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1 half of the culturedcast crew, I am known to some as a "cultured gamer". I plan to direct flicks eventually. I probably wouldn't be categorized as hardcore by some of you, since I detest all use of "1337" language.
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Pong, The Conspiracy
Tim Lefebvre | 10:54 AM on 03.10.2008 12 comments


November 29th 1972: Atari's Pong was released, with it claiming to be the very first Video Game ever... or so they want you to believe.

Pong was a very simplistic game, 2 bars on each site, and a moving square... get the moving square by the bars to score a point. Rinse and repeat.



The thing that alot of people don't know about is the following... something people have been trying to hide for years:

Let's take us back to 1958, A man by the name of William Higginbotham wanted to try
and help people stop being bored at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. So he went forward and developped the worlds very first video game... what kind of television did it play on you ask? Well it didn't play on a TV, it played on an oscilloscope.

The game was named "Tennis for Two" (pictured left) and had a somewhat impressive interface for the first video game ever created. Already looked more realistic then pong did which appeared 14 years later.

So The next claim would be, yeah but the Atari was the first to commercialize a video gam... wrong again.


Say hello to Computer Space, released November 1971 by Nutting associates. It is the first widely distributed Arcade Game: 1500 units. It ultimately failed because people thought it was too hard. In the game you were a ship, and other ships would come around and shoot at you, you'd have to avoid by pressing certain buttons for thrusters, rotation etc. to escape the bullets.

So The very last claim they are holding on for for deal life is that Pong was the very first game you could bring home and plug into your tv to play... Wrong again!



Say hello to the Magnavox Odyssey, released may of 1972. 6 months before Atari's Pong Was Released for the Mass public. Now let me quote wikipedia for its game list... yes it played more then just pong:

* Analogic
* Baseball
* Basketball
*

Brain Wave
*

Cat & Mouse
*

Dogfight
*

Football
*

Fun Zoo
*

Handball
*

Haunted House
*

Hockey
*

Invasion
*

Interplanetary Voyage
*

Percepts
*

Prehistoric Safari
*

Roulette
*

Shooting Gallery
*

Shootout
*

Simon Says
*

Ski
*

Soccer
*

States
*

Submarine
*

Table Tennis
*

Tennis
*

Volleyball
*

Win
*

Wipeout

So I believe we now all know, that in fact, Pong did not do anything new, it was all done before... The conspiracy has been revealed!



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11 comments | showing # 1 to 11
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Fat Ryu's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 11:13
Fat Ryu
First good game?
Tim Lefebvre's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 11:14
Tim Lefebvre
2 little 1 bit panels going up and down... how is that good? the tennis for 2 looked way more impressive.
Aaron Mxy Yost's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 11:21
Aaron Mxy Yost
You overlooked the EDSAC version of Tic-Tac-Toe, which predates Tennis for Two by about six years.
Tim Lefebvre's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 11:25
Tim Lefebvre
perhaps, Ron.

I have done my research however, and comparing tennis for 2 and pong is like comparing a ps3 and wii game... well thats if we go by Jonathan Schlaffer's ideology (he's 1 of those dumb cunt rags that post over at blorge.)

but whether or not, it still predated pong.
Aaron Mxy Yost's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 11:38
Aaron Mxy Yost
All these games predate Pong, sure... but I'm not sure where you got the idea that there's some "conspiracy" to claim it's the first video game ever. Any person who's done a minuscule amount of research into the history of video games at least know about Computer Space and the Odyssey.

Regardless, Pong was the first video game that was widely successful and popular. Tennis for Two was played by a few dozen people at most.
Tim Lefebvre's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 11:41
Tim Lefebvre
well well well, the grouchy mcgrouches on this site show up relentlessly huh? Conspiracy? not really. I never said it wasn't widely successful and popular, merely stating the fact that it wasn't the FIRST video game.
Aaron Mxy Yost's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 11:55
Aaron Mxy Yost
Wait, you titled your post "Pong, The Conspiracy", the last sentence is "The conspiracy has been revealed!", and now you say "Conspiracy? not really."

Consistency? not really. In the case you're trying to be witty and sarcastic with this piece, you're failing as much as you did on your first c blog.

Pong isn't the first video game? Thanks for telling us something that is already common knowledge for anyone who actually gives a shit in the first place. Sorry if we seem to be grouchy mcgrouches by pointing out your fail.
bloodylip's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 12:23
bloodylip
Damn, I was hoping this cblog post would be about the conspiracy of the CIA trying to watch us through cable TV. The only way to defeat them is to switch your box over to "game." Join us (yes, join us) for Pong!
Twisted Imp's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 12:28
Twisted Imp
That chick has an ugly/scary foot.
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 12:43
Copyright 2008 Agent Chieftain
The Odyssey sucked. I almost bought it at a flea market a few years back, and the thing is no fun to play.

I also have some thing that plays only Pong, but I can't find it.

I'll stick to my ColecoVision.
Tim Lefebvre's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/10/2008 13:34
Tim Lefebvre
There is no conspiracy for pong, just mis-information.

@twisted Imp:
agreed entirely.
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