The video game industry has become a bastion that not even a crippling economy can bring down. With $64 billion in sales a year, you have to go elsewhere to find an effect of today’s economy. Video games have gone from being a fad to a beast that has waged war against other hobbies and entertainment to become a necessity in everyday life. Politics and other technologies have waged war, but none have killed this dragon. From the unstable and unpredictable beginning of the first commercial home system to this gigantic transformative technology; many products have come and gone over 40 years. But what is fascination?

Starting from the missile defense systems of the 1940s, the first interactive video game was produced in 1952 called OXO. Using a light pen was similar to Tic-Tac-Toe. University mainframes were used early on and most games were invented by individuals as a hobby, which meant production was minimal and games were forgotten. Almost simultaneously the arcade system and the home console were released and the use of joysticks was introduced. In 1971, Galaxy Game took up residence in a Stanford University student union and expanded to eight arcade games in 1972. Then finally color arcade systems were introduced in 1979 and these games were commercialized. 1972 The Magnavox Odyssey home system was released in the US, using (later programmable) cartridges that used jumpers that turned on/off various switches within the unit, altering the circuit logic so that multiple games could be played on the unit. same system. The 1976 games were programmed on chips and inserted into plastic cartridges. Now, instead of having games scheduled into systems, there could be a library of games.

Prospering with the most innovative technology and having the most popular games while still making profits was an act that would be difficult to juggle. In 1977, Atari released the Atari 2600 (which started what is known as the second generation consoles) and during the holiday season, the company released nine games that helped boost the popularity of the system. In 1980, Mattel released Intellivision with its superior graphics, which started the cutthroat business of video games. 1982 ColecoVision was introduced to this boiling pot of competition for this new trend. While store shelves were stocked with these options, the industry had its second crash in 1983 due to a lack of consumer awareness and too many choices. Many consoles came and went.

In Japan, a comeback was on the way for video game companies. 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was released along with Super Mario Brothers. With a redesigned controller that used a D-Pad and a couple of buttons, the NES was the foundation for future consoles. The NES had a reign of ten years, but games that demanded more processing power for graphics, gameplay, and space savings, the fight for supremacy continued. During the reign of the NES, many factors and inventions gave gamers and developers hope and nervousness. As the Internet gave way to online multiplayer gaming, home console companies were looking for the latest components for their systems. In the early 1990s, the Sega Genesis was released and slowly took over the markets, but it eventually made an impact. The rise of the categorization of games as genres, due to the largest libraries of games and 3D graphics, caused the courts to intervene and dispute the content that these companies distribute. His complaint “the games were too violent and seemed too real”. Little did the courts know that his latest comment is what made the players hungrier for every pitch. New laws putting an age limit on who could buy violent games defused that fight, but that wasn’t the last war the video game industry would face. 1991 Nintendo released the Super NES and Sega’s argument against it, even though they were both 16-bit systems, was that the Super NES was too slow. So the formula for consoles became great graphics, rendering, and gameplay.

Being portable was another issue raised by the industry that gave rise to portable systems. In 1980, portable LCD screens appeared, but it wasn’t until 1989, when Nintendo released the Game Boy, that portable computers took hold. While Sega and Nintendo were in a power struggle, PlayStation made its debut in the console market in 1995. PlayStation launched with the use of cd’s instead of cartridges, which became another milestone and staple for the industry, but PlayStation still had no support in some markets and game companies until they realized that CDs contained more data and were cheaper to manufacture. This would lead to backlash with their own cd consoles. The Nintendo 64 was a success, but even using cartridges, the cost drove game companies away, and Nintendo began to lose game titles. Nintendo came up with the GameCube, a CD-based system, but due to a lack of adult games and a small library, it was not as popular as the PlayStation. Sega released the Dreamcast in 1998 with a built-in modem for online gaming that pioneered online gaming with consoles, but it flopped.

PlayStation launched PS2 in 1998 although with the feeling of not having a major competitor a comment was made that would change and drive the evolution of video game technology. “Video Game Systems Are the Next Computers” helped merge the computer and video game consoles, but keep them separate. Feeling threatened, Microsoft CEO Bill Gates, who is one of the richest men in the world, would leave his Windows software to produce Xbox at the end of 2001. His goal was to be the best gaming system and he wouldn’t stop. in no medium. He had the finances to research and develop. Bill took PC technology from him, like Intel processors and hard drives, and put it to use in the Xbox even though it was a loss for Microsoft, but that would secure their Windows brand. With Xbox graphics, hit game titles, and online games via console having so much money invested in them, the other companies no longer had the funds that threatened computers. Feeling overpowered on home systems, Nintendo and PlayStation focused on their handheld devices. Each had their own unique technology to keep them afloat and even. The Nintendo DS thrived on its touch screen, while the PSP sold on multitaskers. PSP had such high graphics that you could watch movies and play games. Even though handhelds haven’t overtaken consoles, there are still markets where they thrive because of their portability. Microsoft released the Xbox 360 in November 2005, while the PS3 was released shortly after. Both set the technological standard for systems, both featuring high-definition graphics, large hard drive-based secondary storage, integrated networking, and a complementary online sales and gaming platform. PS3 debuted at a higher cost due to Blu-ray and Wi-Fi technology.

Nintendo came back with a bang by introducing the Wii in late 2006 because of the motion controls, though critics thought it would fail. It also had lower specs, but another groundbreaking invention kept Nintendo in the game. The automobile and cell phone industry was invaded by the expansion of video games. Cars went from having custom integrated systems to standard out of the factory. The cell phone went from having pre-loaded games to being able to download them online, which took a big chunk of support out of the handheld business. Even with these new toys, audiences were blown away by the interaction of Nintendo Wii players, but Xbox and PS 3 online multiplayer action still held sway. While PlayStation tried to reinvent the wheel with its own PlayStation Move motion controller in 2010, Microsoft delivered a knockout blow by releasing Kinect for Xbox 360. Kinect is motion-sensing technology that doesn’t use controllers. These movement systems have extended interest from adolescents and young adults to the elderly who cannot physically participate in sports. Genres now include sports fitness for those who can’t afford a gym membership, senior centers, and community centers. It seems too early to tell how effective Microsoft and PlayStation can be against Nintendo, as we’re only in the third round of a 12-round, three-way fight. January 2011 will show who reigns supreme when holiday sales are calculated.

It seems that as this industry evolves, the science fiction novels our grandparents read come to life. Just as human cloning and space travel were envisioned but not realized until decades later, I wonder if and when warp zones or molecular separation will be introduced, and who will discover it. Will a wormhole transport players into the future when they are challenged to a virtual reality fight? One thing is certain and that is that people understand the products out there and the games they support. It will not be a consumer problem that causes the next scare in the video game industry. Continually changing technology has piqued the interest of millions.