{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1580096"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1580096/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NJ7867/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NJ7867/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2023NJ7867","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1580096/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1580096","accessionNumber":"B.17-2022","objectType":"Videogames console","titles":[{"title":"Magnavox Odyssey","type":"manufacturer's title"}],"summaryDescription":"The Magnavox Odyssey is recognised as the world’s first home videogame console. The idea was conceived in 1966 by inventor Ralph Baer who worked with a technician at Sanders Associates, a defence contractor, to create a box that would plug into a television screen to play games.\n\r\nThe product design was refined by the in-house team, with art by Bradford/Cout Design. This design studio also developed games for the machine, building on the work of Baer and his team. The machine can only have 2 player- controlled dots, plus one machine-controlled dot and a single line of varying height, with no sound. The machine boasts 12 games in the box, operated by cards that  connect different circuits in the main machine. The first is a classic pong-type tennis game. In order to make more styles of play a series of plastic overlays are included, which cling to the television’s screen via static, featuring different art to reflect game content, such as a tennis court, a haunted house, and a roulette wheel. Gameplay is also augmented via various other tools, including play money, cards, and dice.   \n\r\nAfter successful tests in different parts of the country, Magnavox doubled their production run for the first year of release, 1972, from 50,000 to 100,000 units. However, it was only sold via Magnavox distributors which limited availability, and pricing was also a major factor at $100, which adjusted for inflation in 2021 would be about $665. About 69,000 units were sold in the first year, just enough to convince  the company to keep supporting it for another couple of  holiday seasons.\n\r\nAltogether, it reportedly sold around 350, 000 units. Meanwhile new gaming systems were developed by other manufacturers, and arcade games took off with Atari’s Pong, certainly building on Baer’s concept.\r\n\n\n","physicalDescription":"Cardboard box cover printed with ‘ODYSSEY’ six times in large font, and game related images; console and two controllers made of moulded white and brown plastic, linked by thick brown electric cables. Included in the set are: 6 game cartridges, each numbered; 2 dice; printed paper play money: 100 x $5, 100 x $10, 100 x $50, 100 x $100; 11 printed paper playing cards for Haunted House game: 13 x secret message, 30 x object cards; printed paper playing cards for Football game: 20 x Pass, 20 x Run, 10 x kick off, 10 x punt, 2 x play/pass, 2 x play/run, 2 x play/punt; printed paper playing cards for States game x 50; printed paper playing cards for Simon Says game x 28; 11 printed plastic TV screen game overlays for 18” TV screen; 11 printed plastic TV screen game overlays for 23” TV screen; antenna cable with two plastic clips and Antenna-Game switch adaptor boxed with Odyssey branding; AC adaptor; printed booklet for installation and game rules; printed sheet game accessory ‘States Study Map’; printed leaflet game accessory ‘Affairs of States’; printed sticker sheet accessories ‘ States’, ‘Ski’, ‘Cat&Mouse’; printed cardboard accessory for scoring; double-sided printed cardboard accessory for Football game and Roulette game","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Baer, Ralph H.","id":"AUTH317184"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":"Designed the original concept"},{"name":{"text":"Kent, George","id":"AUTH392879"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":"Led the team which designed the retail version of the product"}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Magnavox","id":"AUTH324430"},"association":{"text":"manufacturers","id":"AAT25230"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Bradford / Cout Design","id":"AUTH392880"},"association":{"text":"graphic designers","id":"AAT25119"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"plastic","id":"AAT14570"},{"text":"card","id":"x30344"},{"text":"Mylar (TM)","id":"AAT14480"},{"text":"metal","id":"AAT10900"},{"text":"electronic components","id":"THES274431"}],"techniques":[{"text":"injection moulding","id":"AAT54070"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Plastics, printed card, metal, 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demonstrated in December 1966, transmitted a signal to the television screen through which you could display and move a vertical line. Inventor Ralph Baer who worked with a technician at Sanders Associates, a defence contractor, was given a small budget for the project, which bore no connection to the kind of military projects  that were usually funded by the company. Development continued over the next couple of years, and the seventh prototype was pitched to television manufacturers, but it wasn’t until January 1971 that an agreement was signed  to produce the consoles with US electronics manufacturer Magnavox. 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