Video Games Technology – We have come a long way from those days of beefy gaming consoles and simple snake games on TVs and mobile phones. With the exponential growth of the internet and gaming technology in the last ten years, a variety of super interesting games in HD quality is stored right in our pockets. Moreover, the age-group focus for game developers has also changed immensely over the years. Games are not produced only for teenagers nowadays; it is for all and sundry. A middle-aged housewife in a tier 2 city of India might just be hooked on to the same game played by a dorky American teenager.
A brief history of video games technology
In the year 1971, the first commercial arcade video game “Computer Space” was developed by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. This game was derived from the popular computer game of the 60s, “Spacewar”. In those days, video games were played by a precise section of the population, programmers or researchers who had access to computers. Since computers were very costly at that point, monetizing of video games was not a feasible idea. It was only when Bushnell, working as an engineer for an electronics company, saw an ad for the Data General Nova Computer which could be purchased only for US$4000, got an idea about making a video game with an inexpensive minicomputer. After working for years with his partner, Bushnell was able to launch the game in October 1971. It was some basic hardware connected to a monitor, but it turned out to be economically viable, selling around 1300 to 1500 units within one year.
Video Games Technology in the 80’s and 90’s
By the 1980’s, games like Pac-man, Donkey Kong, and Tetris were generating billions of dollars of revenue and selling arcade units in hundreds and thousands all over. An 8-bit gaming console with better graphics, speedier gameplay, and better quality took over the world. This was the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) that soon turned into a best seller with its popularity and technique.
In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s Playstations and Xboxes took over the gaming world, bringing in a fresh breath of air for gamers across the world.
The growth of Video Games Technology in the present decade
The evolution of smartphones itself is a huge leap technologically. It is a device that offers superb experiences thanks to the services of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Games can be played online and with multiple players. The birth of smarter operating systems like Android, iOS, and windows has brought in a new flush of gaming opportunities and we could not have been happier.
When video games were being developed in the 70s, many ruled it out as a “passing phase”; today as we stand at the threshold of better technological advances, scientific improvement and the hunger to make better experiences for consumers, we can only praise technology for making our lives better cross our fingers in anticipation of even better games to play!
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