The universe of video games is full of amazing curiosities, historical milestones and details that have marked entire generations. If you are passionate about video games or simply curious to learn more about this incredible industry, these facts will surprise you and, without a doubt, will make you want to share them with your gamer friends.

1. The beginnings:
   In1948 Thomas Goldsmith and Estle Ray Mann invented the “Cathode Ray Entertainment Device”, in a rudimentary way it allowed users to manipulate points on a screen using knobs and buttons, simulating the launching of missiles. Inspired by World War II radar technology, it marked a curious link between military technology and electronic entertainment. Although it is technically the first in the video game timeline, its limited nature and its use primarily in experimental settings distance it from what we now consider a video game in the modern sense.
   Although there is debate as to what should really be considered the first video game, most agree that it is “Tennis for Two”, created by William Higinbotham in 1958. A simple game that simulated a tennis match on an oscilloscope screen, it was created to entertain visitors to Brookhaven National Laboratory.
   Although it did not have complex graphics, this pioneering game is considered one of the earliest examples of interactive entertainment. “Spacewar!”, developed in 1962 by Steve Russell at MIT. This game is often mentioned as the first video game that had a significant impact, as it was distributed and played on several computers of the time.
2. The origin of the term “Easter Egg” (1980):
   The first “Easter Egg” in a video game is found in Atari’s “Adventure”, released in 1980. Developer Warren Robinett included a hidden message with his name, which was an unusual act since Atari did not allow developers to receive credit for their work. This act of rebellion gave rise to the term “Easter Egg” in video games, referring to hidden secrets for players to discover.
3. The first registered video game tournament (1980):
   The first official video game tournament recorded by Guinness was the “Space Invaders” championship in 1980. This event marked the beginning of electronic sports, attracting more than 10,000 participants.
4. The origin of Pac-Man (1980):
   The Pac-Man character was created by Japanese video game designer Toru Iwatani. The inspiration for the character’s design came from a pizza with a slice missing.The idea behind Pac-Man was to create a game that would appeal to both men and women, in contrast to the typical shooting games of the time.
5. The original name of Pac-Man (1980):
   Pac-Man’s original name in Japan is “Puck-Man,” derived from the Japanese word “paku,” which describes the sound of a mouth opening and closing. However, when the game was released in the United States, the name was changed to “Pac-Man” to avoid the “P” being altered to form an offensive English word.
6. Mario’s mustache (1981):
   The reason Mario has a mustache is technical. In the 1980s, graphics were quite limited, and it was easier for developers to show a mustache instead of a mouth to better distinguish the character’s face on low-resolution screens.
7. The effect of the video game crisis of 1983 (1983):
   In 1983, the video game industry suffered one of its worst crises, particularly in North America. This was caused by a saturation of the market with low quality consoles and games. One of the biggest failures was the video game “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” for the Atari 2600, which is considered one of the worst games in history. Millions of unsold cartridges were buried in a desert in New Mexico, a fact that became an urban legend until it was confirmed in 2014.
8. The story behind Boo (1988):
   The Boos, those ghosts that cover their eyes when you look at them, are based on the wife of Takashi Tezuka, a game designer at Nintendo. It is said that Tezuka’s wife was normally very quiet, but one day she got very angry at him for working too hard, which inspired the behavior of the Boos, shy but dangerous when you don’t look at them.
9. Donkey Kong’s record (1999):
   Billy Mitchell was the first person to get the highest possible score on “Donkey Kong” in 1999, a notoriously difficult game. He reached 1,047,200 points, which requires completing the game up to the “kill screen,” an unfinishable level 22 where the game breaks down due to a programming error. This record made “Donkey Kong” one of the most challenging and respected games in the history of competitive video games.
10. The cultural impact of Call of Duty (2009):
    Call of Duty is not only one of the most successful franchises of all time, but it has also had a significant impact outside of video games. In 2009, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 became the first video game to generate more than $1 billion in sales in record time. Its influence has extended to movies, books and comics, making this saga a global cultural phenomenon.
11. Longest video game marathon (2017):
    The Guinness World Record for the longest video game marathon was taken by a group of gamers who played World of Warcraft for 45 hours and 58 minutes without a break in 2017. This record demonstrates the dedication of the gamer community towards their favorite games.
12. The Fortnite phenomenon (2019):
    Fortnite has become much more than a video game; it is a cultural phenomenon that has impacted millions of gamers around the world. In 2019, Fortnite hosted an in-game virtual concert with DJ Marshmello, attracting more than 10 million simultaneous players, marking a milestone in the history of virtual events and showing how video games can redefine entertainment.
13. Best-selling video game of all time (2023):
    Minecraft holds the Guinness World Record as the best-selling video game of all time, with more than 238 million copies sold across multiple platforms through 2023. Its popularity and accessibility on different devices have contributed to this impressive achievement.
14. World’s largest video game collection (2023):
    Antonio Monteiro, of Richmond, Texas, holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest video game collection. His collection includes more than 20,000 games from different consoles and eras. His collection is so extensive that it would take years to play each game at least once.
15. The longest-lived gamer to complete a video game (2023):
    A 95-year-old man, known as “Grandpa Gaming,” is recognized by Guinness World Records for completing the game Doom Eternal. His feat highlights how video games can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Did You Know All This?
The world of video games is full of fascinating stories, incredible records and unforgettable characters. These are just a few of the many amazing facts that have shaped the industry. Do you know any other interesting facts about video games? Share this article with your gamer friends and tell us your favorite facts! Maybe together we’ll discover even more secrets of the virtual world.