ABSTRACT
The chapter describes, analyzes, and synthesizes the history of video games by dividing it into six periods: pre-history, the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s, the 2000s, and the 2010s. In each period the important games, genres, and innovations are covered through the lens of four genres: action games, adventure games, strategy games, and process-oriented games. The chapter also discusses why history is important for the area of game studies.
