Pong is a table tennis–themed twitch arcade sports video game, featuring simple two-dimensional graphics, manufactured by Atari and originally released on 29 November 1972. It was one of the earliest arcade video games; it was created by Allan Alcorn as a training exercise assigned to him by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, but Bushnell and Atari co-founder Ted Dabney were surprised by the quality of Alcorn's work and decided to manufacture the game. Bushnell based the game's concept on an electronic ping-pong game included in the Magnavox Odyssey, the first home video game console. In response, Magnavox later sued Atari for patent infringement.
An upright cabinet of Pong on display at the Neville Public Museum of Brown County
Atari engineer Allan Alcorn designed and built Pong as a training exercise.
The Pong prototype that was used in the tavern
The former site of Andy Capp's Tavern in 2023, which was replaced by the Rooster T. Feathers comedy club in 1984
Table tennis is a racket sport derived from tennis but distinguished by its playing surface being atop a stationary table, rather than the court on which players stand. Either individually or in teams of two, players take alternating turns returning a light, hollow ball over the table's net onto the opposing half of the court using small rackets until they fail to do so, which results in a point for the opponent. Play is fast, requiring quick reaction and constant attention, and is characterized by an emphasis on spin relative to other ball sports, which can heavily affect the ball's trajectory.
Table tennis at Liga Pro
Parker Brothers Ping-Pong game
Assortment of 40 mm table tennis balls
Table Tennis Plastic Balls 40+ mm with ITTF approval