Rise of the machine: the making of the video game industry and military simulation

Abstract

Rise of the Machine assesses the history and development of the home video game industry and its technological evolution from a military industrial structure that has its roots in the Second World War. The thesis focuses on career of Ralph H. Baer and the work conducted at Sanders Associates. Baer's innovative video game work progressed through three distinct phases of development that acted as a primary component in what would become known as the military-entertainment complex. The first phase of video game development occurred from 1966-72 and resulted in the invention of the world's first home video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey. Following a brief period of commercial success, the second phase of video game development commenced from 1974-79. The second phase yielded great results in the form of Telesketch, HEC terminal, and the Cable-Mate programs that demonstrated the flexibility associated with video game technology.