12th September is Video Gaming Day, which means you have even more reason to pick up your pad and bash some buttons. Grab your mates, fire up your favourite console and play the day away! It’s time to celebrate how great video games are and how far they’ve come. And to celebrate the big day, we’re giving away a PRIZE.
When was the first video game?
Although early video games were little more than lab experiments, the first created purely for entertainment happened in October 1958. Tennis for Two (a predecessor to Pong) was put on display at the Brookhaven National Laboratory for visitors to enjoy. But its inventor, Physicist William Higginbottom, had no idea what he was unleashing on the world.
Back then, players used a small analogue computer and twiddled some knobs to make a light (representing the tennis ball) bounce from side to side on the screen of an oscilloscope – a piece of equipment used to measure electronic signals.
The biggest video games out now
Since then, computer games tech has evolved from oscilloscopes to VR headsets. Some of the biggest recent titles arrived earlier this month:
· Catherine: Full Body (PlayStation 4, Xbox One) – September 3
· Warsaw (PlayStation 4, Switch, PC) – September 4
· River City Girls (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – September 5
· Creature in the Well (Xbox One, Switch, PC) – September 6
· Monster Hunter World: Iceborne (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – September 6
· NBA 2K20 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC) – September 6
· eFootball PES 2020 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – September 10
· Gears 5 (Xbox One, PC) – September 10
· Greedfall (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – September 10
Upcoming games in 2019
And we’ve got a lot more to look forward to this year: from online tactical shooters like Ghost Recon Breakpoint to graphic adventure sequel, Life is Strange 2.
· Ghost Recon Breakpoint (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PC) – October 4
· Concrete Genie (PlayStation VR, PlayStation 4) – October 8
· Indivisible (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – October 8
· Pokémon Shield (Switch) – November 15
· Pokémon Sword (Switch) – November 15
· Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – November 15
· Life Is Strange 2: Episode 5 (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC) – December 3
While you wait for the big new titles, how about getting your hands on a new release video game?
How to enter
It’s easy! Dig out your old consoles, then comment below telling everybody in the iD Community about your favourite console and what’s great about it.
We’ll pick the best 2 comments and announce the winners on the thread. If you’re the lucky gamer, we’ll send you a private message. We’ll be sending you a gaming bundle worth £160 including a console game and gaming accessory.
You’ve got until 19th September to enter, and we’ll then pick a lucky winner at random. T&Cs apply.
Good luck have fun, gamers!
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