 Circuitry schematic from the patent | |
| Type | Interactive electronic game |
|---|---|
| Inventor(s) |
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| Materials | Cathode ray tube, oscilloscope |
The cathode-ray tube amusement device is the earliest-known concept for an interactive electronic game, as well as the first game concept to incorporate an electronic display. As described, the device would simulate an artillery shell arcing towards targets on a cathode-ray tube (CRT) screen, which is controlled by the player by adjusting knobs to change the trajectory of a CRT beam spot on the display in order to reach plastic targets overlaid on the screen.
Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann constructed the game from analog electronics and filed for a patent in 1947, which was issued the following year. The gaming device was never manufactured or marketed to the public, so it had no effect on the future video game industry. Under many definitions, the device is not considered a video game, as while it had an electronic display it did not run on a computing device. Therefore, despite its relevance to the early history of video games, it is not generally considered a candidate for the title of the first video game.