| Squilliam said: I would say Atari mainstreamed console games with the 2nd generation in America. The difference is that it came out in a still very immature market. |
Who popularized and/or mainstreamed video games is a very heated topic. Enthusiasts even older than you would argue vociferously for Pong mainstreaming it. You state Atari. I say Nintendo because waiting 2 hours for my older brother and his friends to get bored with Super Mario Bros. on the NES was my earliest experience in video games. It got me hooked and unashamed of my passion because it was normal in my family for all of us to sit around taking turns on Duck Hunt and those days playing Street Fighter 2 where my Dad was always E. Honda...Oh geez, parents and video games makes the kid feel like the parent LOL!
Hell, one can even argue Pac-Man and all the arcade games, it is just one of those debates where everyone has a point and ample evidence to back up their case. Reminiscent to arguing who created Rock N' Roll where Blues purists will argue Robert Johnson had some songs that invented Rock N' Roll. Chuck Berry fans will argue for Chuck Berry. Then you have Little Richard and Elvis.
Neither is substantially wrong, but neither is right without giving credence to those who came before them. In this case, Nintendo would have to pay respects to Atari and Pong, likewise Atari and Pong would have to give Nintendo credit for creating the modern day video game industry as it is along with paying their respect to Ralph Baer.
