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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Jul 22, 2024
Sinclair ships QLs,
Atari looks hopeful &
Jack is BACK!
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 May 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/
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https://www.theycreateworlds.com/book
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https://www.humblebundle.com/books/game-programming-taylor-francis-books
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Links:
If you don't see all the links, find them here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/108363601
7 Minutes in Heaven: Rescue on Fractalus
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/108357926
https://www.mobygames.com/game/11726/rescue-on-fractalus/
Corrections:
April 1984 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/april-1984-106448718
Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_42/page/50/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.quora.com/What-was-Alan-Kays-experience-like-working-at-Apple
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_TopView
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smalltalk
1974:
New York Court rules pinball is a game of skill
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_45/page/51/mode/1up?view=theater
Atari opens another Game Center
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_45/page/50/mode/1up?view=theater
Bally buys Alladin's Castle
https://archive.org/details/cashbox36unse/page/43/mode/1up
1984:
Morgan predicts profitability by July 1
Atari expects to return to surplus this year. Financial Times (London,England), May 22, 1984, Tuesday, Section: SECTION II; International Companies; Pg. 21, Byline: BY LOUISE KEHOE IN SAN FRANCISCO
National News in Brief, United Press International, May 22, 1984, Tuesday, PM cycle, Section: Domestic News, Dateline: SANTA CLARA, Calif.
Ross predicts Warner profitability
No Headline In Original, The Associated Press, May 24, 1984, Thursday, BC cycle, Section: Business News
Atari confirms negotiations with Philips
Discussions with Philips; ATARITEL TO DELAY ENTRY INTO HIGH-TECH PHONE MARKET, Communications Daily, May 29, 1984, Tuesday, Section: Vol. 4, No. 104; Pg. 2
Atari announces more layoffs and plant closing
"Computer Giant Furloughs Middle Managers, The Associated Press, May 31, 1984, Thursday, AM cycle, Section: Domestic News, Dateline: SUNNYVALE, Calif.
Atari to end Hong Kong venture, Financial Times (London,England), ,May 31, 1984, Thursday, Section: SECTION II; International Companies; Pg. 19, Byline: BY LOUISE KEHOE IN SAN FRANCISCO"
Alan Kay goes to Apple
Jack is back
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-17/mode/1up?view=theater
Tramel Technology founded
https://mcurrent.name/atarihistory/tramel_technology.html
Commodore exec exodus continues
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-24/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Gulf and Western sells Sega
"COMPUTER SERVICES OBTAINS 70 PCT STAKE IN SEGA ENTERPRISES, Jiji Press Ticker Service, MAY 21, 1984, MONDAY, Dateline: TOKYO, MAY 21
No Headline In Original, PR Newswire, May 21, 1984, Monday"
Bally profits plummet
https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse_15/page/29/mode/1up?view=theater
Mattel secures new financing
Mattel Agrees To Give Up 45 Percent of Its Voting Stock, The Associated Press, May 4, 1984, Friday, AM cycle, Section: Business News
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/04/business/mattel-sets-restructuring.html?searchResultPosition=1
Coleco issues new debt
Troubled Game Manufacturer Rasing $50 Million With Debentures, The Associated Press,May 9, 1984, Wednesday, AM cycle, Section: Business News
Coleco backlog is enormous
Toy and Hobby World, May 1984, pg. 8
Coleco gets new ad agency
Ketchum Scores Coleco; Demands Cash Up Front From Shaky ClientADWEEKMay 21, 1984, Eastern Edition, Byline: By Debbie Seaman
Hasbro buys Milton Bradley
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/05/business/rival-gets-milton-bradley.html?searchResultPosition=1
Toys R Us sales grow, but not thanks to games
No Headline In Original, PR Newswire, May 2, 1984, Wednesday, Dateline: ROCHELLE PARK, N.J., May 2
Japanese Coinop makers go after North American Pirates
https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse_16/page/30/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse_17/page/n29/mode/1up
Century's CVS gets new lease on life
Play Meter May 1, 1984, pg. 21
https://www.arcade-museum.com/company/crown-vending
Bankers learn not to finance games
Selling Repossessed Items Is a Banker's Nightmare; Want to Buy a Trawler, Bordello, or Video Game?, The American Banker, May 30, 1984, Wednesday, Section: BACK PAGE; Pg. 24, Byline: Special to the American Banker, Dateline: ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.
Activision sales collapse
No Headline In Original, United Press International, May 3, 1984, Thursday, BC cycle, Section: Financial, Dateline: MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.
Video Games aren't DEAD!
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-2/page/30/mode/1up
Atari announces 7800
Atari Unveils Video Game Expandable into Computer, The Associated Press,May 21, 1984, Monday, BC cycle,Section: Business News
ATARI; Unveils advanced video game that is expandable to introductory computer, Business Wire, May 21, 1984, Monday
Adam owner frustration grows
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-2/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
MSX adopts 3.5 inch disks
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-31/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Activision signs deal with Pony
ACTIVISION; Signs licensing agreement with Pony Inc. for Japanese markets, Business Wire, May 30, 1984, Wednesday, Dateline: MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.
MSX coming to UK
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-24/mode/1up?view=theater
Dragon to announce MSX machine
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-31/mode/1up?view=theater
https://tromax.webnode.es/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_MSX
Philips and Thompson want to set new standard
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-03/mode/1up?view=theater
Amstrad development fracas revealed
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-03/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater
Acorn announces ABM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Business_Computer https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-03/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
First QL's go out to customers
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-03/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Popular Computing Weekly gets their QL!
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-10/page/n4/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-17/page/n15/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-31/page/n22/mode/1up?view=theater
Sir Clive passes on Delorean plant
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-24/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Computer games take CES by storm
https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1984-05/page/n135/mode/1up?view=theater
Mac software arrives
https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1984-05/page/n207/mode/2up?view=theater
First Origin games get tested
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-2/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Lucasfilm Games Premieres
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-2 Lucasfilm ''force'' enters video game market, United Press International, May 9, 1984, Wednesday, AM cycle, Section: Domestic News, Byline: By JOHN M. LEIGHTY
British devs embrace C64
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-31/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
USGold launches with Aztec Challenge and Forbidden Forest
https://archive.org/details/computer-and-videogames-031/page/n15/mode/2up https://archive.org/details/computer-and-videogames-031/page/n32/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/computer-and-videogames-031/page/n41/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/computer-and-videogames-031/page/n59/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/CommodoreHorizonsIssue051984May300dpi/page/n23/mode/2up?view=theater
Evil Dead coming to the C64
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-17/mode/1up?view=theater
Leisure Games wants you to go to Jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-05-03/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.mobygames.com/company/2715/leisure-genius/
Games Network warns that Bankruptcy is looming
Computer Taken by Creditor; GAMES NETWORK INSOLVENT, SAYS BANKRUPTCY IS NEAR, Communications Daily, May 17, 1984, Thursday,Section: Vol. 4, No. 97; Pg. 2
Adam Magazine to arrive
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-2/page/25/mode/1up
Australia recognizes Copyright
ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC NEWS IN BRIEF, Copyright 1984 Jiji Press Ltd.Jiji Press Ticker Service, MAY 30, 1984, WEDNESDAY
Sanders income booms while royalty revenue dips SANDERS-ASSOCIATES; Financial resultsBusiness WireMay 21, 1984, Monday, Dateline: NASHUA, N.H.
Battlefield Earth gets a soundtrack
https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse_15/page/n31/mode/1up?view=theater
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