October 1982

Nov 6, 2022

Distributors give conversion boards the cold shoulder
Atari looks down on the competition
The computer price war heats 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 October 1982.
As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events.

Ethan from the The History of How We Play is our cohost. You can find his other fine retrogaming work here:
https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
or
https://twitter.com/GameResearch_E

Get us on your mobile device:
Android: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly92aWRlb2dhbWVuZXdzcm9vbXRpbWVtYWNoaW5lLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vcnNz
iOS: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/video-game-newsroom-time-machine

And if you like what we are doing here at the podcast, don't forget to like us on your podcasting app of choice, YouTube, and/or support us on patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/VGNRTM

Send comments on twitter @videogamenewsr2
Or
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vgnrtm
Or
[e-mail]

Links:
7 Minutes in Heaven: Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-74255622
https://www.mobygames.com/game/smurf-rescue-in-gargamels-castle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smurfs#Television_series

Corrections:
September 1982 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/september-1982-72623643
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Joe:_A_Real_American_Hero

1972
Star Trek comes to the arcades
Cashbox October 14, 1972 pg. 57
https://www.mobygames.com/game/star-trek__

1982
Arcade industry faces massive slow down
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/24/business/what-s-new-in-video-games-taking-the-zing-out-of-the-arcade-boom.html

Burger Time rights split
Replay Oct. 1982 pg. 51
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/burgertime

Tarzan stops Taito's Jungle King
Games People Oct. 16 pg. 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahfHlIqOLRY
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/jungle-hunt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarzan

Conversion kits get distributor cold shoulder
Replay Oct. 1982, pg. 13, pg. 35
Replay Oct. 1982, pg. 38, 94
https://www.gamesdatabase.org/all_publisher_games-status_games

Sega shows off video disk tech
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/24/business/what-s-new-in-video-games-and-trying-to-put-it-back.html?searchResultPosition=5
https://segaretro.org/Astron_Belt
https://segaretro.org/Sega_LaserDisc_hardware

Politicians gunning for games
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92045039/legislator-criticizes-custers-revenge/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/apple2/firebug/adblurbs
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/15/nyregion/new-york-day-by-day-221763.html?searchResultPosition=7
https://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/swedish-erotica-custers-revenge
Ed Zaron - Muse - https://www.patreon.com/posts/30697517
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Armstrong_Custer

Game violence discussion begins
Games People Oct. 2, 1982, pg. 5
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/berzerk

Mattel loses to Phillips
Arcade Express v.1 n5 pg. 1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnavox_Odyssey#Lawsuits

FCC goes after Colecovision
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77695436/colecovision-does-not-have-to-recall/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77695449/colecovision-does-not-have-to-recall/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77787676/colecovision-partial-recall-due-to-fcc/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77787618/coleco-fcc-fine/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ColecoVision

Warner profits surge
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/19/business/rca-posts-a-profit-warner-tandy-up.html?searchResultPosition=15
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/22/business/big-board-short-interest-climbs-to-record-level.html?searchResultPosition=3

Atari R&D hits $100 million
Games People Oct. 9, 1982 pg. 2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evans_%26_Sutherland

Atari dismisses competitors
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/04/arts/home-video-games-nearing-profitability-of-the-film-business.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kassar

Atari pumps up movie licenses
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-october-1982/page/7/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-october-1982/page/29/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/raiders-of-the-lost-ark
https://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/et-the-extra-terrestrial_

Nitron agrees to buy Astrocade
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/20/business/briefs-232796.html?searchResultPosition=19
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bally_Astrocade

Channel F returns!
https://archive.org/details/videogaming-illustrated-october-1982/page/10/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Channel_F

Intellivision keyboard component goes back to the drawing board
https://ia902506.us.archive.org/29/items/computer-entertainer-video-game-update_202205/1982-10%20The%20Video%20Game%20Update.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellivision#Keyboard_Component

Conan is coming to the Astrocade
https://archive.org/details/videogaming-illustrated-october-1982/page/49/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3MU8YywoHk

Ultravision joins 2600 fray
Arcade Express v.1 n5 pg. 2
https://www.mobygames.com/company/ultravision-inc

Frobco is selling the Frob
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-october-1982/page/n73/mode/1up?view=theater
http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-frob-26_29983.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VIC-20

Apple slashes prices
https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_07-10_1982-10_Computers_in_Business/page/n457/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_IIe
https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_07-10_1982-10_Computers_in_Business/page/n457/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/sim_compute_1982-10_4_29/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater

Apple severs ties with Xerox
https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_07-10_1982-10_Computers_in_Business/page/n457/mode/1up?view=theater

Atari replaces Badetscher with Cavalier
https://archive.org/details/sim_compute_1982-10_4_29/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater

Spectravision announces Vic20 cartridge games
https://ia902506.us.archive.org/29/items/computer-entertainer-video-game-update_202205/1982-10%20The%20Video%20Game%20Update.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectravideo
http://www.atarimania.com/documents/spectravideo_spring_summer_1983_press_kit.pdf
https://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/spectravideo-international-ltd/list-games/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VIC-20

Spectrum launch a debacle
https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_007/page/5/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1982-10-21/page/n4/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1982-10-14/page/n4/mode/1up https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_007/page/14/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX_Spectrum

ZX81 software prices drop
https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_007/page/11/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX81

Hewson launches ZX81 flight sim
https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_007/page/17/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/game/pilot
https://www.mobygames.com/company/21st-century-entertainment-ltd

Computers adapt to reduce stress
https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_07-10_1982-10_Computers_in_Business/page/n457/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_CPC

Softside editorial discusses the future of computing as a field of study
https://archive.org/details/softside-magazine-49/page/n5/mode/1up

Creative Computing explores the origins of the video game
https://archive.org/details/creativecomputing-1982-10/page/n191/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_for_Two

Cyborg 64 Gazzette debuts
https://archive.org/details/Cyborg-64_Gazette_Issue_1_Vol_1_1982-10-11_Synertech_Design_US
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.info_(magazine)

Software Merchandising magazine premieres
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-october-1982/page/6/mode/1up?view=theater

Computerland goes Software only
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-october-1982/page/8/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ComputerLand

Book retailers eyeing software
https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_07-10_1982-10_Computers_in_Business/page/n456/mode/1up?view=theater
https://web.archive.org/web/20150630082300/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/898798718.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._Dalton#Software_Etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldenbooks

Atari Force takes to comics
https://archive.org/details/videogaming-illustrated-october-1982/page/9/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/Atari_Force_Volume_1_Number_1_1982_DC_Comics/page/n3/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Force

TV viewers to go to the Starcade
Replay Oct. 1982 pg. 42
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starcade

Star Fighter to make video game dreams a silverscreen reality
https://archive.org/details/videogaming-illustrated-october-1982/page/10/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Starfighter

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/

Sound Effects by Ethan Johnson of History of How We Play.

Copyright Karl Kuras

Find out on the VGNRTM

atari, colecovision, 5200, 2600, arcade, sega, custer's revenge, commodore, apple, last starfighter, starcade, channel f, astrocade, burger time, smurfs

40 years ago:
Distributors give conversion boards the cold shoulder,
#Atari looks down on the competition &
The computer price war heats up

These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM