June 1984
09/14/24 • 229 min
The home computer market implodes, Atari announces 7800 & Console software dries up.
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 June 1984. 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: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/ and order his book here: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/book
Get us on your mobile device: Android: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly92aWRlb2dhbWVuZXdzcm9vbXRpbWVtYWNoaW5lLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz iOS: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/video-game-newsroom-time-machine
And if you like what we are doing here at the podcast, don't forget to like us on your podcasting app of choice, YouTube, and/or support us on patreon! https://www.patreon.com/VGNRTM
Send comments on Mastodon @[email protected] Or twitter @videogamenewsr2 Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vgnrtm Or [email protected]
Links: If you don't see all the links, find them here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/112063864
7 Minutes in Heaven: Summer Games Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-111922026 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Games_(video_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_Summer_Olympics
Corrections: May 1984 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/may-1984-108363601 Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/ https://forums.atariage.com/topic/283473-coleco-industries-inc-annual-quarterly-reports-1981-to-1986/ https://www.mobygames.com/company/1181/ientertainment-network-inc/ https://www.mobygames.com/company/56/imagic/
1954: MIDAC and MIDSAC premiered Electronic Brain Shoots Dice, Plays Mean Game, The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) · 27 Jun 1954 https://www.retrogamedeconstructionzone.com/2021/07/midsac-pool-simulator.html https://www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/2019/michigan-pool
1974: Is Pong gambling? While Pondering Decision, A Look at Evidence The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida) · 04 Jun 1974, Tue
Grand Trak 10 cracks 1000 https://archive.org/details/cashbox36unse_1/page/37/mode/1up?view=theater https://archive.org/details/cashbox36unse_2/page/35/mode/1up
US coinop exports boom https://archive.org/details/cashbox36unse_3/page/38/mode/1up
Smithsonian displays coinop machines https://archive.org/details/cashbox36unse_3/page/39/mode/1up
1984: Home computer boom busts https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/04/business/the-expected-boom-in-home-computers-fails-to-materialize.html?searchResultPosition=1
Atari HQ gets mass layoffs Atari Layoffs Start At Home Office, The New York Times, June 1, 1984, Friday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section D; Page 3, Column 5; Financial Desk https://books.google.de/books?id=wS4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA78&dq=infoworld%201984%20june&hl=de&pg=PA9#v=onepage&q=infoworld%201984%20june&f=false
Commodore raises prices https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-3/page/n1/mode/2up
Top Commodore Execs go to Tramel Computer market is Commodore's battleground, Financial Times (London,England), June 8, 1984, Friday, Section: SECTION II; International Companies; Pg. 17, Byline: BY LOUISE KEHOE IN SAN FRANCISCO
Philips announces new division https://archive.org/details/happycomputer-magazine-1984-06/page/n7/mode/2up
Coleco returns to profitability No Headline In Original, The Associated Press, June 14, 1984, Thursday, PM cycle, Section: Business News
Hasbro buys MB Playthings June 1984, pg. 9 Mattel gets financial boost Playthings June 1984, pg. 9 BUSINESS PEOPLE ;Mattel, Solely in Toys,Combines Management, The New York Times, June 7, 1984, Thursday, Late City Final Edition,Section: Section D; Page 2, Column 5; Financial Desk, Byline: By Kenneth N. Gilpin
General Instruments revenue 66% down No Headline In Original, Communications Daily, June 13, 1984, Wednesday, Section: NOTEBOOK; Vol. 4, No. 115; Pg. 8
More hardware companies fail AT&T to introduce personal computer; Kaypro mystery; UNIX-ability; Thinking ahead, The San Diego Union-Tribune, June 25, 1984 Monday, Section: BUSINESS; Pg. C-11, Byline: Dan Berger, Staff Writer
More Software companies fail https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-21/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Argus buys Quicksilva https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-07/mode/1up?view=theater
Gillette buys into Datasoft https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_4.3/page/n15/mode/2up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillette
Smaller publishers find strength in numbers https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_Wor...
The home computer market implodes, Atari announces 7800 & Console software dries up.
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 June 1984. 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: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/ and order his book here: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/book
Get us on your mobile device: Android: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly92aWRlb2dhbWVuZXdzcm9vbXRpbWVtYWNoaW5lLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz iOS: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/video-game-newsroom-time-machine
And if you like what we are doing here at the podcast, don't forget to like us on your podcasting app of choice, YouTube, and/or support us on patreon! https://www.patreon.com/VGNRTM
Send comments on Mastodon @[email protected] Or twitter @videogamenewsr2 Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vgnrtm Or [email protected]
Links: If you don't see all the links, find them here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/112063864
7 Minutes in Heaven: Summer Games Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-111922026 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Games_(video_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_Summer_Olympics
Corrections: May 1984 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/may-1984-108363601 Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/ https://forums.atariage.com/topic/283473-coleco-industries-inc-annual-quarterly-reports-1981-to-1986/ https://www.mobygames.com/company/1181/ientertainment-network-inc/ https://www.mobygames.com/company/56/imagic/
1954: MIDAC and MIDSAC premiered Electronic Brain Shoots Dice, Plays Mean Game, The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) · 27 Jun 1954 https://www.retrogamedeconstructionzone.com/2021/07/midsac-pool-simulator.html https://www.masswerk.at/nowgobang/2019/michigan-pool
1974: Is Pong gambling? While Pondering Decision, A Look at Evidence The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida) · 04 Jun 1974, Tue
Grand Trak 10 cracks 1000 https://archive.org/details/cashbox36unse_1/page/37/mode/1up?view=theater https://archive.org/details/cashbox36unse_2/page/35/mode/1up
US coinop exports boom https://archive.org/details/cashbox36unse_3/page/38/mode/1up
Smithsonian displays coinop machines https://archive.org/details/cashbox36unse_3/page/39/mode/1up
1984: Home computer boom busts https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/04/business/the-expected-boom-in-home-computers-fails-to-materialize.html?searchResultPosition=1
Atari HQ gets mass layoffs Atari Layoffs Start At Home Office, The New York Times, June 1, 1984, Friday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section D; Page 3, Column 5; Financial Desk https://books.google.de/books?id=wS4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA78&dq=infoworld%201984%20june&hl=de&pg=PA9#v=onepage&q=infoworld%201984%20june&f=false
Commodore raises prices https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-3/page/n1/mode/2up
Top Commodore Execs go to Tramel Computer market is Commodore's battleground, Financial Times (London,England), June 8, 1984, Friday, Section: SECTION II; International Companies; Pg. 17, Byline: BY LOUISE KEHOE IN SAN FRANCISCO
Philips announces new division https://archive.org/details/happycomputer-magazine-1984-06/page/n7/mode/2up
Coleco returns to profitability No Headline In Original, The Associated Press, June 14, 1984, Thursday, PM cycle, Section: Business News
Hasbro buys MB Playthings June 1984, pg. 9 Mattel gets financial boost Playthings June 1984, pg. 9 BUSINESS PEOPLE ;Mattel, Solely in Toys,Combines Management, The New York Times, June 7, 1984, Thursday, Late City Final Edition,Section: Section D; Page 2, Column 5; Financial Desk, Byline: By Kenneth N. Gilpin
General Instruments revenue 66% down No Headline In Original, Communications Daily, June 13, 1984, Wednesday, Section: NOTEBOOK; Vol. 4, No. 115; Pg. 8
More hardware companies fail AT&T to introduce personal computer; Kaypro mystery; UNIX-ability; Thinking ahead, The San Diego Union-Tribune, June 25, 1984 Monday, Section: BUSINESS; Pg. C-11, Byline: Dan Berger, Staff Writer
More Software companies fail https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-21/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Argus buys Quicksilva https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-07/mode/1up?view=theater
Gillette buys into Datasoft https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_4.3/page/n15/mode/2up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillette
Smaller publishers find strength in numbers https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_Wor...
Previous Episode
Larry J. Dunlap - The Games Network, Imperial Wars
The dawn of the home computer seemed to usher in the death of computing's networked past dominated by dumb terminals connected to mainframes, but a few visionaries foresaw a world in which the microcomputer technology invading millions of homes could be connected and the data networks already in consumer hands, such as cable TV and telephones, could usher in a new way of connecting people and distributing software.
Our guest, Larry J. Dunlap, was one such pioneer. The company he cofounded, The Games Network almost brought that dream to the world but tragically came up short.
Larry tells us of his early days as a musician, a recording entrepreneur, his entry into computing, the spectacular rise of The Games Network, its fall, and life after failure, his reinvention as an online game developer and today, as a novelist.
A fascinating life as told by a true storyteller.
Oh, and TV's Robin, Burt Ward, and D&D co-creator Dave Arnesson also play roles.
Recorded: September 2022
Get us on your mobile device:
iOS: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/video-game-newsroom-time-machine
And if you like what we are doing here at the podcast, don't forget to like us on your podcasting app of choice, YouTube, and/or support us on patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/VGNRTM
Send comments on twitter @videogamenewsr2
Or
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vgnrtm
Or
Links:
If you can't see all the links, find them here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/larry-j-dunlap-108388905
https://www.discogs.com/artist/822821-Stark-Naked-And-The-Car-Thieves
Replay August 19982, pg. 66
Gordon Walton Part 2 - EA - Origin
https://www.patreon.com/posts/53726080
Gordon Walton Part 1 - Epyx - Konami - Harpoon - Gametek
https://www.patreon.com/posts/52644122
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Arneson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_Corporation
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/24/business/briefs-119250.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halt_and_Catch_Fire_(TV_series)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Ward
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Popeil
Copyright Karl Kuras
Next Episode
Raymond Yap - Wong's International, Mondex
The boom of home computers and electronics in the 1970s and 1980s was as much a success of entrepreneurial endeavor and technological innovation, as it was of the blossoming worldwide supply chain.
One of the company's that made it all possible was WONG's International and our guest today, Raymond Yap was their representative in the UK. He helped make sure that the BBC Micro got into UK schools and traveled the world securing suppliers for all manner of electronics.
How did that business work? Where did his career lead after this? Raymond tells us of an amazing journey that includes not only manufacturing, but web startups and environmental education.
Recorded: March-June 2024
Get us on your mobile device:
iOS: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/video-game-newsroom-time-machine
And if you like what we are doing here at the podcast, don't forget to like us on your podcasting app of choice, YouTube, and/or support us on patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/VGNRTM
Send comments on twitter @videogamenewsr2
Or
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vgnrtm
Or
Links:
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-12-01/page/n14/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pong#Home_version
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Micro
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MK14
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Computers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Curry_(businessman)
Copyright Karl Kuras
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