Gaming history is defined by strange accidents and hidden origins. A physicist created the first digital tennis game in 1958. A pizza with a missing slice inspired Pac-Man. These 20 facts reveal the surprising stories behind the world’s most popular games.

1. The first video game wasn’t Pong

Years before Pong became popular, physicist William Higinbotham created “Tennis for Two” in 1958. Some historians, however, credit OXO (1952) by Alexander Shafto "Sandy" Douglas as an even earlier digital game. The true 'first' game is still a matter of debate.

2. Mario didn’t start as a plumber

In Donkey Kong, Mario was a carpenter named Jumpman before Nintendo reworked his identity.

3. Pac-Man came from a slice of pizza

Creator Toru Iwatani designed Pac-Man after looking at a pizza with one slice missing.

4. One of the worst games ever was buried

Thousands of unsold E.T. cartridges were dumped in a New Mexico landfill after the game flopped badly.

5. The Konami Code is everywhere

The famous input sequence has appeared in multiple games including Contra and Need For Speed Most Wanted (2005) becoming a gaming culture staple.

6. Mortal Kombat changed game regulations

Its violence sparked controversy that led to the creation of the ESRB rating system.

7. Gaming addiction is officially recognized

The World Health Organization classifies gaming disorder as a real mental health condition.

8. A gaming session once turned fatal

A man passed away after playing World of Warcraft for over 19 hours without proper movement.

9. Action games can improve vision

Studies show they can enhance contrast sensitivity and spatial awareness.

10. GTA V once redefined game budgets

It cost around $265 million to develop and earned over $1 billion in just three days.

A typical AAA title costs around $100 million to develop, making GTA V's budget over double that. While Star Citizen's cost has almost reached seven times the norm.

11. Star Citizen broke all budget records

The game has crossed $900 million in development funding as of December 2025 and is expected to cross a billion by mid-2026.

12. Nearly half of all gamers are female

Modern gaming audiences are almost evenly split between male and female players.

13. A Game Boy survived a war

A Nintendo Game Boy damaged during the Gulf War still works and was initially displayed at the Nintendo New York store before being returned to Nintendo of America in 2023.

14. Nintendo didn’t start with video games

The company originally sold handmade playing cards back in 1889.

15. Final Fantasy was Hironobu Sakaguchi's make-or-break moment

The name of the game was a last resort, as confirmed by the creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. It was initially chosen to be Fighting Fantasy but was changed due to trademark conflicts.

16. Minecraft is the best-selling game ever

It has sold over 300 million copies, making it the most successful game of all time.

17. Zelda took inspiration from real childhood adventures

Shigeru Miyamoto based the game on his experiences exploring caves and nature.

18. Tetris was once restricted in a few countries

With licensing and political issues, Tetris faced restrictions and distribution issues in various regions like Japan and North America before the rights were settled.

19. Tetris was played in space

A Game Boy version of Tetris was taken to the Mir space station in 1993.

20. The PlayStation was originally a Nintendo project

Sony had initially partnered with Nintendo to develop a CD-based console, but the deal collapsed and led Sony to make the PlayStation on its own.

Which one of these video game facts seems the most unbelievable to you?

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Written by

Nilendu Brahma

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav