What was the first video game?
Early history of video games
The history of video games spans a period of time between the invention of the first electronic games and today, covering a long period of invention and changes. Video gaming reached mainstream popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, when arcade video games, gaming consoles and home computer games were introduced to the general public. Since then, video gaming has become a popular form of entertainment and a part of modern culture in most parts of the world. The early history of video games, therefore, covers the period of time between the first interactive electronic game with an electronic display in 1947, the first true video games in the early 1950s, and the rise of early arcade video games in the 1970s (Pong and the beginning of the first generation of video game consoles with the Magnavox Odyssey, both in 1972). During this time there were a wide range of devices and inventions corresponding with large advances in computing technology, and the actual first video game is dependent on the definition of "video game" used.
Star Wars video games
"X-Wing" was one of the best-selling games of 1993, and established the beginning of the , which garnered numerous awards and recognition. "Star Wars: X-Wing" was followed by several sequels and expansions, such as "", "", and "".
The first step towards modern games was done with 1995's "", the first "Star Wars" first-person shooter video game. A hybrid adventure game incorporating puzzles and strategy, it featured new gameplay features and graphical elements not then common in other games, made possible by LucasArts' custom-designed game engine, called the Jedi. The game was well received and well reviewed, the game put the player in the role of Kyle Katarn, who would later appear in multiple games, novels, and comics. After the Special Edition original trilogy re-release in 1997, LucasArts published "", then "" released in 1999. In 2002, its sequel "" was released and gave players the first chance to experience advanced lightsaber duels, and it also detached itself from the usual idea of movie tie-ins. One year later, the last game in the "Jedi Knight" series, "" was released. Katarn is a former Imperial stormtrooper who joins the Rebellion and ultimately becomes a Jedi, a plot arc similar to that of Finn in the 2015 film "The Force Awakens".Compilaition(s): "Star Wars Galaxies: Starter Kit" (2005), "Star Wars Galaxies: The Total Experience" (2005), and "Star Wars Galaxies: The Complete Online Adventures" (2006)