Video game

A video game, computer game, or simply game is an electronic game that you control using a user interface or input device like a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device. This creates visual feedback that you see on a display device.

Video games are usually played on a television set, computer monitor, flat-panel display or touchscreen on handheld devices, or a virtual reality headset. Most modern video games also have sound through speakers or headphones, and some can give you feelings through haptic technology.

Video games come in many types, such as console games, computer games, and mobile gaming on smartphones and tablet computers. You can also find them in arcades and newer formats like virtual and augmented reality systems. The first video game for home use was Pong in 1972, and since then the industry has grown very fast.

Today, the video game industry is very big. Video games continue to shape technology and entertainment around the world.

Origins

Main articles: Early history of video games and Early mainframe games

Further information: History of arcade video games

Ralph H. Baer and Nolan Bushnell are called the "Fathers of Video Games" for their work in making the first games. Early video games used special machines to show pictures on a screen. One of the first games was made in 1947 by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann. It let a person move a dot on the screen to look like a missile hitting targets. Other early games include OXO, a game of tic-tac-toe from 1952, and Spacewar!, a space battle game from 1962.

These early games helped start the video game industry. In 1966, Ralph H. Baer made a simple table tennis game that could be shown on a TV. This led to the first home video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey, in 1972. Around the same time, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney created the first arcade video game, _Computer Space, in 1971. Their big hit came in 1972 with _Pong, a game inspired by the TV table tennis idea. These inventions helped launch the video game industry we know today.

Terminology

The term "video game" describes electronic games played on a video display instead of on a teletype printer, audio speaker, or similar device. This name helps to tell video games apart from handheld electronic games like Merlin, which used lights but not for making pictures.

"Computer game" is another name sometimes used because these games need a computer processor to work. In places like the United Kingdom and Western Europe, this term is common because of the history of small home computers. Other names include "digital game," used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. "Computer game" can also mean PC games, played on personal computers, to make them different from console games, arcade games, or mobile games.

In the past, people also used terms like "television game" or "TV game," especially in the 1970s and 1980s for games played on home consoles connected to a television set. In Japan, such games are often called "TV games" or "terebi geemu." The term "video game" first appeared around 1973, with early uses in magazines and letters discussing new gaming machines.

Components

Video games need a platform to work. A platform is a set of electronic parts and software. Brands like Nintendo or Sony make platforms. Games are often made for one or a few platforms. Sometimes, games can work on different platforms. These are called "ports."

There are many types of platforms. PC games are played on personal computers. Home consoles like Xbox and PlayStation are another type. Handheld consoles can be carried anywhere. Arcade games are special machines that usually play only one game. Browser games are played on the internet. Mobile games are played on smartphones and tablets. Cloud gaming lets you play games on almost any device with internet. Virtual reality games need special headsets to put players in a digital world.

Classifications

Video games can be grouped in many ways based on how people play them. One way is by genre. Genres are categories that describe the main type of gameplay. For example, a shooter game focuses on aiming and shooting, while a role playing game lets you create and guide a character on an adventure. Some genres are based on the story and feelings they create.

Another way to classify video games is by mode, which describes how many players can play at the same time. Most games are either single-player video games, where one person plays alone, or multiplayer video games, where two or more people play together. Multiplayer games can be played on the same device, on different devices connected together, or online with people all over the world.

Finally, video games can be sorted by type. Most games are made for fun and challenge, called core games. Others, like casual games, are easier to pick up and play quickly. There are also educational games that aim to teach while you play, and serious games used for purposes like fitness or training.

Content rating

Video games, like movies, often have content ratings to help families know what age group is appropriate for a game. These ratings look at things like violence and other themes that might affect children. Different countries have their own rating systems, such as the Entertainment Software Rating Board in the United States and the Pan European Game Information system in Europe. These ratings help make sure players are playing games suitable for their age.

Development

See also: Video game industry practices

Video game development is a team effort, like making a movie. It needs many different skills, such as programming, art, and sound. In the past, one person could make a game. But as games got bigger, more people were needed.

Today, games are made like computer programs. Old games used simple parts, but later, small computers let games become more detailed. Now, games often use special tools called game engines. These tools help make the game look real and fun.

Industry

The video game industry started with simple games in the 1970s and grew fast during the golden age of arcade video games. Many early companies made games by copying popular ideas, which caused too many games to be made and a big drop in sales in 1983. Japan’s industry stayed strong, and Nintendo helped bring back excitement with the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985.

Today, the industry has many jobs. Publishers help bring games to players, distributors make sure games reach stores or online shops, and retailers sell the games. Hardware manufacturers make gaming consoles and computers, while journalists and influencers share news and reviews. Esports competitions have also become popular, drawing big crowds online. Big markets for video games are in North America, Europe, and southeast Asia, with different types of games being popular in each place.

Effects on society

Video game culture is a worldwide group of people who enjoy playing and talking about video games. As video games have become more popular, they have had a big impact on movies, music, and everyday life. Many gamers feel connected to this culture, especially when they play together online. Gaming can be fun and also a way to compete, with electronic sports becoming more popular. In the 2010s, video games were often talked about on social media, in politics, on TV, in movies, and in music. During the COVID-19 pandemic, video games helped people stay connected with friends and family while they were apart.

Since the mid-2000s, people have wondered if video games count as art. In 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that video games are a special kind of speech with artistic value. Since then, game makers have used games more to show creativity and tell stories. Video games have been shown in museums and have inspired TV shows, movies, comics, and books. Music from video games has also become popular, with concerts playing game soundtracks. Video games can also create new kinds of stories, like machinima, using game tools to make films.

Collecting and preservation

See also: List of video game museums

Many people like to collect video games, especially older ones from the early days of gaming. These games can be very valuable if they are in good condition. It is also important to preserve these games because the old hardware and game media can break down over time. Some of the original creators of these games are no longer around, so keeping them safe is important for history.

There are video game museums around the world where you can see and sometimes play important games from the past. For example, the National Videogame Museum in Frisco, Texas shows many famous games. Other museums, like the Computer Games Museum in Berlin and the Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg, also focus on video game history. The International Center for the History of Electronic Games at The Strong in Rochester, New York has a large collection of games and lets visitors play through gaming history. Even places like the Museum of Modern Art have added video games to their collections.