Technology

history of game design

Emerging as a prominent branch of game development in the 1970s after the huge success of arcade video games, game designers as we know them today were tasked with designing most of the game’s content, including the rules. , the story, the characters, and the overall appeal. Today, game design is a multi-billion dollar industry that is expected to grow as technology advances. Take a look at the timeline below to see how the industry has evolved and expanded over the years.

1952 – Willy Higinbotham creates what is commonly known as “the first video game.” Similar to table tennis, this 2-person game was played on an oscilloscope.

1961: MIT student Steve Russell creates the first interactive game, Spacewars, played on mainframe computers.

1971 – Computer Space, developed by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney (founders of Atari), becomes the first arcade video game released. Although it became instantly popular, many people found the game too difficult.

1972 – Realizing the potential of video games, Magnavox released the Odyssey, the first home video game system. Most notably, however, Atari is quickly recognized as a leader in the video game industry. Their first released game, Pong, was a huge success and was soon available as a home version.

1974: Steve Jobs, one of Atari’s techies and later a creator of circuit boards, presented an idea to Atari’s founders for a personal computer system. Because funds were tied up in other projects, Bushnell referred a venture capitalist to Jobs for financial support. That personal computer, of course, was the beginning of Apple.

1975: The first computer game hits the market. Gunfight used a microprocessor instead of hardwired circuits.

1977 – Retailing for $249.95, a large amount of money at the time, the Atari 2600 game console is released.

1978 – Adding another level of competition and appeal to video games, Space Invaders hits arcades as the first game to track and display high scores. Soon after, the game Asteroids went a step further and allowed three-letter initials to be stored with the highest scores.

1980 – The first 3D game, Battlezone, is created. The game caught the attention of the US government, who later modified it for training exercises. Due to the increasing complexity of games, companies are beginning to form teams to specifically address design. Game designers and programmers soon became separate and distinct careers.

1981 – The gaming industry demonstrates its prominence with the first dedicated newspaper, Electronic Games.

1985 – Developed by a Russian programmer, Tetris is released for arcades, video game consoles, and home computers.

1989 – Game Boys, portable gaming devices manufactured by Nintendo, hit the market with great success. Later in the year, Sega releases the Genesis game console.

1994 – The Entertainment Software Rating Board is created due to concerns about violence in games and the marketing tactics used. Games now receive a rating that is displayed on the packaging.

1995: Sony launches the PlayStation in the US. By 1997, 20 million units had been sold.

1996 – Arcades shift their focus from traditional video games to more popular physical driving games like skiing, car and bike racing.

1998 – Sega Dreamcast is released, one of Sega’s last pulls to remain on the market.

2000 – Sony’s PlayStation 2 is released. The initial 500,000 units sell instantly for $300 each. The same year, The Sims overtook Myst as the best-selling PC game. Game designers now work in teams of dozens to quickly create the complex games that sell.

2001 – “Next generation” gaming systems introduced. Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo GameCube are not only more interactive for the user, but also easier to develop. Shortly after the release of these products, Sega announces that it will no longer produce hardware.

2004: The Nintendo DS is released as a portable system. Sony follows a year later with its portable version, the Sony PSP.

2006: Nintendo Wii revolutionizes the market with its control system, designed to mimic real physical movements, such as swinging a tennis racket or throwing a bowling ball. During the same year, PlayStation 3 is launched as the most sophisticated (and expensive) console.

2007: Apple releases the iPhone, creating an entirely new gaming device.

2008 – The App Store is introduced. With a diverse range of functionality, games are quickly becoming the most popular and lucrative “apps”. Game design and development for smartphone applications becomes a huge niche. In a successful effort to get people of all ages involved and excited about Wii, Nintendo releases the Wii Fit game. The following year, Wii Sports overtook Super Mario Bros as the best-selling video game with over 40 million units sold.

2011 – Projected to grow an additional 30% by 2016, the gaming industry produces sales of more than 18 billion per year. Universities and degrees specific to game design and production are becoming more advanced and popular.

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