Father Of Videogames Dies Age 92

[Negative Creep]

The father of video games, Ralph H. Baer, has passed away at age 92. He came to rest in his New Hampshire home on the night of Saturday, Dec. 6 according to a Facebook post by video game historian Leonard Herman, a close friend of Baer.

Dubbed the "Thomas Edison of the home TV game" by Popular Electronics Magazine in 1980, Baer's Odyssey game system was the first home video game system. The patent for the idea was filed on August 10, 1970 and the system was released by Magnavox in 1972.

Also among Baer's contributions is the first home light gun game, an add-on for the Odyssey called Shooting Gallery, and the popular Simon handheld game, still sold at retailers to this very day.

In his later years, Ralph's Baer's contributions were recognized with a long series of awards, including receiving the National Medal of Technology by President George W. Bush on Feb. 13, 2006.

http://www.examiner.com/article/ralph-h-baer-fathe...

[Morningside]

It is a shame that he will be a small footnote in the eyes of the world but without him it would not have lead to playstation, xbox etc.

I find it shocking that there is no mention at all on Sky or BBC.

Edited by Morningside on Monday 8th December 10:59

[J4CKO]

Morningside said:

It is a shame that he will be a small footnote in the eyes of the world but without him it would not have lead to playstation, xbox etc.

I find it shocking that there is no mention at all on Sky or BBC.

Edited by Morningside on Monday 8th December 10:59

You sure that the whole video game thing would not have happened without this chaps contribution, I think basically as soon as computers and electronics were developed in sufficient numbers it was inevitable people would have developed them to play games on sooner or later.

[Negative Creep]

J4CKO said:

Morningside said:

It is a shame that he will be a small footnote in the eyes of the world but without him it would not have lead to playstation, xbox etc.

I find it shocking that there is no mention at all on Sky or BBC.

Edited by Morningside on Monday 8th December 10:59

You sure that the whole video game thing would not have happened without this chaps contribution, I think basically as soon as computers and electronics were developed in sufficient numbers it was inevitable people would have developed them to play games on sooner or later.

By that logic we shouldn't celebrate or mourn any inventor since someone else would have done it anyway

[Hoofy]

Negative Creep said:

J4CKO said:

Morningside said:

It is a shame that he will be a small footnote in the eyes of the world but without him it would not have lead to playstation, xbox etc.

I find it shocking that there is no mention at all on Sky or BBC.

Edited by Morningside on Monday 8th December 10:59

You sure that the whole video game thing would not have happened without this chaps contribution, I think basically as soon as computers and electronics were developed in sufficient numbers it was inevitable people would have developed them to play games on sooner or later.

By that logic we shouldn't celebrate or mourn any inventor since someone else would have done it anyway

I thought that but I guess the critical bit is "without him it would not have lead to" rather than just saying we should mourn the loss of said inventor as his work lead to what we have today. IYSWIM!

[Otispunkmeyer]

Sad, but 92 is a good innings and its good to see his work was recognized officially in 2006. Be a shame if it was only recognized after the fact.