The global video game industry is estimated to be worth $583.69 billion by 2030, and it may not have been this lucrative if it wasn’t for this one man.
Jerry Lawson is one of the brightest minds in world history – spanning his time in an engineering club with Apple’s cofounders to having led the team that created the first ever cartridge-based video game console in 1976.
Lawson was inspired by another innovator growing up, George Washington Carver, who deeply influenced him at an early age. Eventually, Lawson became the inspiration for others that Carver was for him. He attended events such as Blacks in Gaming, and dropped knowledge for younger engineers, including Gordon Bellamy, who went on to be a lead designer for Electronic Arts.
His influence also extends across the industry of gaming, although his groundbreaking contributions tend to be rarely recognized. His contributions helped to shape the lucrative gaming industry into what it is today.
Still, his legacy must not be forgotten, nor how innovators like George Washington Carver inspired Lawson to get to a place to inspire others. Let’s continue that cycle, no matter what field we’re in, so we can build a better future for all of us.