Video game pioneer Atari is a company that was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It is credited with creating the first commercially successful video game, Pong, and is considered to be one of the most influential companies in the history of video games. Atari also released the Atari 2600 console, which was the first home console to use interchangeable cartridges. The company's success in the early days of the video game industry helped to shape the industry as we know it today.