Revolutionizing Video Games: How One Man’s Commute Sparked a New Era in Gaming

The story takes place in the late 1970s. Gunpei Yokoi, engineer at Nintendo, goes to work by train. A banal journey, like so many others, which he occupies look at the passengers around him. His gaze is attracted by a business man, absorbed in a game on his calculator. This simple entertainment, far from the flamboyant video games of the time, intrigued Yokoi. He sees an opportunity, an untapped potential. Some time later, our Nintendo engineer is assigned to lead the boss of the Japanese company, Hiroshi Yamauchi, has a date. Gunpei Yokoi takes the opportunity to slip in his observation concerning the game on a small transportable object like a calculator… He will quickly be summoned to the management office to launch Nintendo on the path to portable consoles.

A revolutionary idea: the portable video game

Yokoi is convinced that it is possible to create a portable device, capable of offer simple but entertaining video games, just like what the businessman did with his calculator. He imagines a compact, accessible and affordable device, capable of killing time during train journeys or coffee breaks. His idea is bold, because at the time, video games were still a relatively new field, confined to arcade rooms and imposing home consoles. If he will be helped, Gunpei Yokoi, is the originator of the famous Game & Watch at the beginning of the 1980s, which would give rise to all the portable machines of the Japanese company from the Game Boy to the Nintendo DS including, obviously, the Nintendo Switch we all know today.

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The concept of Yokoi therefore takes the form of Game & Watch, the first portable video game console in history. Launched in 1980, it was an immediate success. Its simple design, affordable price and addictive games make it a real social phenomenon. Game & Watch offers an incredible variety of titles, from “Donkey Kong” to “Mario Bros.”, which will become key figures in the world of video games. The success of Game & Watch is resounding and inspires numerous competitors. Sony, Sega and others are in turn entering the portable video game market, contributing to its meteoric growth. The Game & Watch paved the way for legendary consoles like Nintendo's Game Boy, of course, but also for Sony's PlayStation Portable and the Game Gear, which marked the history of video games and won over millions of players around the world.

The man who changed gaming forever

The story of Gunpei Yokoi and his chance sighting on a train is a perfect example of how a simple idea can have a huge impact. His inspiration gave birth to a revolution, transforming video games into entertainment accessible to alleverywhere and at any time. The Game & Watch is much more than a simple console, it is an extremely strong symbol of innovationthe audacity and creativity that have shaped the video game industry.