PONG is a video game released originally as a coin-operated arcade game by Atari Inc. on November 29, 1972. PONG is based on the sport of table tennis (or "ping pong"), and named after the sound generated by the circuitry when the ball is hit. PONG is often regarded as the world's first video arcade game, but Computer Space by Nutting Associates had been launched a year earlier in 1971. PONG was the first video game to achieve widespread popularity in both arcade and home console versions, and launched the initial boom in the video game industry.
Home Pong (released as simply "PONG") was developed by Atari and sold for $100 initially during Christmas 1975. Atari already had a license to use Ralph Baer's patents since a lawsuit had been settled for $700k for patent infringment. It had been demonstrated in court that Nolan Bushnell had seen an early demonstration version of the Odyssey in 1972 before he developed the arcade version of PONG and since his name was in the guestbook, there was little that could be argued.
