Spacewar was one of the first computer video games ever written and one of the most influential.
Created for Digital Equipment's PDP-1, a minicomputer that allowed for new types of user interaction and graphics, the game was originally written by MIT student Steve Russell, with significant improvements later added by Peter Samson, Dan Edwards and Martin Graetz.
Released in 1962, it wasn't the first video game ever made, but people who were interested in computers in the '60s knew about it and had access to it. Spacewar also helped inspire future games, such as the arcade classic Asteroids.
For the 50th anniversary of its release, MIT created a simulation that lets people play the game. The simulation was shown off on Thursday and Friday on the campus, and the MIT Museum also hosted an event on Friday with Graetz participating in a panel discussion.
In this archival shot, we see Dan Edwards on the left and Peter Samson playing Spacewar on the PDP-1 display.
Image credit: Computer History Museum
Talkback
Oh the ever-so-sweet nostalgia
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