There is no universally agreed first video game. The 1948 Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device is the earliest documented electronic-game predecessor; OXO, made in 1952, is an early computer game shown on a CRT; and Tennis for Two, demonstrated in 1958, is a leading candidate for the first public entertainment game with moving graphics on a screen. Which one counts depends on what you mean by “video game.”
Why there is no single answer
“Video game” can mean an electronic game displayed on a screen, or it can mean a game that generates a conventional raster video image. Those definitions do not produce the same winner. A device may be an important electronic-game predecessor without displaying its targets electronically, while an oscilloscope can show a moving game image without producing a raster video signal.
Brookhaven National Laboratory notes that an oscilloscope displays changes in voltage rather than rasterized images. That technical distinction is why some accounts hesitate to call Tennis for Two a video game, even though players watched and controlled moving graphics on a cathode-ray tube. The most precise answer is therefore to state the criterion alongside the candidate.
Which early game qualifies under each definition?
| Candidate | Date | What it is an early example of | Key qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device | Patent filed in 1947; patented in 1948 | Earliest documented electronic-game predecessor | Players placed target illustrations over the screen; the targets were not all generated on-screen. Brookhaven National Laboratory |
| Nimrod | Publicly displayed in 1951 | Purpose-built computer demonstration for the game Nim | Brookhaven describes it as a demonstration of computing power, using fixed indicator lights rather than moving CRT graphics. Brookhaven National Laboratory |
| OXO | 1952 | Early computer game with a CRT display | It was made for EDSAC, had an academic purpose, and was played by few people outside Cambridge. Computer History Museum |
| Tennis for Two | 1958 | Public entertainment game with moving screen graphics | It used an analog computer and oscilloscope, not a raster video signal. Brookhaven National Laboratory |
| Spacewar! | 1962 in the Computer History Museum timeline; 1963 in The Strong’s account | Landmark early digital-computer game | It is an early-1960s milestone, not the earliest candidate in the definitions above. Computer History Museum and The Strong National Museum of Play |
What was the Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device?
The Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device was patented in 1948 after a 1947 filing. It is often described as the earliest documented electronic-game predecessor. The player manipulated a spot on the CRT to try to hit targets represented by illustrations placed over the screen. Because the targets themselves were physical overlays, it does not fit every modern understanding of a video game. Brookhaven’s historical account treats it as an important early candidate, not a settled answer to the question.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
- The Expanded Collection: Play through multiple different versions of the beloved Aladdin, The Lion King, and The Jungle Book games that have been created over the years, including both console and handheld versions.
- BOTH 16-Bit Console Aladdin Games included for the first time since their original release. By popular demand, two completely different and equally adored Aladdin games are finally available and enhanced for modern consoles.
- Modern Features: Rewind any of the games in real-time to retry difficult areas, view full game playthroughs with the ability to skip forward, start playing at any point, and save your progress and continue your adventure wherever and whenever you want.
- Museum Features: Take a journey behind-the-scenes and learn more about the creation of these incredible games. Watch video interviews with the original development teams or explore "
- Display Options and Updated Visuals: 1080P graphics and enhancements for modern HD TVs Adjustable screen aspect ratios and borders Custom filter options designed to replicate classic CRT TVs and other popular screen types"
Was OXO the first video game?
OXO is a strong answer if the question is specifically about an early computer game displayed on a CRT. Alexander S. Douglas created the tic-tac-toe game for the EDSAC computer in 1952. It displayed the board on a cathode-ray tube, but it was developed in an academic setting and few people outside Cambridge played it, according to the Computer History Museum.
That makes OXO an early CRT computer game, not an uncontested first video game under every definition. In particular, its limited academic setting differs from a game designed for public entertainment.
Rank #2
- Experience your Favorite MARVEL vs. CAPCOM classics All in One – Enjoy 7 of your favorite classic titles that helped shaped the MARVEL vs. CAPCOM universe both single player and online.
- To enhance your playability experience, we incorporated the favorite added features from Capcom Fighting Collection including gallery mode, quick save, training mode for all fighting titles, and the high score challenge.
- This collection also includes rollback net code for a smooth and enjoyable experience online. Play casually or competitively through casual, ranked, or custom matches using rules of your choosing!
Was Tennis for Two the first video game?
Tennis for Two is a leading candidate if “first” means a publicly playable entertainment game with moving graphics on a screen. Physicist William Higinbotham created it for visitors to Brookhaven National Laboratory, and it was publicly demonstrated on October 18, 1958. Brookhaven reports that hundreds of visitors lined up to play.
The game used a small analog computer as its “brain.” Its outputs controlled the ball’s movement and detected contact with the ground or net; a switching circuit alternated visual elements on the oscilloscope. The first display was five inches in diameter. A 1959 version had a larger display and offered gravity settings intended to simulate play on the Moon or Jupiter. These details come from Brookhaven National Laboratory’s account.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #3
- Experience your Favorite MARVEL vs. CAPCOM classics All in One – Enjoy 7 of your favorite classic titles that helped shaped the MARVEL vs. CAPCOM universe both single player and online.
- Enjoy Enhanced Features Added to the Classic Collection – To enhance your playability experience, we incorporated the favorite added features from Capcom Fighting Collection including gallery mode, quick save, training mode for all fighting titles, and the high score challenge. Beginners and first timers into the franchise are also welcome to play through adjusted settings and execution of one-button specials!
- Play with Friends Worldwide through Online Compatibility – This collection also includes rollback net code for a smooth and enjoyable experience online. Play casually or competitively through casual, ranked, or custom matches using rules of your choosing!
Higinbotham’s aim was entertainment and public engagement. He explained that “it might liven up the place to have a game that people could play, and which would convey the message that our scientific endeavors have relevance for society.” That makes the game a particularly persuasive answer when the criterion emphasizes public play and entertainment rather than the narrowest technical meaning of video.
What about Nimrod and Spacewar!?
Nimrod was a public game demonstration, not a moving-screen game
Nimrod was displayed publicly in 1951 as a purpose-built computer for playing Nim. Its significance was as a demonstration of computing power; Brookhaven distinguishes it from later screen games because it used fixed indicator lights rather than moving CRT graphics. It is relevant to the history of public computer games, but it does not displace the CRT-based candidates when the question is about moving on-screen play. Brookhaven National Laboratory
Rank #4
- Capcom Classics Collection includes the following features -
- Experience more than 20 groundbreaking and revolutionary games of their time on one disk
- Hundreds of hours of nostalgic gameplay
- Enjoy a wealth of added features including original artwork, remixed music and playing tips
Spacewar! is a landmark, but later
Spacewar! is widely remembered as a landmark digital-computer game, but it belongs to the early 1960s rather than the earliest group of candidates. The Computer History Museum timeline gives 1962, while The Strong National Museum of Play describes its creation at MIT in 1963. The cited institutional accounts differ on the year, so the safest description is an early-1960s game. Computer History Museum; The Strong National Museum of Play
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.So, what was the first ever video game?
Use the answer that matches the question’s definition:
Best Value
- Includes six classic childhood games in one super fun collection
- Reunite with beloved characters Freddi Fish, Pajama Sam, Putt-Putt and Spy Fox
- Enjoy nostalgic point and click adventures filled with baby animals, stolen milk, superheroes and time machines
- Discover hidden surprises within each game
- Family-friendly storylines and characters will engage younger players across 6 interactive adventures
- Earliest documented electronic-game predecessor: the Cathode-Ray Tube Amusement Device, patented in 1948 after a 1947 filing.
- Early computer game with a CRT display: OXO, created for EDSAC in 1952.
- First public entertainment game with moving graphics on a screen: Tennis for Two, demonstrated in 1958.
Brookhaven’s historical account concludes that it would not be fair or correct to award the title of “the first video game” to just one of these inventions. That is the most accurate short answer: there is no uncontested first; name the criterion, then name the game.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
