The Brown Box
/
The Brown Box
Rarity Score
100
out of 100
Legendary
Brand
Philips Magnavox
Platform
Magnavox Odyssey
Quick facts
- This machine paved the way for the video games of today. In 1967, Ralph Baer and his colleagues at Sanders Associates, Inc. developed a prototype for the first multiplayer, multiprogram video game system.
- In an oral history interview (copies available in the Archives Center at the National Museum of American History), Ralph Baer recalled, “The minute we played ping-pong, we knew we had a product. Before that we weren’t too sure.
- ”Originally called TV Game Unit #7, much like the "Pump Unit" before it, it became far better known by its nickname, “The Brown Box.”
- The name comes from the brown wood-grain, self-adhesive vinyl used to make the prototype look more attractive to potential investors.
- The "Brown Box" could be programmed to play a variety of games by flipping the switches along the front of the unit, as can be seen in the picture.
Quick Facts
- Amount Produced Estimate
- Between 1 - 50
- Region Code
- Region Free
- Color
- Brown
- Unreleased Item
- Yes
- Is Unique Variation
- Yes
Release Dates
-
🇺🇸 United States1967
