Those that look at the game consoles that are available today wonder what it was about the retro games that made them so popular during their golden years. There were a lot of reasons for this.
Taking the Television to Another Level
To begin with, the growth of the popularity of the video consoles has to be partially attributed to the television itself. The first electronic television came about in 1927. By today’s standards it was a primitive box that presented a very limited form of entertainment but at the same time held everyone in awe because of the way it was able to transmit into the homes of everyday people. It was a step up from listening to the radio for entertainment. The television station didn’t come about until the 1930s. It was 1938 that the first commercial television became available.
The Popularity of the Colored Television and the Game Consoles
It wasn’t until 1965 that television became available in color then two years later there was the introduction of the first video console. However, the games were only produced in black and white and with no sound. There were several reasons why, in spite of this, they were destined to grow in popularity. Some of those reasons were:
- The television could be used for another purpose which brought more value to it.
- The kids could play a game electronically and compete against each other and see their actions on the screen.
- The video game playing would often become a family affair. It was usual for entire families to play the games together.
- As the video games progressed, the users became more impressed with the advancements. As sounds began to appear in the video games and then they were produced in color, people were able to enjoy what they thought were major advancements in this form of home entertainment.
- It became an additional form of entertainment that people did not have to leave home to enjoy. It was a way that parents could provide entertainment for the kids that didn’t cost anything beyond the initials costs of the console and when purchasing new games.
As with most products, when the consumer shows an interest in them, then more companies jump on the opportunity to meet those demands. As a result of this, the products continue to get better to beat out the competition. This is basically the classic story of the early video game consoles.
