Video Game Newsroom Time Machine: December 1983

December 1983

Feb 12, 2024

Toys push games off of shelves,

GUIs vie for supremacy &

Coinops' laserdisc dreams dashed

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 December 1983.

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/

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Links:

(If you can't see all the links for this episode, please, check out this episode on our patreon page for the complete set.)

7 Minutes in Heaven: Porky's

Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-98182124

https://www.mobygames.com/game/22975/porkys/

Corrections:

November 1983 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/november-1983-96193251

Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/

1973

Coinop braces for oil-crisis fallout

https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_23/page/43/mode/1up

https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_24/page/42/mode/1up

http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/space-invaders-and-nishikado/

Ball and paddle goes color

https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_23/page/43/mode/1up

http://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-ultimate-so-far-history-of-nutting_21.html

https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_23/page/n47/mode/1up

Kee Games teams up with Atari

https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_24/page/42/mode/1up

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

https://archive.org/details/cashbox05unse_9/mode/2up?view=theater

1983

Marschfield kicks games out

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/08/us/massachusetts-town-exiles-pac-man-and-all-that.html

https://eu.wickedlocal.com/story/marshfield-mariner/2021/09/23/marshfield-ma-coin-machine-industries-association-supreme-court-ban-pacman-donkeykong-look-back/8241109002/

AMOA a dud

Play Meter Dec. 31, 1983

Laserdisc is DOA in the UK

https://archive.org/details/play-meter-december-15-1983/page/60/mode/2up

Kevin Hayes - Atari - Namco https://www.patreon.com/posts/50612798

Laserdisc games coming home... just not any time soon.

Play Meter Dec. 1, 1983

Sente debuts the Sente Computer System

NewsBytes 12/20/83 - Entering the Snakepit - A Winner:

https://arcadeblogger.com/2019/11/10/bally-sente-saviour-of-the-arcades/

Games People Dec. 18, 1983, pg. 1

https://flyers.arcade-museum.com/videogames/search/gallery?manuf_id=63

https://youtu.be/dSwR9ra57uk?si=nY7UQORTBVaK-mLa

Battle of the Cons is over

RePlay, Dec. 1983 pg. 13

Play Meter Dec. 1, 1983

Rosen steps down

Playthings, Dec. 1983, p. 11

RePlay, Dec. 1983, pg. 18

Nintendo profits drop

(DECEMBER 21, 1983, WEDNESDAY). NINTENDO'S CONSOLIDATED NET DOWN 2.3 PCT. Copyright 1983 Jiji Press Ltd.Jiji Press Ticker Service. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJD-P360-001B-N1P6-00000-00&context=1516831.

Nintendo buys Pizza Time franchise

(December 6, 1983). Family restaurant will be opened in Vancouver. The Japan Economic Journal. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-1MS0-000H-H0FJ-00000-00&context=1516831.

https://archive.org/stream/0966961706/0966961706_djvu.txt pg. 114

Atari opens first Atari Adventure location

https://archive.org/details/Atari_Coin_Connection_Volume_7_Number_11_December_1983

https://atari-computermuseum.de/aac.htm

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fpaot66m84vm41.jpg

Dragon's Lair merch on the way

Playthings, Dec. 1983

http://www.dragons-lair-project.com/games/related/merchandise/trading_cards_stickers.asp

Video game prices drop as toys take Xmas center stage

Playthings, Dec. 1983

Intellivision System Changer launched

https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-9/page/130/mode/1up?view=theater

https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-9/page/143/mode/1up?view=theater

https://retroconsoles.fandom.com/wiki/System_Changer

Wagner out at Mattel

Playthings, Dec. 1983

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-02-19-me-412-story.html

Warner sells movie and TV rights

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/22/business/warner-will-sell-existing-contracts.html

(December 23, 1983, Friday). Warner sells film contracts for $350m. Financial Times (London,England). https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-29G0-000F-5467-00000-00&context=1516831.

Atari teams with Activision to bring games home

(December 16, 1983, Friday, AM cycle). Atari, Activision To Broadcast Video Games to Homes. The Associated Press. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJ4-K6B0-0011-5089-00000-00&context=1516831.

NewsBytes 12/20/83 - Software Through the Airwaves

Romox test units hit the streets

https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-9/page/141/mode/1up?view=theater

Vidco brings piracy to the 2600

https://www.retrothing.com/2006/06/vintage_video_g.html

Electronic Games Hotline Dec. 4, 1983 pg. 4

Move over 5200 joystick, 5200 controller buttons shoddy too!

https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-9/page/135/mode/1up?view=theater

Comdex fails to impress

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/06/science/personal-computers-windows-and-gateways-loom-in-near-future.html

VisiOn launch fails to impress

https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews039-07Dec1983/page/n5/mode/2up

Really, windows? Who needs it?

https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews041-21Dec1983/page/n5/mode/2up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VNS8TE4XhU&t=250s

Apple introduces Lisa development tools

https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-12_OCR/page/n9/mode/1up

Sierra's Homeword makes word processing easy

https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-9/page/142/mode/1up?view=theater

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/08/homeword-sierra-onlines-easy-to-use.html

https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1983-12/page/n195/mode/2up?view=theater

EA gets into productivity

https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1983-12/page/n69/mode/2up?view=theater

https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1983-12/page/n161/mode/2up?view=theater

Tandy goes PC compatible

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/01/business/tandy-s-personal-computer.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandy_2000

PCJr gets tested

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/27/science/personal-computers-the-little-ibm-finally-arrives-for-a-test.html

Computers are the hottest item this Xmas...

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/10/business/under-1983-christmas-tree-expect-the-home-computer.html

https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-9/mode/1up?view=theater

https://vgpavilion.com/mags/1983/12/18egh/text/ pg. 1

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/25/nyregion/the-guilt-of-computerless-parents.html

JCPenney drops computers

NewsBytes 12/20/83 Next Casualty

Coleco tries to calm markets

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/02/business/market-placevartanig-g-vartan-split-view-on-coleco-continues.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/01/business/coleco-says-its-adam-is-in-very-short-supply.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/09/business/coleco-can-t-savor-a-success.html

https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-9/page/136/mode/1up?view=theater

Commodore plagued by defective machines

Electronic Games Hotline Dec. 4, 1983, pg. 2

Atari announces Translator for the XL

https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-9/mode/1up?view=theater

http://www.atarimania.com/utility-atari-400-800-xl-xe-translator-_29943.html

Apple gets sprites

https://vgpavilion.com/mags/1983/12/18egh/text/ pg. 4

https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Fun_with_Computer_Games_Vol_02_No_02_1983-12_Fun_Games_Publishing_US/page/n19/mode/2up

Apple to enter home computer market

https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-9/mode/1up?view=theater

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

Computer game sales expected to rise dramatically in 1983

Playthings, Dec. 1983

TI99 software draught is over

electronic Games Hotline Dec. 4, 1983 pg. 2

MSX unites Japanese appliance makers

(DECEMBER 22, 1983, THURSDAY). TOKYO REPORT; SALES DRIVE FOR 'MSX' LAUNCHED. Copyright 1983 Jiji Press Ltd.Jiji Press Ticker Service. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJD-P320-001B-N1F3-00000-00&context=1516831.

CHARLES SMITH. (December 12, 1983, Monday). Adoption of MSX brings a new era. Financial Times (London,England). https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-2C80-000F-51NS-00000-00&context=1516831.

Speccy hits 1 million

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-12-22/page/n3/mode/2up

British hunger for computers outstrips supply

By Jason Crisp. (December 12, 1983, Monday). 'They're walking off the shelves'; BRITAIN'S HOME COMPUTER BOOM. Financial Times (London,England). https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-2C70-000F-51JX-00000-00&context=1516831.

https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews041-21Dec1983/page/n3/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews041-21Dec1983/page/n5/mode/2up

The Welsh give it another go

https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews039-07Dec1983/page/n23/mode/2up

Manic Miner moves publishers

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-12-08

Hungarian software makes a splash in the UK

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-12-01

Marvel gets Adventure-ous

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-12-22

https://www.mobygames.com/group/256/scott-adams-questprobe-series/

Richard Scarry signs deal with Coleco

https://vgpavilion.com/mags/1983/12/18egh/text/ pg. 4

https://www.mobygames.com/game/174878/richard-scarrys-best-electronic-word-book-ever/

Might & Magic: Adventure Number 1: The Lava Pits of Aznar goes on sale

https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1983-12/page/n339/mode/2up?view=theater

https://www.mobygames.com/game/132448/might-magic-the-lava-pits-of-aznar/

Quicksoft goes shareware

https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-12_OCR/page/n9/mode/1up

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC-Write

Penguin Publishing enters software market

https://archive.org/details/MicroAdventurer02-Dec83/page/n5/mode/2up

https://www.mobygames.com/game/26582/the-warlock-of-firetop-mountain/screenshots/

https://www.mobygames.com/company/8195/puffin-books-ltd/

Microsoft gets into book publishing

electronic Games Hotline Dec. 4, 1983 pg. 3

6502 goes 16 bit

https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-12_OCR/page/n8/mode/1up

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WDC_65C816

https://www.westerndesigncenter.com/wdc/index.php

Hey baby, I got a gig on 12 inches...

https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-12_OCR/page/n9/mode/1up

Online banking gaining steam

By PHILIP T. SUDO. (December 2, 1983, Friday). Pronto Tailored for More Systems; Home Banking Program Supported by Apple, IBM Computers. The American Banker. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-5Y90-000F-R551-00000-00&context=1516831.

Shopping goes online

https://archive.org/details/family-computing-04/page/n55/mode/2up

https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/69/CUC-International-Inc.html

Compuserve introduces online ads

https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-12_OCR/page/n9/mode/1up

Political scandal inspires Japanese computer game

Play Meter Dec. 15, 1983 pg. 92

PBS brings computer education to US TV

By DAVID O. TYSON. (December 2, 1983, Friday). Chase Promoting Public TV Series; Bank Is Taking Out Full-Page Ads in Newspapers To Boost 'Academy on Computers,' a 12-Week Course. The American Banker. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-5Y80-000F-R54S-00000-00&context=1516831.

Automan premieres

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/03/arts/tv-notes-cbs-tops-fall-sweeps-fifth-time.html

https://youtu.be/kA1NT4I0s34?si=sAQgPQyUimj-hqIi

Quotes of the Month:

https://archive.org/details/family-computing-04/page/n69/mode/2up

Al Lowe - Sierra https://www.patreon.com/posts/29977733

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-12-15/page/n3/mode/2up?view=theater

December 1983

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