Bertie the Brain Inspired Tic Tac Toe

Bertie the Brain is the first well known computer game. A technological pioneer built in 1950. It was designed to demonstrate computational logic through the simple game of Tic Tac Toe. 

It used vacuum tubes as programmable logic units, and relied on binary logic to make simple decisions.

Its behavior was hardwired (a kind of physical software) with built-in rules and even different difficulty levels.

Note 1: Bertie the Brain is not always considered a true video game, since it didn't use video systems in the formal sense — it lacked pixel-based graphics or video output. It is considered a computer game or an electronic game. This is debatable, of course, but there's no doubt that Bertie was the first major precursor or seed of what would become video games. Many still consider it the first video game ever in a broader, historical sense. 

If you also believe that the use of 'lit lightbulbs' in Bertie doesn't count as video (which is correct), take a look at OXO from 1952. It already used a simple CRT display (arguably a video device) and is also a candidate for the title of the first video game ever.

Note 2: Games on oscilloscopes are not usually formally considered video games. They fall under the category of electronic or computer games. Games like Tennis for Two (1958) are often mentioned as early video games (you can play and read the article here: Tennis for Two inspired game), but they were essentially interactive uses of laboratory equipment (even though with a computer attached). Oscilloscopes had existed since the 1930s — and just because you can “play” with electronics doesn’t necessarily make it a video game (or it is, depending on the definitions). However, since Tennis for Two was explicitly designed for entertainment and helped popularize the idea, it’s still considered by many to be one of the first video games.

In 1950, people experienced the concept of video games for the first time.

Play now and feel the same experience!

Leave a comment if you enjoyed the article, and I’ll make a new post about gaming history with playable examples!

Bertie the Brain Gallery