June 1984

Video Game Newsroom Time Machine

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

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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_World_Issue_4.3/page/n15/mode/2up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamix

Marketing will save us! Orwell, Chaplin and the high-tech hype; U.S. personal computers, Financial Times (London,England), June 14, 1984, Thursday, Section: SECTION I; The Management Page: Marketing; Pg. 20, byline: BY LOUISE KEHOE

Atari announces 7800 https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_7800 Still looking for a niche; Gearing up for battle with Apple and IBM, Industry Week, June 25, 1984, Section: NEWS ANALYSIS; Home Computers; Pg. 16, Byline: By MICHAEL A. VERESPEJ

Atari introduces MindLink at CES "Retailers, Manufacturers View Gadgets At 4-Day Show, The Associated Press, June 3, 1984, Sunday, AM cycle, Section: Domestic News https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Mindlink Video Explosion On the Way For Buyers, U.S. News & World Report, June 18, 1984, Section: Pg. 56. Byline: By MARY GALLIGAN

Atari announces more expensive computer for Q4 No Headline In Original, The New York Times, June 4, 1984, Monday, Late City Final Edition,Section: Section D; Page 5, Column 1; Financial Desk https://www.atari-computermuseum.de/1450xld.htm

Commodore unveils Plus/4 No Headline In Original, The New York Times, June 4, 1984, Monday, Late City Final Edition,Section: Section D; Page 5, Column 1; Financial Desk

Rick Dyer shows off Halcyon! Laser game's creator beams, The San Diego Union-Tribune, June 2, 1984 Saturday, Section: LIFESTYLE; Pg. D-1, Byline: Mark Sauer, Staff Writer https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-sun-rick-dyer-aftermath-of-c/86522500/

Intellivision won't make it to CES

Computer games galore shown at CES https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-21/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater

Digital Audio is coming to floppies https://books.google.de/books?id=vi4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA5&dq=infoworld%201984%20june&hl=de&pg=PA9#v=onepage&q=infoworld%201984%20june&f=false https://tekkiepix.com/compusonics-2

Konami goes to Europe Konami will tap European market, The Japan Economic Journal, June 26, 1984, Section: SERVICE/LEISURE/FOOD; Pg. 17

Animatronics may save small coinop venues Replay June 1984, pg. 129 Play Meter June 1, 1984, pg. 43 https://berksnostalgia.com/gadgets-restaurant-berkshire-mall/

Console game releases dry up https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-3/page/n12/mode/1up UK computer sales boom https://archive.org/details/home-computing-weekly-066/mode/1up?view=theater

QL software drought continues https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-28/mode/1up?view=theater

Imagic gets a facelift https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-3/page/n11/mode/2up https://www.mobygames.com/company/56/imagic/ https://www.mobygames.com/company/7630/bantam-software/ Spinnaker gets serious about bookware https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-21/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater https://books.google.de/books?id=wi4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA7&dq=infoworld%201984%20june&hl=de&pg=PA42#v=onepage&q=infoworld%201984%20june&f=false Activision to distribute Gamestar https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-3/page/n11/mode/2up Boulder Dash license worth $1.3 million https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_4.3/page/n15/mode/2up

Thorn EMI gets HESWare rights https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-21/mode/1up?view=theater https://www.mobygames.com/company/7034/thorn-emi-computer-software/ https://books.google.de/books?id=wi4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA7&dq=infoworld%201984%20june&hl=de&pg=PA14#v=onepage&q=infoworld%201984%20june&f=false https://www.mobygames.com/game/9358/dragonfire/cover/group-139555/cover-394849/ https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-28/page/n3/mode/2up?view=theater

Ultimate snubs move to budget pricing https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-07/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater

Imagine sells game library https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-14/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater

20th Century Fox licenses TV shows https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-21/mode/1up?view=theater https://www.mobygames.com/game/56197/automan/ https://www.mobygames.com/game/38810/the-fall-guy/

Epyx announces Activity Toys https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-3/page/n11/mode/2up

Epyx lets the Ruskies join in Olympic fever No Headline In Original, PR Newswire, June 14, 1984, Thursday, Dateline: SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 14

Wizardry gets enhanced https://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-financial-cookbook_27176.html

EA wants to help cook your books https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-3/page/n3/mode/2up https://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-financial-cookbook_27176.html

Rand McNally wants to search your roads https://archive.org/details/Ahoy_Issue_06_1984-06_Ion_International_US/page/n5/mode/2up

Osborne goes budget https://books.google.de/books?id=wy4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA5&dq=infoworld%201984%20june&hl=de&pg=PA9#v=onepage&q=infoworld%201984%20june&f=false https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paperback_Software

64er magazine interviews crackers https://archive.org/details/64er_1984_06/page/12/mode/2up BellSouth looking to team up with Commodore No Headline In Original, Communications Daily, June 18, 1984, Monday, Section: NOTEBOOK; Vol. 4, No. 118; Pg. 7

Mail Order Pro makes payments easier https://books.google.de/books?id=wS4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA78&dq=infoworld%201984%20june&hl=de&pg=PA15#v=onepage&q=infoworld%201984%20june&f=false https://books.google.de/books?id=wS4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA78&dq=infoworld%201984%20june&hl=de&pg=PA30#v=onepage&q=infoworld%201984%20june&f=false Telematch gives up on consoles https://archive.org/details/TeleMatch.N12.Computer.1984.06-KCz.pdf/mode/1up Dennis D. Groth settles DENNIS-D-GROTH; Comments on settlement of SEC complaint, Business Wire, June 05, 1984, Tuesday Atari Executive Settles Stock Sale Charge, The Associated Press, June 6, 1984, Wednesday, PM cycle, Section: Domestic News

Taito settles with Entex Replay June 1984, pg. 30

FCC Gives Sanyo go ahead for antenna-less TV FCC OKs low-cost cable-only TV sets, United Press International, June 15, 1984, Friday, BC cycle, Section: Financial, Byline: By SYDNEY SHAW

Tax breaks may be hurting home computer sales TAX SHIFT MAY AID SALE OF LOW-COST COMPUTERS, The New York Times, June 19, 1984, Tuesday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section D; Page 13, Column 3; Financial Desk, Byline: By DAVID E. SANGER https://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n1/172_Writing_it_off_how_to_de.php https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deficit_Reduction_Act_of_1984

Computerland to go to China https://books.google.de/books?id=wy4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA5&dq=infoworld%201984%20june&hl=de&pg=PA15#v=onepage&q=infoworld%201984%20june&f=false Laserdiscs are coming to Saturday morning Playthings June 1984, pg. 54

Zap the Rise and Fall of Atari reviewed https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/24/books/thinking-machines-and-their-people.html?searchResultPosition=1

Steven Spielberg finds permanent home at Universal The Wizard of Wonderland, Newsweek, June 4, 1984, UNITED STATES EDITION, Section: MOVIES; Pg. 79, Byline: JACK KROLL with DAVID T. FRIENDLY in Los Angeles

RIP Dragon 32 https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-07/mode/2up?view=theater https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-06-28/mode/1up?view=theater Breaking news!! Warner negotiating sale of Atari to Paper Says Warner Negotiating to Sell Atari, The Associated Press, June 30, 1984, Saturday, AM cycle, Section: Domestic News

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