From Pong to GTA VI: Play your way through 50 years of video games

On November 19, Rockstar Games releases Grand Theft Auto VI, ending a 13-year wait for the sequel to one of the best-selling games ever made. Few games have arrived with more riding on them. Its first trailer drew more than 90 million YouTube views in 24 hours in December 2023, a record for a game reveal. It arrives in an industry that generated $201.6bn in revenue in 2025, according to market research firm Newzoo. That business started with two paddles and a square of light. Using AI tools, Al Jazeera built six short levels inspired by the games that defined each decade, from Pong to GTA VI.