Become an Expert in Video Game History

Become an Expert in Video Game History udemy course

From Pong to Immersive Simulation

From computer science laboratory experiments in the 1960s to billion-dollar e-sports tournaments today, this course offers you the opportunity to become an expert in the history of video games. You’ll journey from the creation of Spacewar! in 1962 at MIT, through the golden age of arcades, to the rise of Nintendo, the fall of the industry, the rebirth of home consoles, the explosion of online gaming, and the emergence of mobile games and e-sports in the 21st century.

We'll examine not just the games themselves, but also the technologies, companies, and cultures that shaped them—from Pong, Donkey Kong, and Ultima to World of Warcraft, Minecraft, and beyond. This course goes deeper than nostalgia; it's about understanding how video games became one of the most powerful forces in global entertainment, storytelling, and interactive digital culture.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is another important theme in the course. AI has shaped video games since the earliest days of computer-controlled opponents, from the simple paddle logic in Pong to the adaptive ghosts in Pac-Man. Over time, AI evolved to power complex behaviors in strategy games, dynamic enemy responses in shooters, and even procedurally generated worlds—laying the groundwork for today's immersive, responsive, and increasingly humanlike digital experiences.

As games have grown more immersive and expansive, the line between simulation and reality continues to blur. Ultimately, studying video game history might lead us to the ultimate question—not just how games simulate life, but whether life itself might be a kind of game.