1972 - The Founding of Atari (June 27) Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney start their own game company, Atari Incorporated. Atari (a term from the Japanese game Go) was chosen after the first choice, "Syzygy," wasn't available.

Al Alcorn writes a video ping-pong game called Pong. Pong is playtested at a bar called Andy Capps; players love it so much that the coin box is jammed with quarters.

(November) Atari sets up assembly facilities in a former roller skating rink, hires local hippies for labor, then begins manufacturing Pong for mass distribution.

1973 Pong is an unprecedented success. Eight to ten thousand units are made, more than three times the number of a typical pinball machine at the time.