Imagine — it’s the ‘90s, you’re at your little brother’s laser tag birthday party, all geared up and ready to go. A couple boys not part of the birthday party brag how they’re, like, so awesome at laser tag, they’re gonna kick everyone’s butts. You head into the dark arena, your sights set on these two boasting bozos, and get pumped as the countdown to the action begins. Now, truth be told, you’re not very good at laser tag, but who cares, it’s go time. Fifteen minutes pass — hiding, peeking around corners, guarding the home base, and of course, shooting your laser beams until you hear the telltale sign of a hit. And then it’s over and time for the moment of truth — the scores. The boasting boys from earlier are there first, and already high-fiving each other for getting high scores. But what’s this? Someone with a higher score? And it’s a girl?! You grin at the boys and say, “better luck next time.”
True story — except for the awesome one-liner there at the end. And, I’m pretty sure my laser vest wasn’t recording hits right, so my score was probably inflated. But it didn’t matter if it was true or not, because in that moment, it was more than enough to have shown a boy that a girl could indeed beat him at laser tag. Ah, what a time. If you haven’t figured it out yet, today we’re talking about laser tag, one of the most popular birthday party events of the ‘90s. But where did it get its start? Read on!
The first inklings of laser tag began in the late ‘70s, and came about thanks to a combination of three major factors: the US army (what? yep!), Star Trek, and Star Wars. Let’s take a look:
- The US Army: In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, the United States Army deployed a system called MILES (Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System) that uses infrared beams for combat training. It is similar to laser tag in that beams are “fired” into receivers to score hits. Similar systems are still used today.
- Star Trek: In the Star Trek television show and in the films, characters use “phasers,” handheld particle weapon devices. To accompany the release of Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979, a Star Trek Electronic Phaser Guns set was released, which was the first known toy to use infrared light and a corresponding sensor.
- Star Wars: In 1977, a man named George Carter III watched the Star Wars Episode IV and, after seeing the laser gun fights in the movie, started percolating an idea for an arena where players could play a scored version of laser tag.
Carter is actually credited with being the inventor and founder of the laser tag industry. He opened the first laser tag center, Photon, in 1984 in Dallas, Texas. The Photon arenas featured multiple levels, catwalks, mazes, and an observation deck where people not participating could cheer on their friends in the game. By 1986, a home unit was introduced by both Entertech, which owned the Photon brand, and Worlds of Wonder. Laser tag home units were one of the top-selling toys of the 1986 holiday season, along with GI Joe and Teddy Ruxpin. (Curious what other toys were top-sellers during the holidays? Check out our article The Most Popular Christmas Toys from 1980-2000.)
The late ‘80s were a prime time for Photon, but by the end of the decade, the laser tag movement had cooled off, and the company went out of business. But, that didn’t mean that laser tag was dead. Though the mega-arenas of Photon may be no more, laser tag has still survived in one form or another over the years. Even if you play laser tag today, though, we’d guess it still wouldn’t quite compare to putting on that heavy battery-powered laser vest and spending 15 minutes in an arena shooting at friends and foes when you were a tween.
What about you? Did you play laser tag either at an arena or at home? Let us know your best laser tag memories in the comments!
- Photon laser tag arenas were so popular that it inspired a short-lived television show called, naturally, Photon that aired in syndication from 1986-1987.
- In 1987, 45 Photon centers were open or under construction. Over two million players had played laser tag at a Photon arena.
- Laser tag systems typically use infrared signaling to track firing of the beam. In indoor play, a visible light combined with theatrical fog usually provides the visual effect of firing (this light has no actual role in transmitting the fire signal).
- In April 1987, 19-year-old Leonard Falcon was shot and killed in Rancho Cucamonga, CA by a sheriff’s deputy after witnesses saw him and several friends playing World of Wonder’s Lazer Tag, mistaking the toys for real guns. As discussed in our article on the Nintendo Zapper (click to read), this incident (and others) led to the Federal Toy Gun Law that was enacted in 1988.
- Others have claimed to be the first to open laser tag arenas, but George Carter III was officially honored by the International Laser Tag Association on 17 November 2005 with an award engraved with: “Presented to George A. Carter III in recognition for being the Inventor and Founder of the laser tag industry.”
- Photon laser tag arenas were so popular that it inspired a short-lived television show called, naturally, Photon that aired in syndication from 1986-1987.
- In 1987, 45 Photon centers were open or under construction. Over two million players had played laser tag at a Photon arena.
- Laser tag systems typically use infrared signaling to track firing of the beam. In indoor play, a visible light combined with theatrical fog usually provides the visual effect of firing (this light has no actual role in transmitting the fire signal).
- In April 1987, 19-year-old Leonard Falcon was shot and killed in Rancho Cucamonga, CA by a sheriff’s deputy after witnesses saw him and several friends playing World of Wonder’s Lazer Tag, mistaking the toys for real guns. As discussed in our article on the Nintendo Zapper (click to read), this incident (and others) led to the Federal Toy Gun Law that was enacted in 1988.
- Others have claimed to be the first to open laser tag arenas, but George Carter III was officially honored by the International Laser Tag Association on 17 November 2005 with an award engraved with: “Presented to George A. Carter III in recognition for being the Inventor and Founder of the laser tag industry.”
