After fifty years of rapid development, video games have become omnipresent, invading living rooms, playgrounds, public transportation and sometimes even training programs using ‘serious games’. Video games are now a central element of society which represents a significant change in the landscape of cultural industries. This introduction to the related issue of Entreprises et Histoire takes a historical perspective on the structuring of the video game industry, to examine how it emerged, key periods in its development, and the different organizational models that make it up. The issue highlights how the video game industry, by its very nature, is unique as it brings together technology and creation. Specific historical moments in the genesis of the industry are identified along with the first research studies conducted on its early development. This relatively young industry is now being studied by historians and, inversely, history is a constant source of inspiration for game creators. Finally, we present the articles and rubrics that make up this issue, all of which contribute to the historical understanding of the video game industry from different angles, with different approaches and applying different levels of analysis.