History of Video and Computer Games

Computer and video games were first seen in 1948 under a US patent, with simple games such as Spacewar! and OXO produced for university mainframe computers relatively shortly afterwards. The late 60's and early 70's saw the introduction of coin-operated arcade games, the home video game console and the handheld console, with games appearing for home computers in the late 70s and early 80s.

Since that time, video and computer games have continued to contribute to popular culture worldwide, with players now buying over £10 billion worth of games every year - nearly a billion pounds of that in the UK alone.

In this section, you can trace the history of the video and computer game, from their early beginnings on arcade machines and mainframe computers to their present form today, where console and home computer users can play online with thousands of people across the world. You'll also find a handy timeline guide, which shows the history of all the games and consoles at a glance.