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April 3, 2024
The Video Games Revolution
Welcome to Part 2 of WA.Technology’s concise history of gaming, gambling and iGaming. Last time, we looked at the origins of gaming and gambling, highlighted the key events that sparked significant developments, and paid homage to the most notable public figures whose influence can still be seen today. This time, we look closer at the advent of video gaming and its beginnings in merging with gambling.
If you read An Evolutionary History of Gaming, Gambling & iGaming – Part 1, which focused on the origins of board games and gambling, you’ll know we began our journey around 5,000 BCE when ancient civilisations ruled the Earth and used primitive dice as objects of divination. We then touched upon the 1970s and 1980s but didn’t explore the digital era.
This edition of our blog series will primarily focus on video gaming. We won’t spend time revisiting too much old ground, but mentioning a few historical things that are more relevant to Part 2 of our story is necessary. We’ll also be dipping our toes into board games and computing because, as we said in Part 1, everything is related.
Previously, we looked at the link between gaming and gambling but didn’t focus too much on gaming without gambling. Let’s briefly return to the origins of games. Dice and playing cards are the hallmarks of most games and many forms of gambling, but there are many other games. Although we will mainly focus on video games, they, too, have their roots in the ancient civilisations of the past.
Some of the world's oldest games would be called board games or strategy games. There are many different categories of social games. For instance, a deck of playing cards can be used in hundreds of different ways, from solitary games such as solitaire to strategic games like gin rummy and bridge, or even simple, family fun games like snap and pairs. Dice can also be a game in their own right, such as in Yahtzee, Perudo, Farkle, or Bunco.
When we think of classic ‘board games’, chess is the most obvious. Chess is a strategic game that involves knowledge and skill. Chess resembles an ancient Viking game called tafl but could also have developed from an old Indian game called chaturanga. Many people dabble in chess, but few will reach the dizzying heights of Grandmaster. It is a universal game enjoyed by all ages. There are variations, such as xiangqi (Chinese chess) and shogi (Japanese chess). However, most play international chess that began hundreds of years ago, with evidence found of simpler versions up to several thousand years ago.
And it’s not just chess. Other beloved board games from history are still enjoyed today. Visit Turkey, for instance, and you’ll soon see people enjoying a delicious Turkish coffee whilst indulging in a game of backgammon on a beautifully intricate game board. Other old games that have stood the test of time include counting games like draughts (checkers), noughts and crosses (tic-tac-toe), mancala, tile games such as dominoes and mahjong, and community games like carrom in India. Images of board games played throughout the ages are plentiful, and archaeological evidence gives us clues about other games now lost to history.
But how do they link to gaming as we know it in the 21st Century? Many games and forms of gambling we covered in Part 1 were, and still are, enjoyed for fun without wagering. For board games specifically, we must travel through time to the 1800s and delve into the beginnings of commercial manufacturing of board games before we get closer to video gaming as a separate entity.
The first commercial board game is ‘The Mansion of Happiness’. Initially printed on paper and cloth in 1800 England, the designer created his Christian morality game to honour the Duchess of York. In 1843, a board and cloth version was released in the USA. Then there was F. & R. Lockwood, who published two successful board games, ‘Traveller's Tour Through the United States’ and ‘Traveller's Tour Through Europe’, in 1822.
Over time, board games developed into distinct genres suitable for all interests and abilities. Mass production drove down prices in the 20th Century and brought board gaming to the broader market. Games became more complex, more strategic, and more intense. By the 1980s, family games such as Monopoly (which started life as The Landlord’s Game in 1903), Scrabble, Snakes and Ladders (Chutes and Ladders), Cluedo, Twister, Operation, and Trivial Pursuit were everyday household items.
However, role-playing games (RPG) were a catalyst behind the new wave of gaming. Specifically, Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). First published in 1974 in America, this unique new style of gaming enabled players to immerse themselves in epic adventures, taking on roles such as the Dungeon Master (who oversees the game), Human, Rogue, Warlock, Cleric, Barbarian, Elf, Paladin, and many more combinations. The game follows a narrative, and players make decisions and create a complex imaginary world that can be explored with multiple dice of various sizes. The popularity snowballed and became so successful that it launched merchandise, movies, animated series, books, and more. Today, numerous variations of D&D are available, with younger fans of popular culture discovering D&D thanks to the spectacular retro hit TV show Stranger Things.
Over in Britain, Steve Jackson, Ian Livingstone, and John Peake founded Games Workshop in 1975, with the first shop opening in 1985. The British company manufactured board games and published gaming books and magazines. Games Workshop brought D&D to the UK sometime later. They then went on to create Warhammer in 1983. Like D&D, Warhammer is an immersive adventure RPG game using miniature character pieces. Jackson and Livingstone also began to write the Fighting Fantasy single-player RPG adventure books that could be played by any kid at home with dice to hand. Still going strong today, the highly successful book series brought imaginative gaming to the masses, even those without the means to buy a board or visit a gaming shop. RPG board games and stories are deeply embedded in video gaming as we know it today. Many of today’s console and PC RPG, MMO, and MMORPG games owe their success to D&D, Warhammer, and the Fighting Fantasy book series.
These days, board games are enjoying a renaissance. Cafes where fans can enjoy a snack and try out various new games are growing in popularity. Games shoot spin-off editions and additional resources. You may have heard of or even own some of the latest biggest sellers, Like 7 Wonders, Catan, Carcassonne, Pandemic, Codenames, and Azul. Silly and sometimes even offensive games such as Cards Against Humanity, Kids Against Maturity (the kid-friendly version), Pie Face, Doggy Doo, and Jibber Jabber provide hours of fun at family gatherings.
Professional escape room games, where teams must solve elaborate puzzles and riddles to ‘escape’ from a real-life room with an over-arching theme or plot, are ten a penny with home board game versions popular choices at parties. These game types and traditional board games are now available online. PC and console versions, link-ups, and mobile phone versions – like Jackbox Party Pack – are hugely popular. Although the vast majority are not used for gambling, some are, and although they are pretty niche, their popularity isn’t waning. Expect more growth in this area with more traditional board game-style options at online casinos.
Taking a dip back in time once again, while board games were developing and growing in manufacturing, and as casinos, lotteries, bingo halls, and sports betting were spreading, advances in computing were also taking place.
Over the centuries, mathematicians have used computing and engineering to understand the world around them. Charles Babbage designed the first early computing mechanisms, The Difference Engine and The Analytical Engine, in the 1840s. Developments continued, and the age of electricity began, followed closely by digital technology. British computer scientist Alan Turing’s innovative ideas forged a large chunk of the groundwork in modern computer science, largely thanks to his 1936 paper, ‘On Computable Number’ and his later work for the UK Government at Bletchley Park. Arthur Halsey Dickenson, whose company IBM developed the first fully programmable digital electronic computer, the Harvard Mark I – IBM ASCC (Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator) in 1944, also played a massive part in the world of computing as we know it today.
The turbulent times of World War II brought further advancements in computing. The urgent, dire situation gave extra prominence to science and provided funding that allowed developments to be made faster than they may have otherwise. Primarily by research scientists and academics at top universities, technological advancements slowly filtered down into personal computing. Transistors replaced vacuum tubes, which saw the development of supercomputers become a reality in the 1960s. These, in turn, aided in the development of integrated circuit computers using silicon chips and microprocessor computers, enabling faster, lighter computers that would be the true beginnings of the home computer system. And in 1975, Italian company Olivetti presented the first ready-made personal computer to the world – the P6060.
However, personal computers were not readily available for commercial gaming. While scientists had dabbled in computers for gaming uses, the ‘games’ and computers themselves were not strictly ‘video games’ as we know them. The 1961 programming of Martin Graetz, Steve Russell, and Wayne Wiitanen of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who engineered Spacewar!, led to video games as we know them today.
Gaming hit arcades before filtering down into our homes. In 1971, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney from Stanford University designed a coin-operated machine – the original arcade video game – Computer Space. This earned its place in history, as did the designers who later formed Atari, Inc.
The first home games console, the Magnavox Odyssey, designed by Ralph H. Baer, went on sale in 1972. The rudimentary console had cuboid controllers operated by diodes and television overlays that could be stuck to the TV screen, allowing various games to be played by changing the plastic screen overlay. Atari then released the legendary arcade version of Pong in 1972, which was loosely based on the Magnavox table tennis game. This resulted in a legal battle. Atari’s console Home Pong was eventually released in 1975, and the lawsuit was settled out of court in 1976.
Coin-operated video game machines began to spring up in arcades, sometimes alongside slots, in the late 70s and 80s. Before most people could afford a personal computer (PC) or a console, arcades allowed the masses to enjoy this new technology and entertainment. The appeal was instant. Generation X will remember the golden age of video arcade technology and fondly remember some game-changing innovations that became household names. After all, even today, games like Donkey Kong (1981), Pac-Man (1980), and Space Invaders (1978) are still part of the general public subconscious.
Arcades became the foundations of the gaming industry, but the launch of the 8-bit console became the backbone. Before their advent, however, other consoles and home computer systems played critical parts in the progression of gaming. Those long in the tooth may remember names such as Atari VCS (Atari 2600), Atari 5200 ST, Intellivision, ColecoVision, the Apple II, the IBM Personal Computer (5150), the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, the Sinclair ZX 81, and, of course, the 8-bit Commodore 64. Some were simply for games, while most operated primarily as personal computers with gaming options using cartridges or cassettes.
Most people mean console gaming when they say they’re gamers. The many consoles developed over the years have morphed into technically advanced machines capable of complex actions and astounding experiences. As we look more closely at consoles, it’s worth mentioning that we cannot possibly cover every single console ever released. Video game consoles are usually grouped into ‘generations’ around similar processors and capabilities. In Part 2, we’ll be skimming the surface of these generations, picking out the noteworthy offerings.
Despite the potential capabilities of home computer gaming, the Japanese company Nintendo gave the world the first specialist 8-bit computer game console, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Released two years earlier in Japan as the Famicom, it came as a package with the iconic Super Mario Bros. as the headline game. Super Mario is a global phenomenon. He first came to the attention of the public in Donkey Kong (referred to then as Jumpman), though he soon overtook Kong as the most renowned character from Nintendo. Mario is still so legendary that he, his brother Luigi, and other characters such as Princess Peach, Toad and Bowser spawned multiple games, movies, cartoons, merchandise, and even a huge theme park in Japan.
Sega also had their eyes on the game console prize. Their 1982 release of the 8-bit SG-1000 directly competed with Nintendo’s Famicom. It began the competition between the two gaming giants of the 80s. The third version of the SG-1000 was the Sega Mark III, better known as the Master System. It was through the Sega Master System, in 1985, that Sega found their gaming feet with the little blue critter, Sonic the Hedgehog.
By the late 80s, players were used to enjoying their games with joysticks, controllers, light guns, and other accessories to liven up play. Anticipation about where gaming would go next was rising. The public was expecting bigger and better things. Nintendo gave it to them.
Japanese giants Nintendo gave the world their first taste of ‘mobile’ gaming in 1989 when the iconic Gameboy went on sale. Using cartridges, the handheld console remains the third best-selling console in history. It’s also thanks to the Gameboy that Tetris became such a hit. Actually created in 1984, Nintendo added it to all Gameboy bundles, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The next generation took off with the 16-bit console era. The Nintendo Super NES (1990) was another huge hit, as was the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive (1988) alongside the Gameboy that was still selling well. Games like Mario Kart, FIFA, Tekken, Pokemon, Street Fighter, and The Legend of Zelda entertained gamers.
Things progressed into the 90s and 00s, and first-person shooters (FPS) became popular. Consoles, like the Nintendo 64 (1996), Sega Saturn (1994), Sega Dreamcast (1998), and Nintendo Gamecube (2001), came and went. The World Wide Web was in its infancy but already attracting a large gaming community, making the heart of what would become eSports. By the mid-90s, one of the most significant new names in console gaming – Sony PlayStation was a reality.
The PlayStation One (PS1) launched in 1994, followed by the PlayStation 2 (PS2) in 2000, and the Xbox by Microsoft in 2001. Through these platforms, popular games like Halo (2001) on Xbox Live online and Call of Duty (2003), available on Xbox and PlayStation, started seeing the birth of eSports as they are today. The online gaming communities on consoles and PCs sparked friendships and gaming clans participating in worldwide competitions for fame and prizes. Though still not mainstream, their popularity was growing. The progress in graphics and the ability to play and chat with others on the other side of the world was a fresh new era that grabbed the attention of young and old gamers alike.
Mobile gaming also developed, and Nintendo released its successor to the Gameboy and the Gameboy Advance, the Nintendo DS, in 2004. Unlike the Gameboy, the DS had two LCD screens, one of which was a touch screen that could be used with the pen-like stylus. While the Gameboy paved the way for the advent of mobile gaming, the DS was the forerunner of mobile gaming as we know it today. Assorted DS systems have been released with differing capabilities, including the DS Lite, the DSi XL, and the Nintendo 3DS with built-in 3D capabilities. Of course, the PlayStation Portable (PSP) (2004) and the PlayStation Vita (PSV) (2011) drew fans. Still, thanks to the Gameboy, the DS and the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo remains the critical influence on mobile gaming today.
Never afraid of innovation, Nintendo released the Wii in 2006, around the same time as the Xbox 360 (2005) and the PlayStation 3 (PS3) (2006). While the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 developed their range of games, including their online gaming profile, the Wii brought family fun and action into gaming with its Wii Remote and compatible accessories that worked with infrared sensors to track movement. The Wii also added gamification and personification elements that would become the mainstay of iGaming and gaming. The player-created Mii avatars proved highly popular. Like the Wii, the Xbox 360 had wireless controllers, and the release of the Kinect motion detection bar in 2010 allowed active gameplay to run alongside online gaming. The DualShock 3 controller, with its haptic capabilities, gave serious gamers of FPS an intense experience. More interactive accessories and games developed, like Wii Sports, Rock Band, Sing Star, and Just Dance, opened the world to fun games that gave players joy and sometimes some much-needed exercise!
Modern consoles, Like the PlayStation 4 (PS4) (2013), Xbox One (2013), the PlayStation 5 (PS5) (2020), the Nintendo Wii U (2012), Xbox Series X/S (2020), and the Nintendo Switch (2017) established online gaming and eSports as credible pursuits. Some gamers stuck to PC games while others stuck to consoles, but many dabbled in both.
Here, we see the spark of interest harking back to the good old days of D&D yet again. Immense universes that could be explored at a player's leisure. Open-world games and immersive, sometimes alone, as in Oblivion, Skyrim, and Fallout, or sometimes with other people, as in Doom, World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy, Halo 2, and RuneScape, were the key to the success of eSports. Massively multiplayer online (MMOs) and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), as well as first-person and third-person shooters (FPS and TPSs), are available on PCs and consoles. The people who enjoy them like the community aspect that brings them together.
Obviously, many other popular game genres exist. From the humble puzzle games and board games to epic adventure games, racing games, fighting and beat ‘em up games, survival and stealth games, art and wellbeing games, battle royale, horror, text-based adventures (like those Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone novel book and dice adventures), construction and simulation games, strategy, sports games, educational games, and… well the list goes on. You get the idea.
Despite all these variations in the genre, it is almost always MMOs, MMORPGs, FPS, and TPSs that are played online by clans and professional gamers. eSports are well established, and the best players are no longer the butt of nerd jokes but revered almost like rock stars.
In addition, the once male-dominated scene is seeing an influx of female gamers, particularly with the introduction of universities offering many eSports degree options. In fact, FIFA launched the very first female-only eSports boot camp in 2023. International competitions, with huge prizes, have made eSports a worthy career ambition and a thoroughly enjoyable endeavour. It is an attractive career to potential professional players, game designers, composers, writers, media and marketing students, voice actors, and more. If you don’t believe us, check out the eSports Awards website to learn more about the annual award event, the awards up for grabs, and other exciting news on eSports. Find out even more about eSports in our blog, eSports Epic Rise to Success.
Aside from eSports, gaming for fun continues to develop and evolve. The links to iGaming becoming stronger year-on-year (more on that in Part 3). Indie developers and children with ever-increasing coding skills are developing new types of games, platforms, and consoles. Ingenious creations like the handheld gaming computer Steam Deck (2022), developed by Valve, allow users to do much more creatively than just play a limited selection of games. Whizz kids worldwide design fantastic games with astounding capabilities from the comfort of their bedrooms. Indie games and unusual games can become stand-out hits if they get it right; just look at Hello Neighbor (2017), Minecraft (2011), and Fortnite (2017). Anyone with the equipment at home can develop a game partially funded through social media endeavours; the upcoming release of Creej’s Corruption (due for release on Steam in late 2024) is an excellent example with fans contributing to development costs in return for rewards such as early previews or names in credits.
Respected developers, such as Bethesda, continue to make bigger and better immersive universes, such as in Starfield (2023). Avid gaming fans can watch live streams of their favourite players and contests on social media sites or fund the latest idea with a Kickstarter. Even non-gamers want a piece of the action when the game has a broad enough appeal – as demonstrated by the staggering success of Hogwarts Legacy (2023), based on the global Harry Potter phenomena.
Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) have made significant advancements in the gaming industry in recent years, transforming the way we play and interact with games. If you don’t believe us, check out our previous blog, Artificial Intelligence Bringing iGaming to Life.
Let’s first compare VR and AR. VR immerses the player in a virtual world, completely shutting out the real world. This is typically achieved through a headset that covers the user's eyes and ears, creating a 360-degree digital environment. On the other hand, AR overlays digital content into the real world. Unlike VR, it doesn't replace the real world but enhances it by adding virtual elements to the user's view, usually through a smartphone or AR glasses. Pretty handy for everyday life. The Forte VFX1, in 1994, was the first VR headset sold for home PC. VR games have been available in arcades since the early 90s, but it was sometime before the technology moved into homes.
Virtual reality (VR) games offer a fully immersive experience where players can interact with the virtual environment as if physically present. It often gives a sense of presence, making players feel like they've entered the game world. Playing the part of a mighty hero or heroine traversing a magical land in pursuit of stolen treasure whilst being hunted down by killer ogres is far more engaging if the player feels like they are there than watching the interactions on a screen.
It’s not just used for MMORPGs, MMOs, FPSs, or TPSs. Games like Beat Saber (2018), Superhot VR (2016), and Half-Life: Alyx (2020) are all popular VR titles that use VR in slightly different ways. Half-Life: Alyx, by Valve Corporation, showcased the potential of VR gaming. It combined a gripping storyline with immersive VR gameplay, setting a new standard for VR game quality. VR is also used in simulations and educational applications, though it's within engaging fantasy worlds and terrifying horror games that VR really comes into its own.
The only setback is the comparatively high cost of the headsets required to play. More and more headsets are being marketed, which should eventually bring down prices. Some of the most significant options include the Oculus Rift (2016), a substantial milestone in VR gaming. It offered immersive experiences with its high-quality headset and hand-tracking controllers. Also, in 1996, the PlayStation VR was Sony's first virtual reality option for console gaming. It integrated seamlessly with the PlayStation 4, providing gamers a wide range of VR experiences. The Oculus Quest 2 (2020), later rebranded in 2021 as the Meta Quest 2 (2021), and PlayStation VR2 (2023) remain two of the most popular headset options to date.
Augmented Reality (AR), where AR games blend the real and digital worlds, allows players to see virtual objects or characters interacting with their actual surroundings. This creates a mixed-reality experience. AR is best suited to mobile gaming, and many AR games are available for Android and iOS.
Location-based AR games often encourage players to explore their real-world surroundings, such as geolocation-based treasure hunts. Pokemon Go (2016) is probably the best-known example, with players seeing Pokemon ‘in the wild’ via their mobile phones and ‘catching’ them on their devices. The short-lived Minecraft Earth (2019) was an AR adaptation of Minecraft's popular game that allowed players to build and explore their creations in the real world using mobile devices. The Harry Potter franchise also had its own AR game, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, which, unfortunately, was shut down after around two and a half years.
Educational AR games can enhance learning by overlaying educational content onto physical objects. Things like AR books, where children can hover a phone over the page to see a 3D version of whatever they’re learning about, such as the solar system, are increasing. Prominent AR is also used for various applications beyond gaming, like navigation, geocaching, and visualising data. The Microsoft HoloLens (2016), while not primarily a gaming device, demonstrated the possibilities of AR. It allowed users to interact with holographic objects in their surroundings.
Simulation AR is used in simulators for training and skill development. Incorporating VR and AR into gaming has opened new horizons for game developers and players. While VR provides complete immersion, AR adds a layer of interactivity to our real-world environment. The choice between the two depends on the desired gaming experience and hardware availability. These technologies continue to evolve, promising exciting developments in the gaming industry for years to come.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the latest addition to gaming. 2023 has seen a significant rise in how AI is used globally, and gaming is no exception. OpenAI's GPT-3 (2020) showcased AI's potential in natural language understanding and generation. It can be integrated into games to create dynamic and responsive narratives.
Google's DeepMind in AlphaGo (2016) was a landmark moment for AI; DeepMind's AlphaGo defeated the world champion Go player. This demonstrated AI's ability to master complex games and showed the potential for AI-driven gaming experiences.
Many modern games utilise AI to enhance non-player characters (NPCs) behaviour and decision-making. Games like The Last of Us Part II (2020) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) showcase advanced AI that makes in-game worlds feel more alive.
These VR, AR, and AI developments have opened up exciting possibilities for the gaming industry, offering players more immersive and interactive experiences. As technology advances, we can expect even more exciting innovations in the gaming world.
These realities aren’t for everyone, of course. They may not be suitable for those with certain medical conditions and must be used for a limited time due to potential adverse effects. The market will continue to grow to meet demand. Still, while prices remain high for the software, hardware and accessories needed to enjoy the full potential of VR, AR, and AI, the market will remain smaller than that of regular gaming. However, the developments in VR, AR, and AI may be what iGaming needs to push it to the next level…more on that in Part 3.
Here ends Part 2 of our three-part series. Gaming justifiably requires an entire blog in its own right; the cultural impact of gaming on the world over the past 100 years has far exceeded anything that notable scientists of the past could have imagined. While the focus has been purely on gaming as a revolution, the final part of our series will scrutinise the developments in iGaming as a separate entity and probe the relationship between gaming, gambling, and iGaming today and moving into the future. Join us next time!
As we journey through the rich tapestry of gaming and gambling's past, it's important to remember that with the thrill and excitement of these activities comes a responsibility to engage in them wisely and sustainably, underscoring the ever-relevant creed of our times: to always approach gaming and gambling with mindfulness and a commitment to responsible practices.
Read An Evolutionary History of Gaming, Gambling & iGaming – Part 1 (the origins and ancient history of gaming and gambling).
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