are games that can be used for other purposes aside from gaming. My university's urban planning program had students play SimCity 3000 and SimCity 4 to develop city layouts. I'd say that's branching out.
Ipod fanboy @ Apr 19th 2006 1:30PM
Another pivotol era of gaming is the realse if the NES, the japanese console revived console gaming in America
Gameboy revolutionized portable gaming, making cheap low budget lowcost fun video games on the road. Gameboy is the most succesful video game platform, even more succesful then fagstations 1 and 2.
I think the most pivotal moment of gaming was the golden era of video games between the sega genesis and SNES
Another pivotol era of video gaming is the success of the playstation1, playstation made video gaming mainstream and cool and expanded the video game market and make CD the standard of video game medium.
N64 was pivotol in gaming because n64 is the fore runner of free roaming video games, if it wasnt for mario64 and zelda oot there would never been a free roaming GTA game.
Playstation2 is so far pivotol because it sold more then 90 million and will eclipse ps1 unit base. Ps2 is pivotol to casual gamers,
Xbox and gamecube are not so pivotol.
GBA is pivotol because its a gameboy,
THe nintendo DS is a very succesful handheld it will be pivotol and very successful globally. DS literally reinvented handheld gaming
Psp is not so pivotal and not much of a global success like the DS, psp is probably a pivotol successful handheld only in America. PSP is not much succesful thanks to other devices that conflicts with the psp like the nintendo DS and apple IPOD
By far pc is pivotol in gaming thanks to the idea of graphics cards.
Sony is not much of a pioneer in gaming, they just steal ideas, and for xbox and online gaming console its still a small base and not much of a giant success, online game is still more popular and revolutionary on pcs.
tacticus @ Apr 19th 2006 1:39PM
what no one knows about space war they didnt cover that thats for sure
afaik space war was the FIRST computer game
cyberfelon @ Apr 19th 2006 11:17PM
Some of you have no idea what pivotal means. Listing your favourite games or consoles and saying they're ALL pivotal is rubbish. A certain event is only pivotal if it radically changes everything so that there is a clear distinction between everything that happened before and after.
Belcho @ Apr 20th 2006 4:53PM
GTA III was pivotal. If the GTA series hadn't been released, Sony wouldn't have sold half as many PS2's as they did. This put the PS2 on the map. It also got a lot of mainstream attention (for better or worse) and attracted a lot of people that wouldn't normally play video games. It also inspired (for better or worse) the huge influx of GTA clones. It made open-ended games (on consoles at least) mainstream.
Danny @ Apr 21st 2006 1:42AM
The most pivotal point in gaming for me at least was my first time playing GTA III. The whole thing, from the freedom to pick up hookers to shuttling people around for extra dough was just immense and a bit overwhelming. It really showed just where we've come since the dawn of videogames. The fact that it was also the most violent game I had ever played seemed lost on me, as I was just bewildered by the fact I could run jump and go anywhere in a living breathing world. Even though the none of the games features were the best, the sheer number of features included in the game was staggering. For the first time you could perform a drive by, help the cops, stop fires, and perform muggings all in one game.