Context

Pong's Creation

The beginning of the 1970s saw the release of video games such as “Computer Space” and “Odyssey” that were not very successful as they were too complicated and required specific technologies to operate them. 

Soon after, towards the end of 1972, Pong, a straight forward, two-player, simple video game was created and flourished.

Initially, the project of creating Pong was given to the engineer Al Alcorn as a simple exercise to test his ability to create games as he wanted to join Atari and he had no prior experience with video game creation. The product of that project was then put and tested in Andy Capp’s tavern close to the Atari Office where Atari often tested their games. The game’s quick and unpredicted success in the tavern led to the manufacturing of many more machines that were put in arcades, bars, restaurants, taverns, and more.

The game’s success is often credited to it being a very simple and easy game to play; a game with little instructions except “Avoid missing the ball for a high score”. In comparison with all the games surrounding it, other than pinball, none could be played with so little focus and effort.

After its success in commercial places, Atari released a home version of the game which was played with its own home console.

Pong's and its hardware faced many challenges over time

Initially one of the challenges Atari faced was lawsuits by Magnavox for copyright infringement. That resulted in Atari paying a licensing fee for the marketing of their games and the rest of the companies that followed had to pay royalty to Magnavox. 

Another danger Pong faced was the danger of rivalry. Pong's simple nature saw many competing games that either used the same exact concept as Pong or reintroduced simplified versions of their failed games using ideas that were implemented by Pong.

Additionally, there were many knock-off pong games in the market and even ones that used more advanced controls and created more built-in games in the consoles that led to the people’s preference of such games over the original Pong. The challenge faced by knockoff Pong games was exceptionally great due to Atari’s inability to receive the trademark and patent for Pong in time to stop the reproduction of their game by around 25 other companies.

This all put Pong at risk with the challenge of keeping up with several competing game manufacturers who took the initial idea from pong, copied it, and improved on it.

Also, due to the influx of Pong-like games created by Atari and their competitors, consumers were getting tired of the game as it had become repetitive. 

By the end of the 1970s, video games had gotten very advanced and the console that Pong was initially founded on had died. However, the game lived through other consoles, not in the same way of playing but in similar playing ideas. 

Examples of it living on in other Atari products are seen through Pong-doubles, a different way of playing Pong which allowed for two teams instead of two players, and the Atari VCS, which used joysticks and cartridges in which pong-like games could be found and played. Also, the internet archive attempts to revive the game and the way it is played, however since the game is played on the computer, the issue of the missing console remains.

With all the technological advancements, the dying of the hardware used for the original Pong game occurred.