They still play in their home or dorm room with friends, but increasingly they play online as well. Today, players are boys and girls, men and women, both young and old. The gaming world was once populated primarily by pre-teen and teenage boys, often huddled around televisions in each other's living rooms. In the nearly four decades since the release of the Magnavox Odyssey, home video game consoles have become a significant part of American culture and the industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. It all began with Ralph Baer, the 'Father of TV Games.' His ideas ushered in a new era of electronic entertainment and sparked the home video game revolution.
