Compaq gives birth to the PC clone,
Commodore and TI declare war on Sinclair &
A day of reckoning awaits the software business
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 January 1983.
As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events.
Jon from the Retro Games Squad is our cohost. You can find his other fine retrogaming work here:
https://retrogamesquad.libsyn.com/
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Links:
7 Minutes in Heaven: River Raid
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/78434628
https://www.mobygames.com/game/river-raid
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Raid
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Shaw
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Pictures#1980s:_Coca-Cola,_Tri-Star,_and_other_acquisitions_and_ventures
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kassar
https://www.amoa.com
https://www.mobygames.com/game/astron-belt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEEwZkbSmEU
Corrections:
December 1982 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/december-1982-77433012
Ethans new series: https://www.youtube.com/@play_history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velcro
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaserDisc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEEwZkbSmEU
1973
Pong doing well
https://archive.org/details/cashbox34unse_28/page/37/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pong
1983
Retailers rethink games
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/24/business/stores-reassess-video-games.html?searchResultPosition=20
Nassau County wants big money from operators
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/02/nyregion/battle-for-the-dollar-looms-in-albany.html?searchResultPosition=3
SNK sells direct to operators
Replay Jan. 1983 pg. 88
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxEzVjfkELo
Japan recognizes game copyrights
Replay Jan. 1983 pg. 18
Games People Jan. 8, 1983 pg. 1
Bally Midway wins pillow fight
Games People Jan. 22, 1983 pg. 1
Pacmania continues
Games People Jan. 8, 1983 pg. 1
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n12a/page/n3/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n13/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083461/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085008/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturday_Supercade
Winter CES sees the rise of the software providers
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/08/business/the-new-software-suppliers.html?searchResultPosition=4
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/08/arts/electronics-fair-views-consumer-s-tomorrow.html?searchResultPosition=5
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n13/page/n2/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1983-01/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater
Repackaged Consoles to debut at CES
https://retrocdn.net/File:ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.1_10.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJDy0XC6vDg
http://ultimateconsoledatabase.com/classics/odyssey_3.htm
https://history.blueskyrangers.com/parkerbro/unreleasedparker.html
Big names are being attracted to games
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/13/arts/makers-vie-for-millions-in-home-video-games.html?searchResultPosition=7
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n11/page/n1/mode/1up
Buy 2 get 1 free is the post Xmas slogan
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92300722/video-game-market-profile-part-1/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92300741/video-game-market-profile-part-2/
MB buys Sanders license
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/06/business/milton-bradley-license.html?searchResultPosition=6
Imagic settles with Atari
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/05/business/atari-suit-settled.html?searchResultPosition=2
Imagic delays stock offering
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n12a
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n13/page/n3/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n13/page/n3/mode/1up
Custer's Revenge resolution goes to court
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/23/nyregion/video-games-pose-thorny-legal-issue.html?searchResultPosition=18
Games People Jan. 1 1983, pg. 4
https://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/swedish-erotica-custers-revenge
Custer's Revenge discontinued
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92040119/custers-revenge-pulled-from-shelves/
Atari warns users against 3rd party carts in Germany
https://archive.org/details/atari-club-magazin-1983-1/page/4/mode/1up
Modify your games with Answer's PGP1
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n13/page/n5/mode/1up?view=theater
http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-personal-game-programmer-pgp-1_20131.html
Turn your VCS into a computer
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n13/page/n5/mode/1up?view=theater
http://atarihq.com/museum/2678/piggybak.html
https://books.google.de/books?id=7y8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9&dq=entex+2000+piggyback&source=bl&ots=OX0w8DE4xG&sig=ACfU3U3WG9VdcJUcR9NCX3q7LdlLJxWc8Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJ9830hfn8AhVUgf0HHVo_AZQQ6AF6BAgdEAM#v=onepage&q=entex%202000%20piggyback&f=false
Palmtex takes gaming on the go
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n13/page/n3/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmtex_Portable_Videogame_System
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP7wtw4rk4g
Byte gets hands on with Compaq
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-01_OCR/page/n31/mode/1up?view=theater
Apple unveils the Lisa
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-01-27/page/n4/mode/1up
https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=265&st=1
Intel introduces the 80286
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-01_OCR/page/n473/mode/1up?view=theater
3.5" floppy standard agreed on
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/11/business/sony-agreement.html?searchResultPosition=6
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-01_OCR/page/n475/mode/1up?view=theater
CPM compatibility grows more difficult
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-01_OCR/page/n472/mode/1up?view=theater
Commodore announces portable 64
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-01-20/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Tramiel declares war on Sinclair
https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1983-01/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater
Texas Instruments targets ZX81 with TI99/2
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-01-27/page/n4/mode/1up
https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?st=1&c=267
Timex to distribute Speccy in USA
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-01-06/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timex_Sinclair_2068
Clive sells 10% stake in Sinclair Research
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-01-27/page/n4/mode/1up
Competition Pro Joystick debuts
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-01-27/page/n4/mode/1up
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Competition_Pro
Roklan moves into cartridges
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n12a/page/n3/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/company/roklan-corporation
Cosmi brings budget software to home micros
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n13/page/n1/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/company/cosmi-corporation
Survival Software pioneers the demo disk
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n11/page/n1/mode/1up
Gamestar advertises Starbowl
https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1983-01/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,7082/
Epyx gets cash infusion
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n12a/page/n1/mode/1up
Michael Katz Part Part 1 - Coleco - Epyx - Mattel
https://www.patreon.com/posts/35169258
Bug Byte defectors dare to Imagine
https://archive.org/details/computer-and-videogames-015/page/n114/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/game/zx-spectrum/arcadia/credits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB3QtuL29Cs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnzE4Oawtww
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-01-06/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.mobygames.com/company/imagine
Bug Byte ditches mail order
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-01-06/mode/1up?view=theater
Creative Computing drops out of the software game
https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1983-01/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater
Independent computer stores are closing
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-01_OCR/page/n475/mode/1up?view=theater
Returns loom as threat to software industry
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-january-1983/page/70/mode/1up
Console tech comes to phones
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/07/business/baby-bell-offers-its-first-2-phones.html?searchResultPosition=7
Graphics are holding online shopping back
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/13/business/technology-retailing-by-computer.html?searchResultPosition=14
The Internet is born
https://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit07/internet07_02.phtml
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
Find out on the VGNRTM
40 years ago:
Compaq gives birth to the PC clone,
Commodore and TI declare war on Sinclair &
A day of reckoning awaits the software business
These stories and many more on the latest episode of the VGNRTM
crash,atari,sega,mattel,coleco,intellivision,vcs,commodore,texasinstruments,apple,lisa, compaq