40 Popular Items That Used to Look Completely Different in the Past

Here’s a neat little slice of video game history! This mysterious brown box is considered the first multiplayer video game console. Well, it’s a prototype, at least. This wood grain machine was called the Magnavox Odyssey. It was invented by engineer Ralph Baer and his coworkers Bill Harrison and Bill Rusch.

This groundbreaking prototype was released in 1972 after the three inventors created and tested several earlier versions in the late 60s. The Odyssey connected to the home television, allowing people to engage with technology in a new way. The Odyssey might not be as famous as other video game consoles, but it paved the way for the whole industry.