Cheat Codes: A Brief History of Cheating in Video Games

Cheat codes have been an indelible part of video game history for as long as anyone can remember. First used as a shortcut to debug titles during testing, players eventually learned how to use cheat codes themselves. These days cheat codes and other features often augment or change a gameplay mechanic, as is the case with the popular — and often controversial — Fortnite aimbot.Sometimes, cheat codes are purposefully included in games by the first-party developers who created them. Other times, they’re inserted through third-party software after a game’s been produced. Moreover, it isn’t always intentional. Gamers have discovered unintended “codes” by exploiting bugs in a game’s software. In honor of National Video Games week, we’re taking a look back at the history of cheat codes in video games, from contentious alterations, like Fortnite’s aimbot, to classic cheats, like the Konami Code.What Is a Cheat Code?In essence, a cheat code modifies a core function of a game that affects gamep...