First Video Game Ever: Tennis for Two (1958)

The first interactive electronic game on a screen is widely considered "Tennis for Two" (1958), created by William Higinbotham at Brookhaven National Laboratory. It was not commercial—built for a visitors' day exhibit.

Gameplay

• Display: Oscilloscope (visualizes electronic signals as a glowing dot).
• Controls: Two analog controllers (one per player), each with a knob (racket angle) and button (serve/hit).
• Objective: Hit a dot (ball) back and forth across a net line.
• Graphics: Simple lines for court, net, ball trajectory. Side-view physics simulation.
• Physics: Real-time analog computation of gravity, velocity, bounce.
• No Score: Pure interaction, no rules beyond volley.

Significance

• First designed specifically for interactive entertainment (not research/training).
• Precursor to the video game industry.
• Used analog electronics for real-time dynamic simulation—revolutionary for 1958.
• Inspired later pioneers (Ralph Baer, Nolan Bushnell).

Other "First" Claims

• OXO / Noughts and Crosses (1952): First digital graphical game (EDSAC computer), but static display, not real-time.
• Spacewar! (1962): First digital computer game designed for play (PDP-1), two ships, gravity star.
• Pong (1972): First commercial arcade video game.

Tennis for Two remains the first interactive, real-time, screen-based electronic game built for fun. A crucial stepping stone to modern gaming.