Generative Art Timeline · Chapter 5: Artist-Programmer Era (1970s)

1972

Atari Releases Pong

Invention

Atari Releases Pong
Wikipedia. 2023. "Pong." Wikimedia Foundation. Last modified September 21, 2023. en.wikipedia.org.

A pioneer of electronic gaming, Nolan Bushnell commissioned Pong from the engineer Al Alcorn. Pong, one of the first successful video games of all time, introduced the world to interactive electronic entertainment. Beyond its technological impact, Pong also had artistic significance, blurring the lines between art and technology and showcasing the creative potential of digital media as a medium for artistic expression. Pong’s success demonstrated that video games could be more than just entertainment; they could be a form of interactive art, inspiring future generations of artists to explore the aesthetics, storytelling and interactivity within the realm of video games and media art.

Text by Peter Bauman. Generative Art Timeline, Le Random.

Sources

People

Al Alcorn, Nolan Bushnell

Movements

Electronic Art, New Media Art, Video Game Art

Filed under

Ideas
Interactive Art, interactivity, New Media Art, Technology and Art, Video Game Art, video games
People
Al Alcorn, Nolan Bushnell
Works
Art and Technology, Electronic Art, Pong
Organisations
Atari

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