Ralph Baer, the man who is widely considered to be the “father of video games,” has passed away at 92 years old.

Baer passed away at his home in Manchester, New Hampshire and is survived by his children, James, Mark, and Nancy, and four grandchildren. His wife of 53 years, Dena Whinston, passed away back in 2006.

Baer helped develop what would become the Odyssey game console, which was licensed by television manufacturer, Magnavox, and went back in 1972. His invention helped spark inspiration from additional firms to create their own video game consoles. The Odyssey became a huge hit as it allowed two people to play against one another in a number of different games, one of which included a crude version of table tennis.

The Odyssey was just one of a number of game-related electronics devices that Baer created. One of these included the first light gun, which could be used to shoot targets on screen. Baer also helped Coleco develop some of its game consoles.

At the time of his death, Baer held over 150 patents.

We here at Shacknews send our deepest condolences to Baer’s surviving family and are extremely thankful for his work over the years. I, for one, am grateful for Baer as I can’t imagine a world without video games considering I don’t have any other hobbies that I enjoy so much on a daily basis.