Golden age of arcade video games

Quick Facts: Who was Golden age of arcade video games?

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Golden age of arcade video games

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The peak era of technological innovation and cultural saturation for coin-operated video games.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The golden age of arcade video games was the period of rapid growth, technological development, and cultural influence of arcade video games from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. The release of Space Invaders in 1978 led to a wave of shoot-'em-up games such as Galaxian and the vector graphics-based Asteroids in 1979, made possible by new computing technology that had greater power and lower costs. Arcade video games switched from black-and-white to color, with titles such as Frogger and Centipede taking advantage of the visual opportunities of bright palettes. Video game arcades became a part of popular culture and a primary channel for new games. Video game genres were still being established, but included space-themed shooter games such as Defender and Galaga, maze chase games that followed the design established by Pac-Man, driving and racing games which more frequently used 3D perspectives such as Turbo and Pole Position, character action games such as Pac-Man and Frogger, and the beginning of what would later be called platform games touched off by Donkey Kong.

Career & Major Achievements

Games began starring named player characters, such as Pac-Man, Mario, and Q*bert, and some of these characters crossed over into other media including songs, cartoons, and movies. The 1982 film Tron was closely tied to an arcade game of the same name. The golden age of arcade games began to wane in 1983 due to a plethora of clones of popular titles that saturated arcades, and the rise of home video game consoles, both coupled with a moral panic on the influence of arcades and video games on children. This fall occurred during the same time as the video game crash of 1983 but for different reasons, though both marred revenues within the North American video game industry for several years. The arcade game sector revitalized later during the early 1990s particularly with the mainstream success of fighting games.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Although the exact years differ, most sources agree the period lasted from about the late 1970s to early 1980s. Technology journalist Jason Whittaker, in The Cyberspace Handbook, places the beginning of the golden age in 1978, with the release of Space Invaders. Video game journalist Steven L. Kent argues in his book The Ultimate History of Video Games that it began the following year, when Space Invaders gained popularity in the United States and when vector display technology, first seen in arcades in 1977's Space Wars, rose to prominence via Atari's Asteroids. Kent says the period ended in 1983, which saw "a fairly steady decline" in the coin-operated video game business and arcades. RePlay magazine in 1985 dated the arcade industry's "video boom" years from 1979 to 1982.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1977: 1977 Milestone — Kent argues in his book The Ultimate History of Video Games that it began the following year, when Space Invaders gained popularity in the United States and when vector display technology, first seen in arcades in 1977's Space Wars, rose to prominence via Atari's Asteroids.
2. 1978: 1978 Milestone — The release of Space Invaders in 1978 led to a wave of shoot-'em-up games such as Galaxian and the vector graphics-based Asteroids in 1979, made possible by new computing technology that had greater power and lower costs.
3. 1982: 1982 Milestone — The 1982 film Tron was closely tied to an arcade game of the same name.
4. 1983: 1983 Milestone — The golden age of arcade games began to wane in 1983 due to a plethora of clones of popular titles that saturated arcades, and the rise of home video game consoles, both coupled with a moral panic on the influence of arcades and video games on children.
5. 1985: 1985 Milestone — RePlay magazine in 1985 dated the arcade industry's "video boom" years from 1979 to 1982.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Golden age of arcade video games

True or False: “The arcade industry's revenue in 1982 surpassed the combined annual gross revenue of Hollywood films and pop music for that year.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While it exceeded the revenues of both individually, the text states it was more than twice as much as the $3.8 billion generated by the home video game industry in 1982.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Adolf Dassler — Historical peer (Died in 1978) (1978): Pioneering German cobbler and inventor who founded the sportswear giant Adidas.
• Aldo Moro — Historical peer (Died in 1978) (1978): Italian statesman who served as Prime Minister multiple times, championing the modern Italian centre-left.
• A. P. Elkin — Historical peer (Died in 1979) (1979): Influential Australian anthropologist and Anglican clergyman (1891–1979)
• A. Philip Randolph — Historical peer (Died in 1979) (1979): Pioneer labor unionist and civil rights activist who fought for racial equality.
• 1982 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament — Historical peer (Born in 1982) (1982): The 44th annual NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
• Ahmed al-Sharaa — Historical peer (Born in 1982) (1982): Syrian statesman who led opposition forces, establishing the Syrian Salvation Government.
• Ahmed Rushdi — Historical peer (Died in 1983) (1983): A legendary Pakistani playback singer, known as the 'Magician of Voice'.
• Alan Moorehead — Historical peer (Died in 1983) (1983): Australian war correspondent and author of popular histories, famed for Nile explorations.
• A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada — Historical peer (Died in 1977) (1977): Pioneering global spread of Krishna consciousness teachings and the Hare Krishna mantra.
• A Certain Ratio — Historical peer (Born in 1977) (1977): English post-punk band known for blending funk, disco, and Latin percussion.

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