The first primitive computer and gaming devices were developed in the 1950s and 1960s and ran on platforms such as oscilloscopes, university mainframes and EDSAC computers. Arcade games were developed in the 1970s and led to the so-called "Golden Age of Arcade Games". During that period, one of the most well-known games was called Pong.
The 1970s also saw the release of the first home video game console. The first home console video game was created by Ralph Baer who is now known as the creator of video games. He created a system with limited capabilities called the brown box, which paved the way for the next wave of home consoles. The late 1970s to early 1980s was a period where home consoles made a big ‘jump’ with the release of the Atari 2600, Intellivision and Colecovision.
The video game crash of 1983, however, produced a dark age in the market that was not filled until the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) reached North America in 1985. The last two decades of game history have been segmented by 3 major divisions: video game consoles, home computers and handhelds.