When was Pong released?

The story behind the answer

November 29, 1972 is correct because that’s when Atari released Pong as an arcade game, designed by Allan Alcorn as a simple “training” project under Nolan Bushnell’s guidance. Its debut cabinet at Andy Capp’s Tavern famously broke down because the coin box overflowed with quarters—an early sign of its runaway success.

Pong wasn’t the first video game, but it was the first to become a mainstream hit, igniting the arcade boom and paving the way for the home console market. To remember the date, link it to “’72: Pong debuts before home Pong” (the home version followed later) and “late November = near Thanksgiving,” when people flocked to bars and arcades—perfect timing for a social, two-player game.