Video Games and Their Effect on the Evolution of Technology

The very first working prototype of the modern video game was made in 1967 and only a
few people ever played it (The First Video Game?). Throughout the years, video games have
grown to become extremely widespread. In 2000, Sony estimated that one out of every four
households in the United States had a Sony PlayStation (Tyson). The development of video
game consoles positively affected the evolution of technology due to the video game industry
being based on revolutionizing technology that is used in both video game consoles and other
devices.
Video games have been available for many years and are becoming both more widespread
and advanced as time passes. According to research, 97% of teenagers in the United States play
video games and sales continue to increase every year (Norcia). As more people of all ages begin
to play video games, the industry continues to grow, and the technology involved in the systems
becomes more sophisticated. Norcia says that the continued innovation supplies players with
better graphics that give a more realistic virtual playing experience. With the continued
demand for video games, the level of effort put into advancing the technology used in both video
games and their systems increases. Grajales says that one of the major attractions of games is
the sensation of action. Creators and inventors continue to work to provide that sensation of
action in new consoles and new games. The ongoing innovation of video game consoles is good
for not only the gaming industry but also for the continued evolution of all technology.
The internal components of video games are very similar to computers. In fact, an easy
definition of a video game console is a highly specialized computer (Tyson). Video game
consoles have many different components, more than a few of which are very similar to a
computers internal parts. The common video game console includes [a] user control interface,

CPU, RAM, [a] software kernel, storage medium for games, video output, audio output, [and a]
power supply (Tyson). Many of the console parts are also used in the average computer. The
computer and gaming industry complement each other, in reference to the similarity of their parts
and technology innovations are good for both businesses. Since computers are considered the
cutting edge of technology, any effort to improve the technology used within them also improves
other fields of technology.
The technology of video games can be, and often are in this age, the same or better compared
to the technology of other devices such as computers. The PlayStation 2, released in 2000, was
the first console to have better graphics capabilities than the newest personal computer of its
time, but it certainly was not the last (Tyson). While some features of video game consoles are
better than the computer, which as a technological device is generally considered superior, some
just use the exact same technology. Tyson found out that the Sega Genesis used the same kind
of Motorola processor that the Original Apple Macintosh computer featured. Technology in
video games and in their consoles often mirror or improve on the technology used in other
devices. This compatibility between similar mechanical components has helped both the video
game industry and technology in general grow.
The innovation of technology within the video game console has been important, but without
the evolution of the video game industry itself, video games would never have gotten as popular
as they are today. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), introduced some important ideas
to the video game industry, like using a pad controller, reproducing arcade games for a home
system, and selling the console at a loss to make in order to make a profit on the games (Tyson).
Without this extensive evolution of the gaming industry, video games likely never would have
gotten past a novelty toy for kids, though there are other innovations that improved video games

to the point they are at today. For example, The Atari Football game was the first to utilize
scrolling, or the ability of players to move beyond the area shown on the screen (Tyson). Without
the continued evolution of key ideas in the industry, video games would never have become as
widespread as they are currently. If video games had not become as prevalent as they are, then
their technology would not have improved nearly as much due to a lack of interest, and they
would not have affected the evolution of general technology.
The earliest video games kick-started an entire industry based on technology, in which the
most advanced games got the most customers. Tennis for Two, the first identified video game
was first introduced more than fifty years ago on October 18, 1958 (The First Video
Game?). It had separate controllers that connected to an analog computer and used an
oscilloscope for a screen (The First Video Game?). Tennis for Two was very popular and not
only revitalized the science exhibit it appeared at but started a revolution for technology. The
next true console, actually marketed as a video game, was called the Brown Box, and it had six
simple games: ping-pong, tennis, handball, volleyball, chase games and a light-gun game (Poh).
Both these games started the now huge industry of video games. The competition between
businesses in the business has helped technology develop quickly.
Even before Tennis for Two there were games that people considered the harbinger of the
industry. The current earliest-documented video game predecessor is the Cathode-Ray Tube
Amusement Device, invented by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle R. Mann, where players
overlayed pictures of targets like airplanes in front of the screen that fit with the games action
(The First Video Game?). While not technically a video game due to its lack of visuals on
screen, it is still commonly counted as one of the earliest video games and may have inspired
others to jumpstart the industry. Another device like a video game was the Nimrod computer,

built by Ferranti International, that was first shown in 1951 (The First Video Game?). Many
scholars do not consider it a video game due to the fact that it was built to display the processing
power of the device, not for fun, and it used a set of lights and a legend to show what was
happening instead of graphics on a screen (The First Video Game?). While both these devices
are considered heralds to the popularity of video games, neither are actually thought to be video
games, mostly due to lack of visuals on a screen as a component. Still, they helped build the base
of video game sales and both even used technology that was very high-caliber for its time, and as
such started an entire industry that would go on to improve technology over the course of its
growth.
There have been many notable video games and consoles throughout history, many of which
have inspired upgrades of current technology in their reboots. From Tennis for Two to the Brown
Box to the XBox 360, video game technology has been improving in leaps and bounds (Video
Game Console). This same technology is used to improve other devices, like computers. Sony
and Nintendos competition, especially in the area of handheld video games, have led to
upgrades in technology (Video Game Console). The PSP, released to counter Nintendos Game
Boy featured wireless capability, high-quality graphics and non-gaming functions like photo
storage and digital audio/video capabilities that mimicked those of PC-based handheld devices
(Video Game Console). The technology featured in video games slowly changed to also
include those of non-gaming functions. This allowed the minds that worked with video game
components to also improve technology in other areas, like photo storage, audio capabilities, and
graphics capacities.
Video games grew quickly from simple arcade games to technology that currently in almost
every household. Atari is an early video game company founded in 1972, and its first hit was the

arcade game Pong (Video Game Console). Video games were often considered too expensive
and clunky to bring into the home for some time and game companies made their livelihoods
with arcade games. Atari was the first to realize that the popularity of single system consoles
could not last, and the company started work on a console that could be sold to households and
could play multiple games (Video Game Console). Though the project was called Stella while
in production, it was released in 1977 as the Atari VCS and was later renamed the Atari 2600
(Video Game Console). This early change from arcade games often found in public
establishments to devices brought into the home was fundamental in the growth of the video
game industry. Without this shift, the video game industry would have taken a very different turn
and perhaps petered out entirely, and the growth of video game console technology would not
have been able to affect anything else, let alone the growth of technology in general.
The Game Boy was a very notable console in its revitalization of the video game industry, as
its sales made video game consoles a household item. As the first major handheld game
console, [the] Game Boy featured an 8-bit CPU like its parent system, the NES, and a black-andwhite LCD screen (Video Game Console). The Game Boys technology was not outstanding
or spectacular, but it got the job done, and with its inclusion of a free Tetris cartridge, it
catapulted video game console sales through the roof. Tyson notes that the Game Boy was one of
the most successful game systems ever, with more than 100 million units sold worldwide. In
figure one below, the number of most video game consoles ever sold are shown, including the
number of Game Boys sold in the millions. The Game Boys prosperity led to rivalry and
technology upgrades by the competition, namely Sony and Microsoft. The Game Boys
rejuvenation of the gaming industry also led to later consoles, including the Game Boys own

updates, such as the Game Boy Pocket, the Game Boy Color, and the Game Boy Advance, and
helped technology in the industry grow.
Figure 1 Number of Consoles Sold
Number in the millions of video game consoles ever sold for the most popular consoles

Source: Video Game Consoles: Lifetime Unit Sales Worldwide, Statista, May 2014, Web,
19 Nov. 2014.
The graph above shows the number in the millions of video game consoles shown, but only
the eleven most popular consoles are shown on the graph. The Playstation 2 has sold the most
units so far in the fourteen years since its release date (Video Game Console) with just under
160 million purchased. The Nintendo 3DS, a console released just under a year ago, has already
sold over forty million units (Video Game Console). This graph shows how prevalent video
games and their consoles are in society.
Despite compatibility problems caused by competition between the companies that produce
video games, the evolution of video games and their consoles have positively influenced the

development of technology, thanks to the competition between companies making people

develop new components more quickly, that the earliest video games kick-started an entire
industry featuring technology, and that famous video game consoles inspired great innovators to
create more advanced technology. Technology is a difficult field. However, the fun inherent in
video games has helped inventors bring out their best work. Video games have been helpful over
the years, not only as a form of entertainment for the common people, but as an industry where
technology innovation can flourish.

Works Cited
Grajales, Lorenzo. Hideo Kojima Reflects on 25 Years of Metal Gear. PlayStation.Blog. 23
July 2012. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.
Norcia, Andrea. The Impact of Video Games on Children. Palo Alto Medical Foundation.
Sutter Health, June 2014. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.
Poh, Michael. Evolution of Home Video Game Consoles: 1967 2011. Hongkiatcom RSS.
Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
The First Video Game? Brookhaven National Laboratory - A Passion for Discovery.
Brookhaven National Laboratory. Web. 28 Sept. 2014.
Tyson, Jeff. How Video Game Systems Work. HowStuffWorks - Learn How Everything Works!
Web. 28 Sept. 2014.
Video Game Console Timeline - Video Game History - Xbox 360 - TIME Magazine. Breaking
News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com. Web. 28
Sept. 2014.
Video Game Consoles: Lifetime Unit Sales Worldwide. Statista. May 2014. Web. 19 Nov.
2014.