# Gaming Gaming is the broad subculture built around playing video games, tabletop games, and sports, with video games as the dominant form since the 1970s arcade boom. The word also works as slang on Discord and Twitch, where players shout "we're gaming" after a clutch play or good moment. ## Origin The technical roots of gaming go back to a 1947 patent filing by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann for a "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device," issued as U.S. Patent 2455992 in December 1948[1]. Most early computer games after that ran on mainframes and were built as side projects by hobbyists[2]. Video games broke into the mainstream in the 1970s through arcade cabinets running black-and-white titles like Pong, SpaceWars, and Space Invaders[2]. The first home console built for video games was the Magnavox Odyssey, followed by the Atari 2600, which pushed 4-bit graphics and became the first console with third-party developer support after Activision's lawsuit against Atari[2]. - **Platform:** Arcade / Console (physical), Discord and Twitch (slang spread) - **Creator:** Unknown - **Date:** 1947 ## Overview Gaming is the subculture built around playing or making games, with video games sitting at the center of it since the 1970s[2]. A video game is any interactive game controlled through a user interface that moves graphics on a display screen, from arcade cabinets to phones[3]. The word also works as casual slang. On Urban Dictionary, "gaming" is defined as a reaction word players use when something goes right, like landing a clean kill in Rainbow Six Siege and telling a teammate "we're gaming"[4]. That usage lives mostly in Discord voice chats, Twitch streams, and clips where a player pulls off a good moment. Gamers themselves have always been a wider group than the nerd stereotype suggests, cutting across ages, genders, and skill levels[4]. Competitive play at a high level takes real focus, which is part of why esports grew into its own scene[2]. ## How It Spread The Atari 2600's success pulled in competitors like Colecovision and Intellivision, turning consoles into a real consumer market[2]. In 1983, Atari licensed E.T. The Extraterrestrial from Universal Studios and rushed out a tie-in game whose poor reception is often blamed for helping trigger the 1983 gaming crash, which stalled the industry[2]. As the hobby recovered, the word "gamer" stuck to people who played regularly, and competitive tournaments started shaping the culture[2]. The 1981 Space Invaders Championship is cited as an early example of the tournament format that later grew into esports[2]. On the slang side, "gaming" as an exclamation spread through voice chat culture on Discord and Twitch clips, where a player calls out "we're gaming" after a good play[4]. Dictionary.com's entry for video game reflects how deep the term sits in everyday language, with usage examples pulled from news reports about military recruiting bonuses tied to game launches and cosplay convention attendance[3]. ## How to Use As slang, "gaming" is typically dropped in reaction to something going well, often in a Discord call or Twitch chat after a clutch play or a small win outside games entirely. A common convention is the two-line exchange: one player says "sick kill," the other replies "thanks, we're gaming"[4]. It also works as a standalone hype word, used the way older slang used "based" or "W." ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Gaming? Gaming is the subculture around playing or making games, especially video games played through a controller or screen interface[3]. It also works as slang for a good moment during play[4]. ### Where did Gaming come from? Video game tech traces to a 1947 patent by Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann for a Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device[1]. The hobby went mainstream through 1970s arcades like Pong and Space Invaders[2]. ### What does Gaming mean? Literally, it means playing games, most often video games[3]. As slang, saying "we're gaming" signals that something just went right, like a clean kill in a shooter[4]. ### How do you use Gaming? Drop it in a Discord call or Twitch chat right after a good play, often as a two-word reply like "we're gaming"[4]. It also names the broader hobby and industry[2]. ### Is Gaming still popular? Yes, gaming is a mainstream hobby that spans arcades, consoles, PC, and mobile, with esports tournaments tracing back to the 1981 Space Invaders Championship[2]. The word is still in active use across dictionaries and slang guides[3][4]. ## References 1. [https://patents.google.com/patent/US2455992A/en]() 2. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/subcultures/gaming]() 3. [https://www.dictionary.com/browse/video-game]() 4. [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Gaming]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/gaming Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library