Home video games had to start somewhere

Does a console that displays “three square dots and one line of varying height on the screen in monochrome black and white” sound exciting? Not really, but from this simple machine a whole industry and culture emerged.

The Magnavox was released in September 1972 and while not exactly to acclaim, people did notice. It was designed by Ralph H. Baer at Sanders Associates (a defence contractor!) being being licensed for manufacturing to Magnavox, taking six years from development to release.

The Odyssey console came packaged with dice, paper money, and other board game gear, and the first video game light gun—was sold separately.

It sold 350,000 units before it was discontinued in 1975, which isn’t a lot now, but it was the beginning of a whole new industry.