History of Video Games

Where did popular game franchises like Call of Duty, League of Legends, Grand Theft Auto, Zelda, World of Warcraft, and The Sims come from? What were the technological and design advances that enabled new genres of games to be created? What are the popular genres now, and why did previously dominant genres fizzle out? In this course students learn the key technological milestones that advanced the games industry through eight generations. Along the way we highlight specific game designers that made major contributions to the medium. We then dive in and understand the key elements and design advances in 10 game genres: from role-playing games to sports, to mobile puzzle games. Students will have a well rounded view of the games industry, and where it came from.