What was the first gaming console?

Gaming is a hobby that many people take part in today as a means by which to have fun, relax, or even bond with friends. The beginnings of this past-time aren’t often thought about, but today, we look back to where this extremely popular way of spending time began, by asking the question: What was the first gaming console?

This question can be somewhat difficult to answer without first defining what is to be considered as a gaming console. For this purpose, we will consider the first gaming console to be the first home gaming console. Without this specification, the answer would be that the first gaming console is actually an arcade machine. This arcade machine, according to engadget, is known as Computer Space and was released in 1971. This is not the focus of the topic for this post, however, as it was certainly not sitting in somebody’s living room. Jumping into the question, we can use a post from oldest.org, titled, “10 Oldest Video Game Consoles in The World,” which states that the Magnavox Odyssey was the first home video game console created and placed in the homes of the public in 1972 (one year after the first arcade machine was created). This very simply answers the base question of what the first console was, but what was the Magnavox Odyssey?

The Odyssey released in 1972 and would have cost you $100, which is cheap for a console today, but likely a stretch with a brand new audience. The Odyssey was a very simple console, with practically no specs.

“The Odyssey has no real specs.  It contained no processor or memory.  The box is made up of transistors, resistors and capacitors.”

–Video Game Console Library

Once again drawing from Video Game Console Library, the Odyssey would only display with squares on a black screen, creating very lackluster visuals compared to today, and would come with six game cards and a 36-page user manual for the 12 additional games offered for the console.

In Conclusion, we have come a very long way from where this worldwide hobby began, just 38 years ago, upgrading from no specs to specs that most of us don’t understand; from black and white visuals to 16.8 million colors using RGB in anything from keyboards to HDMI cables. The past feels ancient, but the future feels infinite.

Fun Fact: The “Magnavox Odyssey was sold only in Magnavox stores.  Customers were told that the Odyssey would only work on Magnavox brand televisions.  A nice lie that contributed to the amount of units sold. ” –Video Game Console Library

Arcade Image from: GiantBomb.com

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