To understand video games one has to understand their history; their wonderful evolutions and unexpected transformations over the decades. One has to see them evolve from simple tennis games on vast mainframe computers to mainstream entertainment. 

This course aims to cover the technological and creative journey of video games from their very beginning all the way to contemporary reality. Over four fun, informative, and interactive live sessions, you will discover how the interplay of technology, artistry, and design philosophies pushed the medium from Pong to Grand Theft Auto.

You will discover obscure consoles and forgotten 8-bit computers, while being reminded of Pac-Man, Nintendo classics, and how gaming burst into the ‘90s club scene with the help of the PlayStation. You will hear about the predecessors of the GameBoy, legendary companies like Atari, games made entirely out of text, the first DOOM deathmatch, the medium’s Dungeons and Dragons influences, and the birth of online gaming. 

You will learn about the rise of PC gaming, the video game crash of the ‘80s, game magazines, CD-ROM powered consoles, the glory and fall of Lucasarts, and the constantly shifting trends of the video gaming world. You will witness the shaping of game culture, and the interplay between gaming and society, while realising just how emphatic the cultural, technological, and artistic impact of video games has been.  

What’s more, you’ll get to discuss game history with your peers, try out seminal video games, and ask your instructor questions on every topic covered.