December 1981

Dec 22, 2021

Atari takes Pacman clones to court
Sinclair balks at government handout for BBCMicro
Captain Kirk pimps the Vic20

These stories and our celebration of 50 years of Computer Space 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 1981.
As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events.

Peter is on vacation so we have the pleasure of Mads from the Retro Asylum to join us.
http://retroasylum.com
and
https://playthroughpod.com/

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Links:
7 Minutes in Heaven:
Video version - https://www.patreon.com/posts/60231061
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Space
Computer Space Simulation - https://archive.org/download/ComputerSpaceSimulatedForWindows/Computer_Space_Simulated_Win_EN.zip
https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/2021/11/29/why-computer-space-was-a-success/

Corrections:
November 1981 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/59272789
https://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/2021/09/game-wizards-tsr-financials.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy_Game
https://archive.org/details/sim_computerworld_1972-01-12_6_2/page/40/mode/2up?q=%22mcs+4%22+intel

1941:
War curtails coinop
https://www.nytimes.com/1941/12/11/archives/juke-boxes-limited-by-priority-order-nelson-directs-manufacturers.html?searchResultPosition=4

1971:
Nutting shows off Computer Space at MOA show
https://archive.org/details/cashbox33unse_18/page/n45/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/cashbox33unse_21/page/54/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/cashbox33unse_22/page/44/mode/2up
https://gamehistory.org/ep-60-computer-space/
https://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com/2021/05/12/worldly-wednesdays-a-timeline-of-computer-space/
Jim Trucano Interview - https://www.patreon.com/posts/48912975
Space War emulator - https://spacewar.oversigma.com/

1981:
Court dismisses counterclaims in Chuck E Cheese case
Play Meter, Dec. 1, 1981, pg. 121, pg. 196
https://books.google.de/books?id=ej0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=on-line+systems+pacman+lawsuit&source=bl&ots=PmhWvgAncV&sig=ACfU3U2yVUNLqzGGbwtcCdxWIXSEAZjG7A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj0sqjz4-D0AhWSSvEDHVgGC3kQ6AF6BAgOEAM#v=onepage&q=on-line%20systems%20pacman%20lawsuit&f=false
May 1980 Jump - https://www.patreon.com/posts/37289753
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_E._Cheese
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ShowBiz_Pizza_Place
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Nights_at_Freddy%27s
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willy%27s_Wonderland

Coinop asks: Recession? What recession?
Play Meter, Dec. 15, 1981, pg. 4

Play Meter looks back at the year that was
Play Meter, Dec. 1, 1981, pg. 43

Atari numbers continue to sore
Toy & Hobby World Dec. 1981
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari

Atari licenses game from Namco
Replay Dec 1981, pg. 7
https://www.mobygames.com/game/pole-position
https://www.mobygames.com/game/dig-dug
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namco

Atari sues Online Systems
https://books.google.de/books?id=ej0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=on-line+systems+pacman+lawsuit&source=bl&ots=PmhWvgAncV&sig=ACfU3U2yVUNLqzGGbwtcCdxWIXSEAZjG7A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj0sqjz4-D0AhWSSvEDHVgGC3kQ6AF6BAgOEAM#v=onepage&q=on-line%20systems%20pacman%20lawsuit&f=false
Gaming Historian - KC Munchkin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1ItAYurjoo&t=7s
Ken Williams Interview - https://www.patreon.com/posts/42700706
https://www.mobygames.com/game/jawbreaker
https://www.mobygames.com/game/gobbler

Atari fails to stop KC Munchkin
https://books.google.de/books?id=ej0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1&lpg=PA1&dq=on-line+systems+pacman+lawsuit&source=bl&ots=PmhWvgAncV&sig=ACfU3U2yVUNLqzGGbwtcCdxWIXSEAZjG7A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj0sqjz4-D0AhWSSvEDHVgGC3kQ6AF6BAgOEAM#v=onepage&q=on-line%20systems%20pacman%20lawsuit&f=false
Gaming Historian - KC Munchkin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1ItAYurjoo&t=7s
https://www.mobygames.com/game/kc-munchkin

Odyssey2 gets reviewed
https://archive.org/details/creativecomputing-1981-12/page/n57/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/YourComputer_198112/page/n19/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnavox_Odyssey_2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interton_Video_Computer_4000
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quest_for_the_Rings

Tomy cuts deal with Midway to produce handheld games
Toy & Hobby World Dec. 1981
https://www.handheldmuseum.com/Entex/PacMan.htm

Coleco sees drop in electronic toys
Toy & Hobby World Dec. 1981
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleco

Captain Kirk pimps for Commodore
https://archive.org/details/1981-12-compute-magazine/page/n197/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputing198112/page/n147/mode/2up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_International
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shatner
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_VIC-20

Atari cries foul over Intellivision ads
https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/14/business/atari-intellivision-tv-battle.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h00PNO-JA48 at 1:38 at 10:44
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsA7ZKTGrr4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V-bPLmtAFg
https://wearethemutants.com/2017/05/18/george-plimpton-advertisements-for-intellivision-1980-1983/
February 1980 jump - https://www.patreon.com/posts/34288179
Michael Katz Interview Part 1 - https://www.patreon.com/posts/35169258

Creative computing reviews the IBM PC
https://archive.org/details/creativecomputing-1981-12/page/n20/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PC_DOS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-DOS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CP/M-86

Sinclair strikes back at government backing for BBCMicro
https://archive.org/details/YourComputer_198112/page/n12/mode/1up
November 1981 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/59272789
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Micro
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX81

Xmas season not as bad as feared
https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/24/business/christmas-sales-top-predictions.html?searchResultPosition=10
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hess%27s
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_VIC-20

Atari slashes price of 800
https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/31/business/atari-reduces-price-of-computer.html?searchResultPosition=6
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_8-bit_family#400/800_release
http://www.indieretronews.com/2021/11/final-assault-rather-impressive-fps.html
https://www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/mood/

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/

Sound Effects by Ethan Johnson of History of How We Play and Enzo Maida.