1. The Age of Video Games

2. Spacewar! 1962 First widely available video game Programmed by students at MIT Others start making and distributing games http://spacewar.oversigma.com

3. Video Games Spread! Computer Space 1971 World's first commercially sold coin-operated video game Similar to Spacewar! Set the precedent for arcade cabinets Not much of a success Nolan Bushnell

4. Video Games Spread! Magnavox Odyssey 1972 1st Console Designed by Ralph Baer 12 different games One being table tennis or Pong Failed

5. Atari The first successful video game company Started with Pong arcade cabinet in 1972 Wildly popular Riding the success of Pong Atari creates more games Releases Atari 2600 in 1977

6. Arcade Golden Age Explosion of games (arcade, console, computer) 1978 New games and genres emerge Space Invaders 1978 Pac Man 1980 Donkey Kong 1981 Video games become mainstream

7. Bust of ‘83 Many companies enter the video game business to capitalize on the boom Many, many games not enough room or demand confused public Many bad games Bad investments Atari and other companies take hits profitability of video games doubted

8. Console Explosion NES releases in 1986 Good games Revitalizes public Sega Genesis releases in 1989 $100 million marketing campaign Many consoles follow PC games recover and continue

9. Video Game Violence 1992-1994 Violence in video games receives attention Popular games during this time Mortal Kombat ‘92 Doom ‘93 Entertainment Ratings Software Board (ERSB) is established in response to growing concern

10. Arcade Death and Rebirth Death Many consoles High quality of console games Rebirth Dance Dance Revolution 1998 “Experience” games

11. You know the rest.