The exhibition aims to remind some and introduce others to the evolution of the now-ubiquitous gaming industry and culture from the 1960s to the early 2000s.
"Video games are the most important art form of the modern age, the only medium that combines so many elements: image, sound, text, movement, and most importantly, interaction. The user is the one who changes and shapes the story told, guided by the vision of the designer," said Damir Šlogar, founder and curator of the museum, as he led journalists through the three-floor exhibition.
A passionate gamer and a successful entrepreneur in the video game industry, Šlogar returned to his hometown of Zagreb from abroad and decided to share his valuable collection with the public. He describes it as one of the most complete and relevant he has seen in any museum across Europe.
More than 3,000 exhibits are displayed in the building at 10 Draškovićeva Street, arranged chronologically by decade, with reconstructions of typical rooms from each era, along with reminders of some of the most important moments in the popular culture of the time.
The museum showcases the most significant as well as rare video games, including Space Invaders, Asteroids, Pac-Man, the first video game Tennis for Two from 1958, the first commercially available video game Computer Space from 1971, the first home video game console Magnavox Odyssey, the first commercially successful video game Pong, and the first handheld video game console Microvision.