December 2019

Dec 9, 2019

Bushnell borrows big to build!
Tengen trounced in Tetris tussle!
Pokemon perceived to push to pupils!

These stories and many more on this month's episode of the Video Game Newsroom Time Machine

This month we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game industry in December of 1979, 1989, 1999.
As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events..

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Show Notes:
1979:
Pizza Time theater gets big loan
Replay December 1979, pg. 6
Play Meter December, 1979, pg. 37

AMOA show reviews are in
RePlay December 1979, pg. 15

Sega standardizes their arcade boards
Play Meter December 1979, pg. 92
Play Meter Update Edition Dec. 31 1979, pg. 1
https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/1982/jul/15/cover-exactly-zaxxon/#

Space Invaders modification boards are out
Play Meter December, 1979, pg. 24

Space Invader clones hit home computers
https://archive.org/details/CreativeComputingbetterScan197912/page/n20
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Invader_(video_game)

The Computer Shopper debuts
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1979-12-rescan/page/n210

IBM Microcomputer rumors promise a revolution
https://archive.org/details/Kilobaud197912/page/n5

1989:
JAMMA show jam packed with... carnival games?
https://archive.org/details/ACE_Issue_27_1989-12_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n9

Microprose opens development studio in the UK
https://archive.org/details/ACE_Issue_27_1989-12_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n10

Epyx files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_66/page/n9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epyx

Activision is a gaming company once again!
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_66/page/n9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activision#Mediagenic_(1988%E2%80%931992)

Club Caribe launches on Q-Link
https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_Computer_Entertainment_Issue_11_December_1989 page 23
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_(video_game)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_Link
http://neohabitat.org

A new month, a new Atari hardware launch!
https://archive.org/details/ACE_Issue_27_1989-12_Future_Publishing_GB/page/n10
http://www.atari-computermuseum.de/abc286.htm

Lynx stalls
https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_005_December_1989/page/n89

Sega parts ways with Tonka
https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_005_December_1989/page/n89
https://segaretro.org/Tonka

Konix misses Xmas and payments...
https://archive.org/details/thegamesmachine-25/page/n6

The Wizard hits theaters!
https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_005_December_1989/page/n48
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_(1989_film)

Nintendo beats Atari in Tetris fight
Replay, December 1989, pg. 11

1999:
Y2K is upon us!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2000_problem

3dfx CEO, Gregory Ballard steps down
https://archive.org/details/NextGen60Dec1999/page/n13
https://www.cnet.com/news/3dfxs-chief-executive-resigns/

The French game publisher stock market money spree continues!
https://archive.org/details/NextGen60Dec1999/page/n13
https://www.mobygames.com/company/virgin-interactive-entertainment-inc
https://www.mobygames.com/company/titus-interactive-sa

Barnes & Nobel buys up Babbages Etc.
https://archive.org/details/NextGen60Dec1999/page/n14
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameStop

Pokemon, the OG Loot box
https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/24/nyregion/suit-claims-pokemon-is-lottery-not-just-fad.html
https://archive.org/details/NextGen60Dec1999/page/n14

Arcade games get rated
https://archive.org/details/NextGen60Dec1999/page/n19

Disney's Quest to dominate arcades comes to an end
https://archive.org/details/NextGen60Dec1999/page/n19
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZQGtnEL2xs

Games to movies still a thing.
https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_Issue_083_1999-12_Dennis_Publishing_GB/page/n22

Recommended Links:
They Create Worlds: https://tcwpodcast.podbean.com/
Digital Antiquarian: https://www.filfre.net/
The Arcade Blogger: https://arcadeblogger.com/
The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/