1972Reputable sourceWell documented
The Magnavox Odyssey
On the timeline · around 1972 ·
What happened
Engineer Ralph Baer began working out how to play games on a television set in 1966, building a series of prototypes including the 'Brown Box.' His design became the Magnavox Odyssey, released in September 1972 — the first commercial home video game console.
Why it matters
Baer, later called 'the father of the video game,' brought gaming out of the laboratory and into the living room, launching the home console industry.