162:. The goal of the game is to have the beam defocus when it is within the bounds of a target. Prior to the beam spot beginning its arc, the player can turn the control knobs to direct the beam spot's trajectory and adjust the delay of the shell burst. The machine can be set to fire a "shell" either once or at a regular interval, which is adjustable by the player. This gives the player the goal of hitting one of the overlay targets with the shell burst within a time limit. The player was recommended to make the trajectory far removed from a straight line "so as to require an increased amount of skill and care".
40:
194:, which Goldsmith had worked on during the war. The patent for the device was filed on January 25, 1947 and issued on December 14, 1948. The patent, the first for an electronic game, was never used by either the inventors or DuMont Laboratories, and the device was never manufactured beyond the original handmade prototype.
152:
circuitry and does not use any digital computer or memory device or execute a program. The CRT projects a spot on the display screen, which traces a curved arc across the screen when a switch is activated by the player. This beam spot represents the trajectory of an artillery shell. The curved path
198:
historian Alex Magoun has speculated that
Goldsmith did not make the prototype with the intent for it to be the basis of any future production, but only designed the device as a demonstration of the kind of commercial opportunities DuMont could pursue. Video game historian Alexander Smith has also
157:
the beam of electrons as the spot moves across the screen. Overlaid on the screen are transparent plastic targets representing objects such as airplanes. At the end of the spot's trajectory, the beam defocuses, resulting in the spot expanding and blurring. This represents the shell exploding as if
199:
speculated that DuMont's ongoing financial issues prevented any investment into a new product. Goldsmith did not work on games after the invention of the device; he was promoted to vice president in 1953 and left DuMont—by then split up and sold to other firms—to become a professor of physics at
316:
210:, as it used purely analog hardware and did not run on a computing device; some loose definitions may still consider it a video game, but it is still usually disqualified as the device was never manufactured. Nevertheless, it is the earliest known
182:
specializing in the development of cathode ray tubes that used electronic signal outputs to project a signal onto television screens. Goldsmith, who had received a Ph.D. in physics from
112:(CRT) screen, which is controlled by the player by adjusting knobs to change the trajectory of a CRT beam spot on the display in order to reach plastic targets overlaid on the screen.
229:
components—ones which modify an electrical signal, rather than simply using electricity as power. This makes the cathode-ray tube amusement device a forerunner to other games in the
712:
203:
in 1966. Goldsmith kept the device and brought it with him to Furman; in a 2016 interview fellow physics professor Bill
Brantley recalled Goldsmith demonstrating the game to him.
186:
in 1936 with a focus on oscilloscope design, was at the time of the device's invention the director of research for DuMont
Laboratories. The two inventors were inspired by the
206:
Despite being a game that used a graphical display, the cathode-ray tube amusement device is generally not considered under many definitions to be a candidate for the first
120:
and filed for a patent in 1947, which was issued the following year. The gaming device was never manufactured or marketed to the public, so it had no effect on the future
427:
237:. The patent itself was not discovered again until 2002, when David Winter, a French electronics collector, while searching for evidence of early prototypes of the 1972
195:
544:
419:
358:
705:
1049:
284:
1044:
698:
679:
656:
633:
610:
587:
1003:
578:
108:
as well as the first game to incorporate an electronic display. The device simulates an artillery shell arcing towards targets on a
314:, Goldsmith Jr., Thomas T. & Mann, Estle Ray, "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device", issued December 14, 1948
233:. As the device was never manufactured or widely shown it did not directly inspire any other games and had no impact on the future
895:
826:
431:
721:
648:
230:
129:
454:
903:
128:, as while it had an electronic display it did not run on a computing device. Therefore, despite its relevance to the
39:
671:
344:
241:
console, found the patent in a set of documents in an archival warehouse originally compiled for a 1974 lawsuit by
1039:
1034:
887:
459:
154:
988:
171:
113:
69:
963:
863:
879:
838:
218:
311:
270:
222:
993:
234:
179:
175:
121:
973:
599:
The Video Game Debate: Unravelling the
Physical, Social, and Psychological Effects of Video Games
401:
354:
183:
149:
117:
17:
871:
750:
675:
652:
629:
606:
583:
468:
349:
200:
622:
They Create Worlds: The Story of the People and
Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry
847:
802:
743:
280:
238:
141:
109:
85:
690:
214:
148:
type circuitry with a set of knobs and switches. The device also incorporates very simple
105:
56:
968:
922:
785:
773:
159:
1028:
983:
958:
464:
211:
102:
53:
132:, it is not generally considered a candidate for the title of the first video game.
1008:
953:
191:
145:
89:
668:
Encyclopedia of Video Games: The
Culture, Technology, and Art of Gaming, Volume 1
1013:
998:
948:
930:
226:
978:
818:
757:
207:
125:
472:
855:
794:
625:
602:
399:"3 Promoted by DuMont; Officials of Laboratories Are Made Vice Presidents".
217:
to incorporate an electronic display, as no prior games, such as the 1936
765:
549:
275:
242:
547:[The incredible rediscovery of the oldest video game patent].
810:
187:
545:"La rocambolesque redécouverte du plus vieux brevet de jeu vidéo"
170:
The cathode-ray tube amusement device was invented by physicists
694:
153:
is produced by the CRT, which is not of conventional design,
174:
and Estle Ray Mann. The pair worked at television designer
124:. Under many definitions, the device is not considered a
306:
304:
302:
597:
Kowert, Rachel; Quandt, Thorsten (August 27, 2015).
414:
412:
140:
The cathode-ray tube amusement device consists of a
941:
914:
837:
784:
729:
81:
62:
49:
428:Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
264:
262:
260:
258:
196:Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
420:"IEEE History Center: Thomas Goldsmith Abstract"
706:
455:"Patents Are Becoming Crucial to Video Games"
116:and Estle Ray Mann constructed the game from
8:
345:"The Unlikely Story of the First Video Game"
30:
382:
380:
378:
376:
713:
699:
691:
645:Before the Crash: Early Video Game History
38:
27:Earliest known interactive electronic game
453:Silberman, Gregory P. (August 30, 2006).
338:
336:
334:
332:
330:
328:
326:
511:
509:
254:
245:against several arcade game companies.
225:, had such a display or primarily used
620:Smith, Alexander (November 27, 2019).
543:Audureau, William (January 27, 2017).
526:
524:
29:
484:
482:
7:
666:Wolf, Mark J. P. (August 16, 2012).
576:Donovan, Tristan (April 20, 2010).
361:from the original on March 30, 2016
271:"Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device"
44:Circuitry schematic from the patent
579:Replay: The History of Video Games
25:
737:Cathode-ray tube amusement device
643:Wolf, Mark J. P. (June 5, 2012).
287:from the original on May 18, 2021
99:cathode-ray tube amusement device
18:Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device
430:. May 14, 1973. Archived from
343:Blitz, Matt (March 28, 2016).
1:
1050:History of computing hardware
1045:Early history of video games
722:Early history of video games
649:Wayne State University Press
624:. Vol. 1: 1971 – 1982.
530:
500:
231:early history of video games
130:early history of video games
515:
1066:
730:Analog and lightbulb games
672:Greenwood Publishing Group
386:
488:
144:(CRT) connected to basic
37:
460:The National Law Journal
989:Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr.
172:Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr.
114:Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr.
70:Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr.
964:John Makepeace Bennett
101:is the earliest known
839:Early mainframe games
312:US patent 2455992
786:Early Chess programs
405:. November 23, 1953.
994:William Higinbotham
434:on December 9, 2008
424:IEEE History Center
235:video game industry
180:Passaic, New Jersey
176:DuMont Laboratories
122:video game industry
34:
974:David Champernowne
915:First arcade games
402:The New York Times
355:Hearst Corporation
219:Seeburg Ray-O-Lite
184:Cornell University
118:analog electronics
1022:
1021:
872:The Sumerian Game
681:978-0-313-37936-9
658:978-0-8143-3450-8
635:978-1-138-38990-8
612:978-1-138-83163-6
589:978-0-9565072-0-4
350:Popular Mechanics
201:Furman University
190:displays used in
95:
94:
16:(Redirected from
1057:
1040:Electronic games
1035:Cathode ray tube
803:Los Alamos Chess
744:Bertie the Brain
715:
708:
701:
692:
685:
662:
639:
616:
593:
563:
562:
560:
558:
540:
534:
528:
519:
513:
504:
498:
492:
486:
477:
476:
450:
444:
443:
441:
439:
416:
407:
406:
396:
390:
384:
371:
370:
368:
366:
340:
321:
320:
319:
315:
308:
297:
296:
294:
292:
281:Dotdash Meredith
266:
239:Magnavox Odyssey
142:cathode-ray tube
110:cathode-ray tube
86:Cathode ray tube
42:
35:
33:amusement device
31:Cathode-ray tube
21:
1065:
1064:
1060:
1059:
1058:
1056:
1055:
1054:
1025:
1024:
1023:
1018:
937:
910:
833:
780:
725:
719:
682:
665:
659:
642:
636:
619:
613:
596:
590:
575:
572:
567:
566:
556:
554:
542:
541:
537:
529:
522:
514:
507:
499:
495:
487:
480:
452:
451:
447:
437:
435:
418:
417:
410:
398:
397:
393:
385:
374:
364:
362:
342:
341:
324:
317:
310:
309:
300:
290:
288:
268:
267:
256:
251:
215:electronic game
168:
158:detonated by a
138:
106:electronic game
77:
57:electronic game
45:
32:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1063:
1061:
1053:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1027:
1026:
1020:
1019:
1017:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1001:
996:
991:
986:
981:
976:
971:
969:Nolan Bushnell
966:
961:
956:
951:
945:
943:
939:
938:
936:
935:
927:
923:Computer Space
918:
916:
912:
911:
909:
908:
900:
892:
884:
876:
868:
860:
852:
843:
841:
835:
834:
832:
831:
823:
815:
807:
799:
790:
788:
782:
781:
779:
778:
774:Tennis for Two
770:
762:
754:
748:
740:
733:
731:
727:
726:
720:
718:
717:
710:
703:
695:
687:
686:
680:
663:
657:
640:
634:
617:
611:
594:
588:
582:. Yellow Ant.
571:
568:
565:
564:
535:
520:
516:Kowert, Quandt
505:
493:
478:
445:
408:
391:
372:
322:
298:
253:
252:
250:
247:
223:Spotlight Golf
167:
164:
137:
134:
93:
92:
83:
79:
78:
76:
75:
74:Estle Ray Mann
72:
66:
64:
60:
59:
51:
47:
46:
43:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1062:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1032:
1030:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1007:
1005:
1004:Steve Russell
1002:
1000:
997:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
984:Sandy Douglas
982:
980:
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
946:
944:
940:
933:
932:
928:
925:
924:
920:
919:
917:
913:
906:
905:
901:
898:
897:
893:
890:
889:
885:
882:
881:
877:
874:
873:
869:
866:
865:
861:
858:
857:
853:
850:
849:
845:
844:
842:
840:
836:
829:
828:
824:
821:
820:
816:
813:
812:
808:
805:
804:
800:
797:
796:
792:
791:
789:
787:
783:
776:
775:
771:
768:
767:
763:
760:
759:
755:
752:
749:
746:
745:
741:
738:
735:
734:
732:
728:
723:
716:
711:
709:
704:
702:
697:
696:
693:
689:
683:
677:
673:
669:
664:
660:
654:
650:
646:
641:
637:
631:
627:
623:
618:
614:
608:
604:
600:
595:
591:
585:
581:
580:
574:
573:
569:
552:
551:
546:
539:
536:
532:
527:
525:
521:
517:
512:
510:
506:
502:
497:
494:
490:
485:
483:
479:
474:
470:
466:
462:
461:
456:
449:
446:
433:
429:
425:
421:
415:
413:
409:
404:
403:
395:
392:
389:, pp. 140–141
388:
383:
381:
379:
377:
373:
360:
356:
352:
351:
346:
339:
337:
335:
333:
331:
329:
327:
323:
313:
307:
305:
303:
299:
286:
282:
278:
277:
272:
269:Cohen, D. S.
265:
263:
261:
259:
255:
248:
246:
244:
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
213:
209:
204:
202:
197:
193:
189:
185:
181:
177:
173:
165:
163:
161:
156:
151:
147:
143:
135:
133:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
104:
100:
91:
87:
84:
80:
73:
71:
68:
67:
65:
61:
58:
55:
52:
48:
41:
36:
19:
1009:Ken Thompson
929:
921:
902:
896:Lunar Lander
894:
888:Space Travel
886:
878:
870:
862:
854:
846:
825:
817:
809:
801:
793:
772:
764:
756:
742:
736:
688:
667:
644:
621:
598:
577:
555:. Retrieved
548:
538:
496:
458:
448:
436:. Retrieved
432:the original
423:
400:
394:
363:. Retrieved
348:
289:. Retrieved
274:
205:
192:World War II
169:
146:oscilloscope
139:
98:
96:
90:oscilloscope
1014:Alan Turing
999:Josef Kates
949:Mabel Addis
931:Galaxy Game
724:(1947-1971)
553:(in French)
212:interactive
103:interactive
63:Inventor(s)
54:Interactive
1029:Categories
979:Ted Dabney
959:Ralph Baer
758:Carmonette
531:Wolf 2012b
489:Wolf 2012a
438:January 2,
249:References
227:electronic
208:video game
155:deflecting
126:video game
954:David Ahl
904:Star Trek
864:Marienbad
856:Spacewar!
795:Turochamp
626:CRC Press
603:Routledge
557:March 10,
491:, pp. 1–2
473:0162-7325
365:March 30,
291:March 27,
160:time fuze
82:Materials
880:Hamurabi
766:Hutspiel
550:Le Monde
533:, p. 218
359:Archived
285:Archived
276:Lifewire
243:Magnavox
136:Gameplay
570:Sources
501:Donovan
166:History
942:People
934:(1971)
926:(1971)
907:(1971)
899:(1969)
891:(1969)
883:(1968)
875:(1964)
867:(1962)
859:(1962)
851:(1952)
830:(1970)
822:(1968)
814:(1967)
811:Kaissa
806:(1956)
798:(1948)
777:(1958)
769:(1955)
761:(1953)
753:(1951)
751:Nimrod
747:(1950)
739:(1947)
678:
655:
632:
609:
586:
518:, p. 3
503:, p. 7
471:
318:
150:analog
827:Chess
819:Blitz
387:Smith
188:radar
676:ISBN
653:ISBN
630:ISBN
607:ISBN
584:ISBN
559:2020
469:ISSN
440:2015
367:2016
293:2023
97:The
50:Type
848:OXO
465:ALM
221:or
178:in
1031::
674:.
670:.
651:.
647:.
628:.
605:.
601:.
523:^
508:^
481:^
467:.
463:.
457:.
426:.
422:.
411:^
375:^
357:.
353:.
347:.
325:^
301:^
283:.
279:.
273:.
257:^
88:,
714:e
707:t
700:v
684:.
661:.
638:.
615:.
592:.
561:.
475:.
442:.
369:.
295:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
