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)
Consider supporting us on Patreon
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Jun 18, 2024
Acorn and Commodore soar, as Coleco and Atari falter
Software takes center stage in PC clone world
UK game prices hit rock bottom
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 April 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/
and order his book here:
https://www.theycreateworlds.com/book
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Links:
If you don't see all the links, find them here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/106448718
7 Minutes in Heaven: Atic Atac
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-106323507
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atic_Atac
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-26/page/n1/mode/1up
Corrections:
March 1984 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/march-1984-104469980
Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
1954
Kefauver hearing puts pressure on comics industry
https://www.nytimes.com/1954/04/20/archives/comicbook-hearing-to-start-tomorrow.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1954/04/23/archives/senator-charges-deceit-on-comics-kefauver-says-child-study-groups.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estes_Kefauver
1964
IBM announces the 360
https://x.com/kenshirriff/status/1777022892477239724
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System/360
1974
Sega becomes American
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_41/page/50/mode/1up?view=theater
https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-saga-of-sega/
Mirco Games brings freeplay to video
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_42/page/50/mode/1up?view=theater
Sam Stern urges industry to go to 25 cent play
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_43/page/35/mode/1up?view=theater
David Gottlieb, RIP
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_43/page/35/mode/1up?view=theater
1984
Atari losses fall
Post Net Income of $30.9 Million, The Associated Press, April 19, 1984, Thursday, AM cycle, Section: Business News
Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Atari in Trouble Again
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/19/business/warner-severs-tie-with-ladd-warner-communications.html
Banks cut Coleco credit line
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/03/business/coleco-says-banks-cut-its-credit.html?searchResultPosition=1
Coleco reports rebound from last quarter's loss, United Press International, April 17, 1984, Tuesday, BC cycle
Commodore sales skyrocket!
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/27/business/profit-off-at-xerox-sperry-up.html
Toy & Hobby World, April 1984 pg. 12
Acorn revenues soar!
https://archive.org/details/AcornUser021-Apr84/page/n8/mode/1up
TI turn-around unprecedented
Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Texas Instruments Update
Milton Bradley returns to profitability
Milton Bradley Shows Profit in First Quarter, The Associated Press, April 20, 1984, Friday, BC cycle, Section: Business News
Toy Maker Talking About 'Business Combination' With Another Company, The Associated Press, April 26, 1984, Thursday, AM cycle, Section: Business News, Dateline: SPRINGFIELD, Mass.
Pizza Time Losses continue to mount
Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, In Brief
Atari closes last California factory
Newsbytes, April 3, 1984, Atari Lay-Off
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/07/business/atari-to-cut-550-jobs-at-2-plants.html
Alan Kay leaves Atari
Newsbytes, April 10, 1984, A week of resignations
5200 Software drought
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/12/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/15/mode/1up
German court squashe Unimex duplicator
https://binarium.de/unimex_duplicator_sp280
https://archive.org/details/happycomputer-magazine-1984-04/page/n7/mode/1up
Sinclair misses another QL deadline
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-05/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews057-14Apr1984/page/n3/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews056-07Apr1984/page/n5/mode/1up
Sinclair finds QL workaround!
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews059-28Apr1984/page/n3/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-26/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Hannover Fair sees flood of PCs
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews058-21Apr1984/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Commodore unveils PC clone
Newsbytes, April 3, 1984, Speaking of Clones
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/05/business/2-machines-challenge-ibm.html
IBM looks to shut down clones
Newsbytes, April 3, 1984, More IBM, by Paul Richter
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews056-07Apr1984/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
IBM buys additional Intel shares
Newsbytes, April 3, 1984, In Brief
PCJr sales still dismal
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/10/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews059-28Apr1984/page/n5/mode/1up?view=theater
Apple ][ forever!
Newsbytes, April 10, 1984, Apple II Forever
https://apple.fandom.com/wiki/Apple_II_Forever
Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Mac-Update
Apple holds its own with IBM
Newsbytes, April 10, 1984, Apple vs. IBM
Tomy drops out of US market
Toy & Hobby World, April 1984 pg. 12
HP introduces the ThinkJet
https://www.hp.com/hpinfo/abouthp/histnfacts/museum/imagingprinting/0011/
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-04-rescan/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater
Moves to Asia continue
Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Stealing some thunder
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/26/nyregion/thursday-april-26-1984-international.html
Bill Gates on Time cover
https://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19840416,00.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/22/business/the-heady-world-of-ibm-suppliers.html
IBM working on GUI
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-04-rescan/page/n10/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_TopView
3rd parties abandon Adam
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/8/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/10/mode/1up?view=theater
Imagine changes course on price cut
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews056-07Apr1984/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater
UK game prices hit 1 pound 99!
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews057-14Apr1984/page/n3/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews057-14Apr1984/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
PC Write shareware model a success
Newsbytes, April 10, 1984, Betting on Piracy
Wordstar hits hard times
Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Software Snafus
Atari Program Exchange shuttered
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Atari introduces AtariLab
PRESS CONFERENCE, PR Newswire, April 4, 1984, Wednesday
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AtariLab
Broderbund announces Print Shop
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/6/mode/1up?view=theater
HESWare hires Nimoy
https://archive.org/details/Ahoy_Issue_04_1984-04_Ion_International_US/page/n7/mode/2up
Empires redefines pass-and-play
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews057-14Apr1984/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/9706
Synapse withdraws from UK market
https://archive.org/details/computer-and-videogames-030/page/n19/mode/1up
Random House enters software biz
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/11/business/advertising-random-s-software-account.html
64er launches
https://archive.org/details/64er_1984_04/mode/2up
France goes online
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/30/business/computer-linkups-spurred-by-france.html
Games Network signs up additional franchises
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-12/page/n18/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-26/page/n12/mode/1up?view=theater
Videotext gone took 'r jawbs!
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/29/arts/tv-view-a-corporate-look-into-the-near-future.html
MITI throws in the towel
MITI GIVES UP PLAN TO SUBMIT SOFTWARE BILL TO DIET, Japan Economic Newswire, APRIL 21, 1984, SATURDAY
REVIEW-SOFTWARE: JAPAN, U.S. REMAIN APART ON SOFTWARE PROTECTION, Japan Economic Newswire, APRIL 19, 1984, THURSDAY
CalTech students hack Rose Bowl scoreboard
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-04-rescan/page/n10/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.edn.com/forget-touchdowns-engineers-score-with-pranks/
RCA axes Video disk
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/12/arts/tv-review-viewer-controls-screen.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/06/business/rca-defends-timing-of-videodisk-canceling.html
Licensing business explodes
Children's Characters Stir Big Sales, The Associated Press, April 25, 1984, Wednesday, PM cycle, Section: Domestic News, Byline: By ROBERT WADE, Associated Press Writer
Takara pens deal with Hasbro
US firm permitted to use characters, The Japan Economic Journal, April 17, 1984, Section: SERVICE/LEISURE/FOOD; Pg. 18
Toy & Hobby World, April 1984
D&D scare hits the UK
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-12/page/n1/mode/2up
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
sega
nintendo
atari
coleco
acorn
commodore
c64
spectrum
sinclair
ql
microsoft
windows
vision
gottlieb
chuck e cheese
pizza time
pcjr
shareware
pulsonic
imagine
mastertronic
ultimate
aticatac
apple
macintosh
appleii
40 years ago:
#Acorn and #Commodore soar, as #Coleco and #Atari falter,
Software takes center stage in PC clone world &
UK game prices hit rock bottom
These stories and more on the VGNRTM!
#c64 #zxspectrum #ql #mastertronic #sega