The Nimatron at the World Fair at NYC

1939-1940

This fair was meant to showcase what the future was supposed to look like, and among its many attractions, was the Nimatron, designed by nuclear physicist Edward Condon. The Nimatron was patented, then brought to the World Fair where any of the (over 45 million) visitors could play against a computer in the game of Nim.

This was one of the first video games created and one of the earliest demonstrations of a machine’s ability to represent data, which would influence future endeavors greatly. That said, even though the Nimatron was a hit at the World Fair, it ended up being a one-hit-wonder.

“Nimatron.” Wikipedia. Last edited, July 2, 2021. Web. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimatron.

Chapin, Emily. “The World of Tomorrow: 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair.” Museum of the City of New York, April 25, 2019. Web. https://www.mcny.org/story/world-tomorrow.