Video Game Newsroom Time Machine

Atari dumps product in the desert
Commodore and Sinclair revenues sore
The Vic20 is no more

These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM

This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game industry in September 1983. 

As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events.

Alex Smith of They Create Worlds is our cohost.  Check out his podcast here:

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Links:

7 Minutes in Heaven: Battlezone
Video Version:  https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-92412140
https://www.mobygames.com/game/360/battlezone/
 

Corrections:
August 1983 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/august-1983-89829848
Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
https://youtu.be/A-6AKe2pvsQ?si=Y86cYPldukmG2V-H
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TMS9918

1973    
Rally big in Europe
    https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_9/page/45/mode/1up

Atari launches Gotcha and Pong Doubles
    https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_13/page/n53/mode/1up?view=theater
    https://edfries.wordpress.com/2016/05/25/fixing-color-gotcha/

1983:
Warner posts MASSIVE loss
    Play Meter Sept. 1, 1983 pg. 130

Atari dumps carts in desert
    Atari Buries Videogame Gear In New Mexico Dump, The Associated Press, September 27, 1983, Tuesday, AM cycle
    Atari Parts Are Dumped, The New York Times, September 28, 1983, Wednesday, Late City Final Edition
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_video_game_burial
    Kevin Hayes - Atari - Namco https://www.patreon.com/posts/50612798
    https://eu.alamogordonews.com/story/news/2022/08/25/et-atari-tomb-alamogordo-nm-games-auctioned/65418680007/

Deck chairs on the SS Atari get shuffled
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S6
    https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/08/business/business-people-atari-replaces-head-of-unit-after-9-months.html

Milton Bradley v Atari suit details revealed
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S4
    http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/hardware/mbx/mbx.html
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmD2lT5oeOE

SEC files charges against former Atari execs
    https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/27/business/2-charged-in-atari-stock-sale.html

Mattel reports higher than expected second quarter loss
    https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/09/business/mattel-reports-losing-156.1-million-in-quarter.html  
    https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-6/mode/1up?view=theater
    Don Daglow Part 1 - PDP - Mattel - Intellivision - EA  https://www.patreon.com/posts/38445119

Activision expects massive losses
    Maker of Video-Game, Computer Software Sees Loss, The Associated Press, September 16, 1983, Friday, PM cycle

Layoffs hit Imagic
    Imagic lay-offs in wake of U.S. video game glut, Financial Times (London,England), September 20, 1983, Tuesday

Interton files for bankruptcy
    https://archive.org/details/TeleMatch.N05.1983.08-KCz.pdf/page/n76/mode/1up?view=theater    
    http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg70-1292_vc4000.htm#page=reviews     
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interton_Video_Computer_4000
    https://www.interton.com/de-de/
    https://blog.hnf.de/vom-hoergeraet-zum-computerspiel/

Marshfield bans coinop games
    Replay September 1983, pg. 10    
    https://eu.wickedlocal.com/story/marshfield-mariner/2021/09/23/marshfield-ma-coin-machine-industries-association-supreme-court-ban-pacman-donkeykong-look-back/8241109002/  
    https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/08/us/massachusetts-town-exiles-pac-man-and-all-that.html

Williams reports lower earnings
    Play Meter Sept. 1, 1983 pg. 130

Sega sells US operations to Gulf and Western
    September 29, 1983, Thursday  PR Newswire
    September 27, 1983, Tuesday

Sente gets ready to open for business
    PIZZA-TIME; Game division to open Oct. 1, Business Wire, September 29, 1983, Thursday
    Roger Hector - Atari, Disney, Sega, Namco, Sente https://www.patreon.com/posts/72058794
    Owen Rowley - Chuck E Cheese, Autodesk - https://www.patreon.com/posts/owen-rowley-88533133

Wells Gardner feels arcade tumble pinch
    Bull market bums, Forbes, September 26, 1983

Funai joins forces with Electronic Specialty Products
    ELECTRONIC-SPECIALTY; Forms joint venture with Funai Electric Co. to market coin-operated video games, Business Wire, September 21, 1983, Wednesday    
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB0Wkel_R5Q   
    https://www.arcade-museum.com/manuf_detail.php?manuf_id=1392   
    Replay September 1983, pg. 9

4 killed at Malibu Grand Prix massacre
    Play Meter Sept. 1, 1983, pg. 24    
    https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2023/06/01/evidence-room-extra-family-member-of-man-executed-after-malibu-grand-prix-murders-shares-memories-with-kprc-2/
    Play Meter Sept. 1, 1983, pg. 14
    https://citizennewspapergroup.com/news/2009/sep/02/cases-gone-cold/

Intellivision drops below a hundo
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S8

VCS Cartridge prices drop even in the UK
    https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_023_1983-09_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n27/mode/1up?view=theater

European 5200 launch canned
    https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_023_1983-09_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n28/mode/1up?view=theater  
    https://archive.org/details/TeleMatch.N05.1983.08-KCz.pdf/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater 

Atari cancels Graduate
    https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-6/page/n2/mode/1up?view=theater

Sharp announces Famicom TV
    https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Sharp_C1   
    Sharp develops TV with microcomputer, The Japan Economic Journal, September 27, 1983
    https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2018/07/how_sharp_accidentally_copyright_trolled_nintendo_almost_40_years_ago

Unions fail at Atari
    High Tech's Challenge, Newsweek, September 5, 1983, UNITED STATES EDITION
    Unions in Trouble; PART III: Looking For New Members  The Associated Press, September 1, 1983, Thursday, PM cycle

Broderbund goes console
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S26

Fischbach promoted
    PR Newswire, September 9, 1983, Friday
    Gregory Fischbach Part 2 - Acclaim https://www.patreon.com/posts/47720122
    Gregory Fischbach Part 1 - Activision - Acclaim https://www.patreon.com/posts/46578120

International variants proliferate
    https://archive.org/details/TeleMatch.N05.1983.08-KCz.pdf/page/n75/mode/1up?view=theater
    http://atariboxed.com/index.php?go=output&sort=T1.Modul_Complete_Title,%20T1.Modul_Complete_Model,%20T1.Modul_Complete_TV,%20T1.Modul_Complete_Label&dir=DESC&rows_per_page=50&select_system=1&select_company=42

Move over pay-per-view porn, video games are the new hotness in hotel room entertainment
    PR Newswire, September 20, 1983, Tuesday   
    https://patents.justia.com/assignee/international-anasazi-inc   
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/travel/1983/09/11/computer-shortcuts-nuclear-tour/0cafa363-b334-482f-a5b9-3a9453de3ec6/

Sooo many controllers!
    https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-6/page/n5/mode/1up?view=theater

Coleco shocks analysts
    https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/07/business/coleco-s-new-memory-device.html

Adam, meet FCC, FCC stop Adam
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews028-21Sep1983/page/n5/mode/2up

TI cuts prices even further
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S6
    
TI hires coffee man to run computer division
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S4

TI opens up to 3rd parties
    https://archive.org/details/TeleMatch.N05.1983.08-KCz.pdf/page/n75/mode/1up?view=theater

Commodore reports record earnings and new ad strategy
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S4

Sinclair profits soar
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews028-21Sep1983/page/n7/mode/2up

Sinclair looks to China
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews028-21Sep1983/page/n5/mode/2up

Acorn second processors delayed... again
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews029-28Sep1983/page/n3/mode/2up

Tandy licenses software to CBS
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S10

HES  teams up with Microsoft
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S8

Osborne files for bankruptcy
    https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/15/business/pacesetting-computer-maker-files-for-bankruptcy.html

Toshiba gets into PC clone market.
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews028-21Sep1983/page/n3/mode/2up

Digital Research bets on productivity
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews026-07Sep1983/page/n4/mode/1up   
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews027-14Sep1983/page/n3/mode/2up

Computing goes mobile
    https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-09_OCR    
    https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=891&st=1
    https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=891&st=1    
    https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=891&st=1
    https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/80s/1984/CE-1984-06.pdf

Wizardry goes Windows
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S26

Infocom names Dornbrook product manager
    Toy and Hobby World September 1983, S40

Draw like Bilbo
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews027-14Sep1983/page/n5/mode/2up

Computer magazines for the whole family flourish
    https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/10/style/children-s-magazines-for-a-computer-age.html

AT&T and Coleco join forces to bring games online
    https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/08/business/at-t-and-coleco-in-video-game-venture.html

College goes online
    https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/13/us/correspondence-school-via-computer-is-planned.html   
    https://news.elearninginside.com/what-happened-to-the-electronic-university-network/

German gaming news goes Teletext
    https://archive.org/details/TeleMatch.N05.1983.08-KCz.pdf/page/n10/mode/1up?view=theater

Apple secures silicon copyright
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews028-21Sep1983/page/n3/mode/2up

Will computers take your job?
    https://www.nytimes.com/1983/09/04/weekinreview/computers-worker-menace.html

Your computer is keeping you from making babies!
    Mass contraception, Nuclear News, September, 1983   
    https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Bill-Minkler/dp/0894485679  

Pop music goes games
    https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_023_1983-09_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n19/mode/1up?view=theater   
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eIzNE356-Q
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGSoOgcWnLE   
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4X2FG9Jbqw

He-Man cartoon debuts    
GI Joe miniseries debuts
    Toy and Hobby WorldL8/18
    Playthings September 1983

D&D cartoon debuts    
    
Vic20 RIP
    https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-6/page/n8/mode/1up?view=theater

New Brain RIP
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews026-07Sep1983/page/n5/mode/1up   
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grundy_NewBrain   
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews028-21Sep1983/page/n3/mode/2up

Dragon saved!
    https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews027-14Sep1983/page/n3/mode/2up

Recommended Links:

The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/

Gaming Alexandria: https://www.gamingalexandria.com/wp/

They Create Worlds: https://tcwpodcast.podbean.com/

Digital Antiquarian: https://www.filfre.net/

The Arcade Blogger: https://arcadeblogger.com/

Retro Asylum: http://retroasylum.com/category/all-posts/

Retro Game Squad: http://retrogamesquad.libsyn.com/

Playthrough Podcast: https://playthroughpod.com/

Retromags.com: https://www.retromags.com/

Games That Weren't - https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/

Sound Effects by Ethan Johnson of History of How We Play.

Copyright Karl Kuras