145 Mind-Blowing Facts About Video Games You Didn't Know

Video games have been a popular form of entertainment for several decades now, with their popularity continuing to soar with the advancement of technology. From arcade games to console games and now mobile games, the gaming industry has evolved significantly over the years. In this article, we've compiled a list of 145 fascinating facts about games that will leave you amazed and surprised.

145 Mind-Blowing Facts About Video Games You Didn't Know

Games have been played by humans for thousands of years.
The earliest recorded board game was discovered in the ancient city of Ur in Mesopotamia, dating back to around 2600 BCE.
The first video game was created in 1958 by physicist William Higinbotham. It was called "Tennis for Two" and was played on an oscilloscope.
The first commercially successful video game was Pong, released in 1972 by Atari.
The most popular video game of all time is Minecraft, with over 200 million copies sold.
Chess is one of the oldest and most popular board games in the world. It originated in northern India in the 6th century.
The world's oldest known dice were discovered in an ancient tomb in Iran and date back to around 2800 BCE.
The first modern deck of playing cards was created in Europe in the 14th century.
Monopoly is one of the most popular board games in the world. It was first published in the United States in 1935.
The first computer game was created in 1961 by MIT students Steve Russell, Martin Graetz, and Wayne Wiitanen. It was called Spacewar!
The first console to use cartridges for game storage was the Fairchild Channel F, released in 1976.
The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was first released in Japan in 1983 and later in North America in 1985.
The first successful home console was the Atari 2600, released in 1977.
The first handheld console was the Microvision, released by Milton Bradley in 1979.
The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling video game console of all time, with over 155 million units sold.
The Xbox 360 was the first console to introduce achievements, a system for rewarding players for completing certain tasks.
The first arcade game was created in 1971 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was called Computer Space.
The highest-grossing video game franchise of all time is the Pokémon franchise, with over $90 billion in revenue.
The first esports tournament was held in 1972 for the game Spacewar!.
The first video game to use 3D graphics was Starglider, released in 1986.
The first video game to use motion capture technology was Prince of Persia, released in 1989.
The first video game to use voice acting was the adventure game Mystery House, released in 1980.
The first video game to feature a female protagonist was Metroid, released in 1986.
The first video game to feature a save system was The Legend of Zelda, released in 1986.
The first video game to feature an open world was Elite, released in 1984.
The first video game to feature a real-time strategy mode was Herzog Zwei, released in 1989.
The first video game to feature a stealth mode was Metal Gear, released in 1987.
The first video game to feature a cover system was WinBack, released in 1999.
The first video game to feature a quick-time event was Shenmue, released in 1999.
The first video game to feature a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) mode was Aeon of Strife, a custom map for the game StarCraft, released in 1998.
The first video game to feature a battle royale mode was PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, released in 2017.
The first video game to feature a virtual reality mode was Dactyl Nightmare, released in 1991.
The first video game to feature a level editor was Pinball Construction Set, released in 1983.
The first video game to feature a character creation system was Dungeon Master, released in 1987.
The first video game to feature an online multiplayer mode was Habitat, released in 1986.
The first video game to use a password system was Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, released in 1981.
The first video game to use a health bar was Galaxian, released in 1979.
The first video game to use a score system was Spacewar!, released in 1962.
The first video game to use a HUD (heads-up display) was Space Invaders, released in 1978.
The first video game to use physics-based gameplay was Pong, released in 1972.
The first video game to use a cover art design was Adventure, released in 1980.
The first video game to feature in-game advertising was AdventureQuest Worlds, released in 2008.
The first video game to feature a licensed soundtrack was Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, released in 1999.
The first video game to feature downloadable content was Xbox Live Arcade, released in 2004.
The first video game to feature a subscription-based model was Ultima Online, released in 1997.
The first video game to be released on a mobile phone was Snake, released in 1997.
The first video game to be released on a smartwatch was Infinity Blade, released in 2013.
The first video game to be released on a virtual assistant was Dungeons & Dragons: Warlock of Firetop Mountain, released for Amazon Alexa in 2018.
The first video game to be released on a voice-controlled device was Star Trek: Bridge Crew, released for Google Assistant in 2018.
The first video game to be released on a streaming platform was OnLive, released in 2010.
The first video game to be released on a cloud gaming platform was Gaikai, released in 2011.
The first video game to use a gamepad controller was the Magnavox Odyssey, released in 1972.
The first video game to use a joystick controller was the Atari 2600, released in 1977.
The first video game to use a light gun controller was Duck Hunt, released in 1984.
The first video game to use a motion controller was the Atari 2600's CX22 Trak-Ball, released in 1983.
The first video game to use a touch screen controller was Nintendo's Game & Watch series, released in 1980.
The first video game to use a tilt sensor controller was Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, released in 2000.
The first video game to use a pressure-sensitive controller was the Nintendo 64's Rumble Pak, released in 1997.
The first video game to use a camera-based controller was the PlayStation 2's EyeToy, released in 2003.
The first video game to use a biometric controller was the Xbox 360's Kinect, released in 2010.
The first video game console to use CDs for game storage was the TurboGrafx-CD, released in 1988.
The first video game console to use DVDs for game storage was the PlayStation 2, released in 2000.
The first video game console to use Blu-ray discs for game storage was the PlayStation 3, released in 2006.
The first handheld video game console was the Microvision, released in 1979.
The first color handheld video game console was the Atari Lynx, released in 1989.
The first 3D handheld video game console was the Nintendo 3DS, released in 2011.
The first video game console to use motion controls was the Wii, released in 2006.
The first video game console to use touch controls was the Nintendo DS, released in 2004.
The first video game console to use virtual reality was the Nintendo Virtual Boy, released in 1995.
The first video game console to use augmented reality was the Nintendo 3DS, released in 2011.
The first video game to use machine learning was 2016's AlphaGo, which used a deep neural network to defeat a human Go player.
The first video game to use ray tracing technology was the 2018 release Battlefield V.
The first video game to use real-time ray tracing technology was the 2019 release Quake II RTX.
The first video game to use deep learning technology was the 2019 release Forza Horizon 4, which used machine learning to improve its in-game AI.
The first video game to use blockchain technology was the 2018 release CryptoKitties.
The first video game to feature an Easter egg was Adventure, released in 1980.
The first video game to have a plot twist was 1986's Metroid, in which the protagonist was revealed to be female at the end of the game.
The first video game to feature a moral choice system was Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar, released in 1985.
The first video game to feature branching storylines was Heavy Rain, released in 2010.
The first video game to feature full voice acting was 1993's Day of the Tentacle.
The first video game to feature motion capture technology was the 1993 release Super Mario Bros., which used the technique for its cutscenes.
The first video game to be adapted into a movie was 1993's Super Mario Bros.
The first video game tournament was held in 1972 for the game Spacewar!.
The first video game to be broadcast on television was 1973's Space War.
The first video game to be banned was 1976's Death Race, which was deemed too violent.
The first video game to be rated by the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) was 1994's Mortal Kombat.
The first video game to win a Pulitzer Prize was 2016's interactive story game, "The Oregon Trail."
The first video game to have a player break the world record for highest score was 1982's Missile Command.
The first video game to be preserved in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's permanent collection was 2012's Passage.
The first video game to be inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame was 1980's Pac-Man, in 2015.
The first video game to have a movie adaptation win an Academy Award was 1994's The Lion King, which won Best Original Song and Best Original Score.
The first video game to be released in 3D was 1982's 3D Monster Maze.
The first video game to have a movie adaptation released on the same day was 1993's Super Mario Bros.
The first video game to be adapted into a successful television series was 1993's Super Mario Bros. Super Show!.
The first video game to feature a female protagonist was 1986's Metroid.
The first video game to feature a transgender character was 2015's Life is Strange: Episode 3.
The first video game console to allow online gaming was the Sega Dreamcast, released in 1998.
The first video game console to feature wireless controllers was the Nintendo GameCube, released in 2001.
The first video game console to have a built-in hard drive was the Xbox, released in 2001.
The first video game console to support high-definition graphics was the Xbox 360, released in 2005.
The first video game console to have an integrated camera was the Xbox 360, with the release of the Kinect in 2010.
The first video game console to feature cross-platform play was the Xbox 360, with the release of the game Shadowrun in 2007.
The first video game console to support 4K resolution was the Xbox One X, released in 2017.
The first video game console to have a built-in streaming service was the Xbox One, with the release of Twitch integration in 2013.
The first video game console to have a built-in web browser was the Sega Dreamcast, released in 1998.
The first video game console to have a built-in DVD player was the PlayStation 2, released in 2000.
The first video game console to have a built-in Blu-ray player was the PlayStation 3, released in 2006.
The first video game console to allow users to download and play retro games was the Wii, with the release of the Virtual Console in 2006.
The first video game console to have a built-in microphone was the Nintendo DS, released in 2004.
The first video game console to have a built-in touch screen was the Nintendo DS, released in 2004.
The first video game console to have a built-in camera was the Nintendo DSi, released in 2008.
The first video game console to feature a voice-controlled virtual assistant was the Xbox One, with the release of Cortana in 2016.
The first video game to have a dedicated soundtrack release was 1984's Tetris, with the release of the album "Tetris: The Grand Master Recordings."
The first video game to have a live orchestral performance was 1991's Final Fantasy IV.
The first video game to have an official esports league was 2000's Quake III Arena.
The first video game to feature a battle royale mode was 2017's PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.
The first video game to feature a battle pass system was 2017's Dota 2.
The first video game to feature microtransactions was 2006's MapleStory.
The first video game to feature loot boxes was 2010's FIFA Ultimate Team.
The first video game to have a movie adaptation that was universally panned by critics was 1994's Super Mario Bros.
The first video game to generate more than $1 billion in revenue was 2012's Call of Duty: Black Ops II.
The first video game to win a Grammy Award was 2020's Death Stranding, which won Best Score/Soundtrack for Visual Media.
The first video game to win a Pulitzer Prize was 2021's The Last of Us Part II, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music.
The first video game to be preserved by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City was 1980's Pac-Man.
The first video game to be inducted into the World Video Game Hall of Fame was 2015's Pong.
The first video game to be adapted into a successful movie franchise was 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
The first video game to be adapted into a successful television series on a streaming service was 2019's The Witcher.
The first video game to be adapted into a successful musical was 2019's Devil May Cry: The Live Hacker.
The first video game to be adapted into a successful board game was 1981's Pac-Man board game.
The first video game to be adapted into a successful comic book series was 1992's Sonic the Hedgehog.
The first video game to be adapted into a successful novel was 2011's Assassin's Creed: Renaissance.
The first video game to feature a fully voiced cast was 1993's Day of the Tentacle.
The first video game to feature motion capture technology was 1993's Mortal Kombat.
The first video game to feature an open-world environment was 1985's Elite.
The first video game to feature a full orchestral score was 1992's Alone in the Dark.
The first video game to feature realistic facial animation was 1998's Half-Life.
The first video game to feature online multiplayer was 1996's Quake.
The first video game to feature local multiplayer was 1972's Pong.
The first video game to feature a crafting system was 2011's Minecraft.
The first video game to feature a permadeath mechanic was 1980's Rogue.
The first video game to feature non-linear storytelling was 1981's Ultima.
The first video game to feature a morality system was 1997's Fallout.
The first video game to feature a branching narrative was 1983's Planetfall.
The first video game to feature a procedurally generated world was 1984's Elite.

From the first video game to the latest releases, the gaming industry has come a long way. These 145 facts about games provide a glimpse into the evolution of the industry and the impact it has had on popular culture. As technology continues to advance, it will be interesting to see how the gaming industry continues to evolve and grow. Whether you're a casual gamer or a hardcore fan, these facts are sure to entertain and educate you.