First Arcade Game Ever Made

"Tennis for Two" (1958) is widely recognized as the first interactive electronic game built specifically for entertainment.

• Creator: William Higinbotham, physicist at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
• Hardware: Analog computer (Donner Model 30) + oscilloscope display (5-inch).
• Gameplay: Side-view tennis; knob controls angle, button hits ball; gravity/wind physics simulated.
• Public Debut: Brookhaven's 1958 Visitors' Day; hundreds lined up to play.

First Commercial Arcade Game

"Computer Space" (1971) by Nolan Bushnell & Ted Dabney (Syzygy Engineering → Atari).

• Fiberglass cabinet, custom TTL logic (no microprocessor), 13" GE TV monitor.
• Single-player vs. flying saucers; inspired by Spacewar! (1962, PDP-1 mainframe).
• ~1,500 units sold—modest but proved coin-op video game viability.

First Hit Arcade Game

"Pong" (1972) — Atari's second game; simple, reliable, massively profitable; launched the industry.