Video Game Newsroom Time Machine

Missile Command comes to Atari's VCS
Handheld games lose their mojo
and
Scramble revolutionizes the shoot 'em up

These stories and many more on this episode of the Video Game Newsroom Time Machine

This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game industry in May of 1981.
As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events.

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Links:
7 Minutes in Heaven
https://www.patreon.com/posts/51570452
https://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/missile-command_
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missile_Command
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racing_the_Beam

Corrections:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/50337962
https://www.patreon.com/posts/50315337
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerox_Alto
https://macromedia.fandom.com/wiki/Tim_Mott
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_effect
https://bestclassicbands.com/ozzy-osbourne-bat-1-20-16/

1981:
First meeting of the International association of video game manufacturers is held in Tokyo
Replay, May 1981, pg. 7
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Amusement_Machine_and_Marketing_Association

Midway goes after Pacman and Rally X gray importers
Replay May 1981 pg. 12
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/rally-x
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/pac-man
https://www.patreon.com/posts/47087268

Cinematronics wins Star Castle case
Replay May 1981 pg. 12
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/star-castle
https://www.uscourts.gov/about-federal-courts/court-role-and-structure

Stern secures rights to Konami's Scramble
Replay May 1981 pg. 14
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/scramble
https://www.patreon.com/posts/50315337

Atari ventures to Japan ... again
Replay May 1981, pg. 71
https://archive.org/details/Atari_Coin_Connection_Volume_5_Number_3_April-May_1981/page/n2/mode/1up
https://www.patreon.com/posts/50612798

Atari launches Asteroids Deluxe and VCS Missle Command with National Press conference
Replay May 1981
Toys Hobbies & Crafts May 1981, pg. 12
https://archive.org/details/Atari_Coin_Connection_Volume_5_Number_3_April-May_1981/page/n2/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/missile-command_
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/asteroids-deluxe

Atari promotes Stephen D Bristow to VP of advanced technology consumer electronics
Toy and Hobby World May 1981
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/02/obituary-gaming-pioneer-steve-bristow-helped-design-tank-breakout/

Atari adds $1 million in punitive damages to its suit against Activision
Playthings, May 1981, pg. 32
http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/activision-and-atari/

Atari slashes prices
https://www.nytimes.com/1981/05/05/business/company-news-atari-cuts-prices-discloses-products.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_8-bit_family
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_VIC-20
https://www.patreon.com/posts/44335732
https://www.patreon.com/posts/44632017

Atari wants your programs
https://archive.org/details/1981-05-compute-magazine/page/n151/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Program_Exchange

Electronic games lag as Xmas sell off ripples through market
Playthings, May 1981, pg. 39, pg. 122
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He-Man

Mattel reports $15.5 million loss for fourth quarter
Toy and Hobby World May 1981
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsUFBm1uENs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_A-Team
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manimal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugb_TIpPoWA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWyl4k4LRRg

Coleco sues Tandy... and Mattel... and well, everyone..
https://archive.org/details/80-microcomputing-magazine-1981-05/page/n64/mode/1up
Playthings May 1981

TSR licenses Escape from New York
Playthings, May 1981 pg. 9
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/731/escape-new-york
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_from_New_York
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckvDo2JHB7o

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/

Sound Effects by Ethan Johnson of History of How We Play and Enzo Maida.