The Nimatron: first 'video game' debuted in 1939
I think, we should really come up with a suitable definition in order to separate the concept &quot;video game&quot; from other technically-mediated games.<p>I once [1] came up with the following criteria for the term &quot;digital video game&quot;:<p>- Digital real-time computing* running some kind of simulation,<p>- A visual display to communicate the state of the game (preferably a CRT as in “video”),<p>- Means of user input for uninterrupted real-time interaction.<p>- Further, the simulation and its on-screen rendition should be updated at a pace, which conveys the impression of a seamless interaction (i.e., about a minimum of 10-12 steps per second).<p>Meaning, there&#x27;s a closed feedback loop between the machine and the player(s), which exposes intervals for accepting interactive input, which may be used by the player to change the game&#x27;s state or may be passed, as well, and that the rendition (primarily visual, on a planar surface) of the output of this loop is supposed to generate a seamless experience of the game world (as governed by its mechanics, rules, and internal states, which may be exposed to a varying degree). In other words, according to this proposed definition, video games in the stricter sense are frame based (as opposed to turn based) and include a temporal dimension. (E.g., Lunar Lander for the PDP-8 is not a [digital] video game, even when displayed and operated by a video terminal, while Lunar Lander for the GT40 is.)<p>*) Notably, &quot;real-time computing&quot; doesn&#x27;t necessarily mean general purpose computing. Any kind of interactive signal generator will do. (Compare Computer Space, Pong, etc., in the analog domain Higinbotham&#x27;s Tennis, AKA Tennis for Two.)<p>[1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.masswerk.at&#x2F;nowgobang&#x2F;2019&#x2F;michigan-pool" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.masswerk.at&#x2F;nowgobang&#x2F;2019&#x2F;michigan-pool</a>