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The Video Game Newsroom Time Machine is a weekly retro gaming podcast in which we travel back in time to see what was making headlines 40, 30, and 20 years ago in the arcade, video game, and computer gaming business and interview industry veterans. 

We try to put those events into historical context to understand how the industry of today came to be. 

It's fun and educational! (in case you need to justify listening to it to a significant other)

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Mar 22, 2020

On this special episode of the Video Game Newsroom Time Machine, Karl has a chat with industry legend Michael Katz.  They talk about his time at Mattel, the inner workings of product development in the toy business, how he developed the concept of the electronic LED game there, then went on to lambast that very product line at his next position at Coleco and we end the interview when he takes the reigns at computer game company Epyx.

And because we didn't even get to his game changing stint at Sega or time working at Tramiel's Atari, there will be a follow up in the weeks ahead.  Enjoy this candid, and very fun interview.

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Mattel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattel

Mattel Hanhdelds
https://www.handheldmuseum.com/Mattel/index.html

LED Pocket Calculators
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calculator#Pocket_calculators

Intellivision
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellivision

Coleco
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleco

Coleco Handhelds
https://www.handheldmuseum.com/Coleco/

Coleco Electronic Quarterback commercial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93u6POODKQY

Intellivision George Plimpton ad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD9GySeh2t4

Coleco Ms. Pac-Man
https://archive.org/details/hh_cmspacmn

Cabbage Patch Kids
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage_Patch_Kids

Atari Corp sues Nintendo
https://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/02/business/nintendo-is-sued-by-atari.html
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19920503&id=5UNWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e-oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1413,741200

Epyx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epyx

Pitstop
https://www.mobygames.com/game/pitstop

CEO of Epyx
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/28/business/business-people-a-new-chief-for-epyx-game-software-maker.html

Starpath
https://www.mobygames.com/company/starpath-corporation

US Gold
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Gold

GI Joe
https://www.mobygames.com/game/gi-joe-a-real-american-hero