10 Questions
Who created the first video game in 1966?
Ralph Baer
What was Ralph Baer's background?
Self-educated German-Jewish immigrant with a background in radio and television design
How did Baer come up with the idea for creating video games that could be played on a television?
He recorded every step of the inventing process, which helped him recall the moment he got the idea
What was the problem with the early video games created by Baer's team?
They lacked entertainment value
Which company initially showed no interest in Baer's video game project?
RCA
Who signed a contract with Baer's team to produce the Magnavox Odyssey?
Magnavox
What did Magnavox do to the Magnavox Odyssey that caused Baer to slip into depression?
They over-engineered and overpriced the console
What did Baer do after helping Magnavox set up an engineering group for the Odyssey?
He returned to working on military projects
Who are considered the forgotten fathers of the video game industry?
Ralph Baer and Steve Russell
What did Baer become a spokesperson for?
Protecting intellectual property rights
Study Notes
- Ralph Baer, an engineer at Sanders Associates, created the first video game in 1966.
- Baer was a self-educated German-Jewish immigrant with a background in radio and television design.
- He recorded every step of the inventing process, which helped him recall the moment he got the idea to create games that could be played on a television.
- Baer and his team created early video games using a crude mechanism for transferring images onto the television screen, but their game designs lacked entertainment value.
- Baer's bosses were initially unsupportive of the project, but became interested after seeing a ping-pong game created by Baer's team.
- Sanders Associates downsized in the late 1960s, so Baer had to find a customer for his invention.
- General Electric, Zenith, and Sylvania showed interest in the game, but RCA almost bought the project before backing out.
- Magnavox hired a member of the RCA team who had seen the game and arranged for a demonstration.
- Magnavox saw merit in the idea and signed a contract with Baer's team to produce the game.
- Production started in the fall of 1971, and early units were shown at Magnavox dealerships in 1972.
- Ralph Baer invented the first video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey.
- Magnavox over-engineered and overpriced the console, causing Baer to slip into depression.
- Baer helped Magnavox set up an engineering group for the Odyssey before returning to working on military projects.
- Baer received the first $100,000 from the Magnavox license while recovering from an operation in the hospital.
- Steve Russell created the first interactive game on a computer, but it was too expensive to be practical.
- Baer's game console might have gone unnoticed if not for the release of a similar machine in 1972.
- Baer's employers guarded his patents, making him a spokesperson for protecting intellectual property rights.
- Russell and Baer never met socially and would become opponents in important litigation.
- Some argue that Willy Higinbotham invented the first game, but it was an isolated instance.
- Baer and Russell are considered the forgotten fathers of the video game industry.
Think you know about the origins of video games? Test your knowledge with our quiz on the first video game and its inventor, Ralph Baer. From his early years as a self-educated immigrant to the creation of the Magnavox Odyssey, the first video game console, this quiz covers the history of video games and Baer's impact on the industry. Put your skills to the test and see how much you really know about the forgotten father of video games.
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