Are video games just child’s play, or is there more to them? As it turns out, there’s a lot more. Today, let’s go beyond the surface and explore some interesting facts about video games.

We’ll look at how they’re crafted, the myths surrounding them, and the real effects they have on players. Whether you play games to relax, to compete, or to escape into another world, you’ll find something fascinating in these insights that may change how you think about your next gaming session.

Video Games Facts

Gear up for a journey through the fascinating universe of video games. Read every detail carefully, as you’ll find a quiz at the end to challenge your expertise.

1. The first-ever Easter egg in a game was hidden in Adventure for the Atari 2600, where players could find a secret room containing the creator’s name, Warren Robinett.
2. Final Fantasy got its name from its creator’s belief that it would be his last project before bankruptcy.
3. The highest-grossing arcade game of all time, Pac-Man, has estimated earnings of over $2.5 billion by the 1990s, adjusted for inflation.
4. Minecraft holds the record as the best-selling game ever, with over 200 million copies sold and around 126 million monthly active users as of 2020.
5. The iconic sound of Sonic the Hedgehog’s rings was inspired by the sound of a coin dropping in a slot machine.
6. Spacewar!, one of the first video games ever made in 1962, was developed by MIT students and required a mainframe computer to play.
7. The original design for Tetris was inspired by pentomino, a puzzle game that uses 12 distinct shapes made out of five squares.
8. The character Mario has appeared in over 200 games and was originally known as Jumpman in the 1981 game Donkey Kong.
9. Super Mario Bros. was the first game to use a scrolling platform design, revolutionizing game development and design.
10. The Konami Code became famous for providing extra lives in Contra, but it first appeared in the game Gradius in 1986.
11. The longest videogame marathon is a record held for 138 hours and 34 seconds on World of Warcraft.
12. Grand Theft Auto V earned $1 billion in its first three days, making it the fastest-selling entertainment product of all time.
13. Donkey Kong was the first game to feature jumping—now a common feature in games.

14. The famous game DOOM was so popular in 1995 that it was installed on more PCs than Windows 95, prompting Microsoft to develop a version that would run on their new operating system.
15. League of Legends hosted a tournament in 2013 that drew more viewers than the final games of the MLB’s World Series and the NBA Finals that year.
16. Steven Spielberg was an early adviser on the creation of Medal of Honor, a game designed to simulate the WWII experience.
17. The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console of all time, with over 155 million units sold.
18. Virtual reality headsets were first conceptualized and prototyped in the late 1960s, far earlier than their popular modern counterparts.
19. The Zelda series’ Hyrule was inspired by the mountainous regions surrounding the childhood home of its creator, Shigeru Miyamoto.
20. World of Warcraft players have collectively logged more time in game than our species has been on Earth, estimated at over 6 million years.
21. The first game to be played in space was Tetris on a Game Boy by cosmonaut Aleksandr A. Serebrov on the Mir space station.
22. Portal was originally a student project called Narbacular Drop, and its success led to the hiring of its creators by Valve.
23. The creators of Prince of Persia originally used a technique called rotoscoping to create the character’s fluid animations by tracing over video footage of the creator’s brother.
24. The ill-fated Atari game, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, led to millions of unsold cartridges being buried in a landfill in New Mexico.
25. The original Game Boy was so durable that one survived a bombing during the Gulf War and still functioned afterward.
26. Cloud gaming technology has developed to the point where games can be streamed in real-time to devices without the need for downloading large files or using sophisticated hardware.
27. The character of Link from the Zelda series is left-handed, reflecting the dominant hand of his creator, Shigeru Miyamoto.
28. The first licensed video game ever made was The Hobbit, released in 1982.

29. The longest-running MMORPG, Ultima Online, has been active since 1997 and still has a dedicated user base.
30. The AI for the ghosts in Pac-Man each have unique behaviors: one chases you, one tries to position itself in front of you, one targets just slightly ahead of you, and one moves completely randomly.
31. Multiplayer gaming, cooperative play, was first introduced in Empire in 1973, a game that supported up to eight players on the PLATO network system.
32. Before becoming iconic in its own right, Resident Evil was initially conceived as a remake of an earlier horror game called Sweet Home.
33. The voice of Mario is performed by Charles Martinet, who also voices Luigi, Wario, and Waluigi.
34. SimCity was originally developed as a feature within another game before being released as a standalone game that would start its own genre.
35. The idea for The Sims was initially rejected as too boring, but it went on to become one of the best-selling PC games of all time.
36. GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64 helped pioneer precision shooting with a console analog stick.
37. Augmented reality (AR) games, like Pokémon GO, merge digital game elements with the real world and have led to phenomena like massive citywide gatherings of players.
38. The creation of Quake involved a soundtrack by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, whose logo appears on the ammunition boxes in the game.

39. Call of Duty: Black Ops features hidden text-based and arcade games, making it a game within a game.
40. Metal Gear Solid was one of the first games to use the DualShock’s analog sticks and vibration function to enhance gameplay, such as syncing the controller’s vibration to the character’s heartbeat.
41. The musical score for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim includes a choir of 30 people singing in the game’s fictional dragon language.
42. Animal Crossing was originally developed for the Nintendo 64 in Japan before becoming a global phenomenon on the GameCube.
43. Halo 2 was so anticipated that more than 1.5 million people pre-ordered the game, making it one of the most anticipated game releases of its time.
44. The creator of Tamagotchi, a handheld digital pet, was inspired by a television commercial in which a child wishes they could take their pet turtle to work.
45. The game Pong, one of the earliest arcade games, was originally tested in a bar. The machine became so popular that it jammed with quarters.
46. Fallout was influenced by a 1950s board game called “Nuclear War” which also featured post-apocalyptic themes.
47. Before settling on the iconic blue and purple design, Spyro the Dragon was nearly green to stand out against the often blue sky in levels.
48. The term “boss” in gaming originated from Dungeons & Dragons, where a powerful enemy ruling a dungeon level was referred to as the “boss”.
49. The development of The Witcher video game series helped popularize the novels they were based on outside of Poland, their country of origin.
50. The first commercial home video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey, sold fewer than 350,000 units but sparked the modern gaming industry.

Video Games Myths

Now that we’ve explored some solid facts, let’s clear the air on common misconceptions. It’s time to separate truth from myth in the world of video games.

• Video Games Are Mainly for Children
  They are enjoyed by people of all ages. It has been observed that a significant portion of gamers are adults, with many games specifically designed to cater to mature audiences, offering complex storylines and deep strategic gameplay.
• Playing Video Games Leads to Violent Behavior
  No causal link between playing video games and engaging in violent behavior has been established by research. It is widely recognized that factors influencing violence are multifaceted and cannot be attributed to single causes, like video game consumption.
• Video Games Deter Academic Success
  When managed properly, playing video games has not been found to hinder academic performance. In fact, some educational games are known to enhance learning by teaching problem-solving skills and reinforcing knowledge through interactive experiences.
• Video Games Are Socially Isolating
  Many video games promote social interaction through multiplayer and online modes. It is often seen that communities are built around gaming, providing social engagement and support to players from diverse backgrounds.
• Video Games Offer No Real-Life Benefits
  Benefits from playing video games have been observed in various studies, such as improvements in hand-eye coordination, enhanced problem-solving abilities, and better decision-making skills. Some games are even used in professional settings for training and skill development.

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Video Games Quotes

Video games were a part of my childhood, and they are still there for me. Below you will find some of my favorite quotes about them, and you can always share yours in the comments so I can add them to the list.

Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and a pioneer in the video game industry, believes that playing video games can enhance creativity, emphasizing their role in developing problem-solving skills.

This popular saying within the gaming community humorously counters the stereotype that gamers are wasting their time, suggesting instead that they are engaging in a form of escapism that offers multiple perspectives and experiences.

Jenova Chen, the co-founder of Thatgamecompany and the mind behind innovative games like Journey, focuses on the boundless possibilities within video games, which provide unique, immersive worlds unlike any other medium.

Sid Meier, known for his influential work in strategy games, especially the Civilization series, highlights how personal and reflective the gaming experience can be, revealing insights into the player’s character.

Jane McGonigal, a game designer and researcher known for her work on the beneficial aspects of gaming, draws parallels between the moral choices players make in games and those they face in real life, suggesting a deep connection between gameplay and personal development.

Video Games FAQ

Approaching the trivia, our FAQ section is designed to equip you with the last bits of knowledge you need. Keep these answers in mind, as they will be pivotal for the quiz.

• Can video games make you smarter?
  Yes, they can enhance certain cognitive skills like problem-solving, spatial awareness, and multitasking. Strategic and puzzle games, in particular, are known to improve mental agility.
• Will video games be in the Olympics?
  While video games themselves aren’t currently a part of the Olympic Games, the rise of esports has led to discussions about including them in future events. Some competitive gaming has already been showcased in parallel with the Olympics.
• Can video games cause seizures?
  Yes, for a very small percentage of people with photosensitive epilepsy, flashing lights and certain visual patterns found in video games can trigger seizures.
• How do video games impact children’s social skills?
  They can both positively and negatively affect children’s social skills. They can foster connections and teamwork online, but excessive gaming can also lead to social isolation if it is not balanced with real-life interactions.
• What is the best age to start playing video games?
  There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but many experts suggest that children should start playing video games at ages where they can handle the content responsibly, typically around ages 6-9, with parental guidance to select appropriate games.

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Video Games Trivia

Welcome to the ultimate video game quiz! If you don’t get any questions right, brace yourself for a fate worse than losing all your save data—immortalization as a Goomba!

Conclusion

As we come to the end of our journey through the world of video games, remember that each game is a doorway to a new universe. These digital realms offer us endless opportunities to explore, learn, and grow.

They remind us that imagination has no limits, and neither does the fun. So, grab your joystick or keyboard and dive into your next virtual adventure! Till next time, stay curious and explore more. Cheers.