The History of Video Game Development 
The History of
Video Game Development
Presented by:
Caleb Arbaugh
The First Video Game
• Creator: William Higinbotham
• Year: 1958
• Where: Brookhaven National Laboratory
en
o f s i n
o w rT
The First Video Game Console
• Creator: Ralph H. Baer
• Year: 1967
All six games released, resembled Tennis for Two in some way.
w o Br
x o B n First Licensed Home Game Console
•
•
•
Company: Magnavox
Year Licensed: 1972
Modified Version of The Brown Box (1967)
y d O
y e ss
Who Played Video Games?
•
•
Most people who owned home video game consoles were tech savvy.
Others played in arcades, which became more common.
The Game Industry
• Many companies grew interest in the video game market.
• These companies increased production on games.
• The increase in game production led to short, unoriginal games.
The Video Game Crash
(1982)
•
•
•
•
Between the lack of originality and complexity of games, demand for them dropped.
Companies who invested at this time lost an abundance of money.
Almost nobody bought home video games anymore.
Stores discounted the games dirt cheap.
The Golden Age of Video Games
(Late 1980’s)
•
•
•
•
Coding becomes more relevant
More coding led to more experimentation with games.
Nintendo moves into America
Classic consoles
Transition to CD-ROM
•
•
•
•
Gave developers more memory
More memory meant more game space
Some companies did not make it through the transition.
This led to longer and more complex gameplay.
Rivalries
• Most of the video game industry has been dominated by two or three companies at a time.
• Most “gamers” have a preference in a console brand.
• These companies get surprisingly heated between one another due to their competition.
Online Multiplayer
•
•
•
•
Connected “gamers” through the world wide web
Players can talk, message and play with other players online
Players can download and play games straight from the servers, rather than buying a physical copy.
Developers can expand the game and make DLC
Video Game Development
Presented by:
Caleb Arbaugh
The First Video Game
• Creator: William Higinbotham
• Year: 1958
• Where: Brookhaven National Laboratory
en
o f s i n
o w rT
The First Video Game Console
• Creator: Ralph H. Baer
• Year: 1967
All six games released, resembled Tennis for Two in some way.
w o Br
x o B n First Licensed Home Game Console
•
•
•
Company: Magnavox
Year Licensed: 1972
Modified Version of The Brown Box (1967)
y d O
y e ss
Who Played Video Games?
•
•
Most people who owned home video game consoles were tech savvy.
Others played in arcades, which became more common.
The Game Industry
• Many companies grew interest in the video game market.
• These companies increased production on games.
• The increase in game production led to short, unoriginal games.
The Video Game Crash
(1982)
•
•
•
•
Between the lack of originality and complexity of games, demand for them dropped.
Companies who invested at this time lost an abundance of money.
Almost nobody bought home video games anymore.
Stores discounted the games dirt cheap.
The Golden Age of Video Games
(Late 1980’s)
•
•
•
•
Coding becomes more relevant
More coding led to more experimentation with games.
Nintendo moves into America
Classic consoles
Transition to CD-ROM
•
•
•
•
Gave developers more memory
More memory meant more game space
Some companies did not make it through the transition.
This led to longer and more complex gameplay.
Rivalries
• Most of the video game industry has been dominated by two or three companies at a time.
• Most “gamers” have a preference in a console brand.
• These companies get surprisingly heated between one another due to their competition.
Online Multiplayer
•
•
•
•
Connected “gamers” through the world wide web
Players can talk, message and play with other players online
Players can download and play games straight from the servers, rather than buying a physical copy.
Developers can expand the game and make DLC