A Brief History of Gaming

Since the Sixties, young people have enjoyed playing computer and video games. Computer gaming pre-dates console gaming by about five years, with the first computer-based video game was Spacewar! created in 1962 by Steve Russell, an MIT student. The first console, the "Brown Box" was developed by Ralph Baer in 1967. 

(Image: http://www.thestrong.org/online-collections/images/Z004/Z00494/Z0049414.jpg)

Over the next two decades, arcade, console and computer gaming explodes with popularity. In 1982, Disney even cash in on the trend by making Tron, a movie centred entirely around gaming.

In 1990, Microsoft adds Solitaire to the Windows 3.0 bundle, creating the market for casual gamers - those who don't usually play video games, but will play easy-to-play, casual games like Solitaire, Bejewelled, or Angry Birds. A decade later, and The Sims becomes the best selling computer game to date.

(Image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/The_Sims_Coverart.png)

2003 marks the year that Valve releases Steam - an online platform where users can download and play games. This creates an explosion in computer gaming, due to the vast games library offered on Steam, and the ability to both play online with friends, or solo on your own computer.

(Image: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqCZnM2C-hw0V9lAetsCkfgWhS5PTvDPhma0NGWfXfcjhQamHwl0n4jt0QMK-_GVwEEBBefgaBPenBzd1Suzf5qItiSNAKuT32Mjc8Wq6di-LmBFnhpRPWfClE41UFCL8sYv-tSw39KG5/s1600/steam-for-linux.png)

In 2008, Blizzard's World of Warcraft becomes the most popular Massively Multiplayer Online game (MMO) with more than 10 million subscribers worldwide. The late 2000s marks the beginning of online gaming becoming popular, which allows games to be played by astronomical numbers of players across the globe. Because of the ability to play and share games online, it becomes easier to have an indie game become popular, as Markus Persson found, in 2010, when he released his indie game, Minecraft.

Some excellent sources for further exploration include http://www.icheg.org/icheg-game-history/timeline/ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vROxoEyB9UE.

- Emily

Tablet/Phone Games

Image : sandiway.blogspot.com

It isn't unusual for us to see people using their tablets or their phones on the train. In fact, it is becoming our new 'time killer device' while we are travelling. Due to massive improvement in mobile device technology, people are able to text, check their emails, or even read a blog, and play games using their mobile phones or tablet devices.

Image : http://images.intomobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/ipad-gaming2-o-650x366.png

And these devices act as a new gaming console these-days, enabling users to play touchscreen enabled-3D games. These Phone/tablet games have boomed so much that, it is almost impossible for people to NOT know what 'Angry Birds' is. It is a tablet/phone game which was introduced on iOS and Android 

platform which attracted a lot of phone users.

Image : www.fanpop.com

And here’s where it gets shocking! people play Angry Birds 200 million minutes per day! - See more at: http://aytm.com/blog/research-junction/angry-birds-addiction/#sthash.B6s6jxW4.dpuf

Tablet and phone gaming market is quickly expanding and with this many users, we really cannot predict what other exciting games could come out via iOS or Android platform.

-Aaron(Young Kyun)