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Tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union escalate, marking the start of the Cold War. -
Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann patent an early electronic game device, a precursor to video games. -
The Soviet Union successfully tests its first atomic bomb, increasing Cold War tensions. -
The Korean War begins, intensifying hostilities in the Cold War. -
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Physicist William Higinbotham creates "Tennis for Two," one of the earliest interactive computer games. -
Fidel Castro comes to power in Cuba, establishing a communist regime and adding to Cold War tensions. -
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The Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink of nuclear war, a defining moment in Cold War history. -
The video game "Spacewar!" is developed at MIT, pioneering multiplayer gaming. -
The United States successfully lands astronauts on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission, a Cold War-era space race achievement. -
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Intel releases the first microprocessor, laying the foundation for video game hardware. -
Atari releases "Pong," one of the first commercially successful arcade games. -
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, leading to increased Cold War tensions and U.S. support for Afghan resistance. -
The United States and the Soviet Union boycott each other's Olympic Games during the Moscow and Los Angeles Olympics. -
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The video game industry crashes due to oversaturation, impacting home console development. -
Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, initiating Glasnost and Perestroika reforms. -
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The Cold War officially ends with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. -
id Software releases "Doom," revolutionizing the first-person shooter genre. -
Sony releases the PlayStation, sparking intense competition in the console market and expanding the reach of video games.