The worldwide, multi-billion dollar computer and video game industry has been and remains one of the fastest growing markets linked to consumer technology goods. It is an industry that has fed not only the consumers' desire for entertainment, but also their collective fascination with technology. It seems natural, then, that this is an industry that was born nearly as soon as technology would allow.

In 1958 William Higinbotham was working with an analog, vacuum-tube computer (with an oscilloscope for a display) at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York. Out of what was probably simple curiosity, he connected a few modules together and was able to produce bouncing balls on the screen. Thinking this could make an interesting game, he created an inverted "T" in the middle of the screen and wound up with a simple tennis game. Thus, the first video game was born. The game...