Complete history of gaming and video gaming. From pre 3000 BC to 2024.

The below timeline covers the evolution of video games from early history to 2024, including board games, mechanical amusements, electromechanical devices, arcade systems, home consoles, PC gaming, online multiplayer, and modern innovations.

Ancient Games and Strategy Games (Before 1500s)

~3000 BC – Senet (Egypt), one of the first known board games, is played in ancient tombs.

~2500 BC – Royal Game of Ur (Mesopotamia) is created, featuring dice-based movement.

~2000 BC – Go (China) emerges, one of the most complex strategy games still played today.

~600 BC – Chaturanga (India) is developed, later evolving into chess.

~500 BC – Mancala (Africa and the Middle East), a counting strategy game, gains popularity.

Medieval & Renaissance Period (500 AD – 1700s)

600s AD – Chess spreads from India and Persia to Europe.

900s AD – The first known playing cards appear in China.

1400s – Tarot cards are used for both gaming and fortune-telling in Europe.

1560s – The roulette wheel is developed in France.

1600s – Backgammon gains widespread popularity in Europe.

1700s – Mechanical chess-playing machines like The Turk (1770) captivate audiences.

Early Mechanical Games and Coin-Operated Machines (1800s – 1900s)

1830s – Charles Babbage designs the Analytical Engine, the first mechanical computer.

1843 – The first mechanical spring-loaded game is developed in France, an early precursor to pinball.

1869 – Milton Bradley creates The Checkered Game of Life, later known as The Game of Life.

1871 – British engineer Montague Redgrave patents the first mechanical pinball machine.

1889 – Nintendo is founded as a playing card company in Japan.

1890s – The first coin-operated amusement machines appear in the U.S., leading to penny arcades.

1900 – 1950: The Age of Electromechanical Games

1900s – Penny arcades become popular with mechanical fortune-telling machines and shooting galleries.

1920s – First electric pinball machines emerge.

1931 – Ballyhoo, a coin-operated pinball game, is introduced by Bally Manufacturing.

1933 – First electromechanical pinball games with bumpers are released.

1940 – The Nimatron, an electromechanical machine playing a mathematical game, is displayed at the New York World’s Fair.

1940s: The First Steps Toward Digital Gaming

1947 – The Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device, considered the first interactive electronic game, is patented.

1949 – British mathematician Alan Turing discusses artificial intelligence and machine-based gameplay.

1950s – 1960s: The Birth of Video Games

1952 – OXO, a tic-tac-toe computer game, is created by A.S. Douglas at the University of Cambridge.

1958 – Tennis for Two, an interactive oscilloscope game, is developed by William Higinbotham.

1962 – Spacewar!, one of the first digital computer games, is created at MIT.

1966 – Ralph Baer develops the Brown Box, the prototype for the first home video game console.

1967 – The first light gun shooting game is developed for the Brown Box.

1970s: The Rise of Arcades and Home Consoles

1971 – Computer Space, the first commercially sold arcade video game, is released.

1972 – Pong, created by Atari, becomes the first major arcade video game hit.

1972 – The Magnavox Odyssey, the first home video game console, is released.

1976 – The Fairchild Channel F, the first console with interchangeable cartridges, launches.

1978 – Space Invaders revolutionizes arcade gaming.

1979 – Asteroids becomes one of the biggest arcade hits.

1980s: The Golden Age of Gaming

1980 – Pac-Man is released, becoming a cultural phenomenon.

1981 – Donkey Kong introduces Mario to gaming.

1983 – The video game crash occurs due to market oversaturation.

1985 – The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) launches, reviving the industry.

1986 – The Legend of Zelda introduces open-world adventure gameplay.

1989 – Game Boy is released, making portable gaming mainstream.

1990s: The Rise of 3D and Multiplayer Gaming

1991 – Sonic the Hedgehog becomes Sega’s mascot.

1993 – Doom popularizes first-person shooters (FPS).

1994 – Sony PlayStation launches, bringing CD-based gaming.

1996 – Nintendo 64 introduces 3D gaming with Super Mario 64.

1999 – Counter-Strike and EverQuest push online multiplayer gaming.

2000s: Online and Mobile Gaming Take Over

2001 – Xbox launches, introducing Halo and online console gaming.

2004 – World of Warcraft (WoW) dominates MMORPGs.

2006 – Nintendo Wii brings motion controls to gaming.

2007 – The iPhone launches, paving the way for mobile gaming.

2009 – Minecraft is released, becoming one of the best-selling games ever.

2010s: Streaming, Esports, and Virtual Reality

2011 – Twitch launches, making game streaming mainstream.

2013 – PlayStation 4 and Xbox One launch.

2016 – Pokémon GO introduces augmented reality (AR) gaming.

2017 – Fortnite popularizes the battle royale genre.

2020 – PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S launch.

2020s – Present: AI, Cloud Gaming, and the Metaverse

2021 – Metaverse gaming expands with platforms like Roblox.

2022 – Cloud gaming services like Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now grow.

2023 – AI-generated game content begins shaping game development.

2024 – VR and AR gaming continue evolving, with more immersive experiences.