This article explores the history of the interface through the development of video game arcades. in particular, it uses the case study of the city of Pittsburgh and its growth in video arcade use in the early 1980s. The impact of these devices on the cultural landscape is analyzed by looking at the way they were received within the Pittsburgh community. Pierson outlines the importance of video arcade technology in shaping later forms of interfaces, mainly the desktop computer, which has now gained huge cultural importance.

(Key Words: video games, interface, new media, gaming)