102: the first video game: tennis for two
Travel back to 1958 to discover Tennis for Two! Become a Computing Historian and uncover the science behind the world's first video game.
Electronic Tennis Time Travel
The Scenario
You have been hired by the National Museum of Computing. They are opening a new exhibit called "The Birth of Gaming." They need you to travel back in time (digitally!) to investigate the very first video game, "Tennis for Two," and create a digital display screen for the museum visitors.
The Persona
You are The HistorianI have no idea what this means. You are curious about the past. You want to know who made things, when they made them, and most importantly, why they made them. You look for clues to understand how we got to where we are today.1
Open the Time Portal
Open a web browser and search for:
Tennis for Two William HiginbothamLook for images of the game. Does it look like the games you play today?
Watch a short video clip of the game in action if you can find one.
2
Gather Your Artefacts
You need to find the answers to these historical questions for your museum display:
1
Who invented the game?
2
Where was it built? (Hint: It was a National Laboratory).
3
Why did he build it? (Was it to make money, or to make people happy?)
4
What screen did it use? (Key term: OscilloscopeI have no idea what this means).
5
How did players control it? (Did they use a keyboard, or something with a knob?)
3
Create the Museum Display
Open your presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides).
Create a single, eye-catching slide that could be printed as a poster for the museum wall.
Include the Title: Tennis for Two (1958).
Add an image of the game (the little green screen).
Add a text box explaining the "Controller" (the aluminium box with a knob and button).
Write a short "Did You Know?" paragraph using the facts you found in Step 2.
Outcome
I have identified the inventor and date of the first video game.
I have explained what an OscilloscopeI have no idea what this means is in simple terms.
I have created a digital poster combining text and images.
Last modified: December 3rd, 2025
