December 1982

Jan 19, 2023

The video game market crashes,
Coinop is on the skids &
Home computer competition 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 December 1982.
As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events.

Wouter, aka Wiedo, is our cohost. You can find his awesome twitter feed here:
https://twitter.com/wiedo
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SW2_WXgbbo
and
https://redcircle.com/shows/newgameoldflame

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

Links:
7 Minutes in Heaven: E.T.
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-e-t-77361487
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game)
https://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/et-the-extra-terrestrial_
https://www.mobygames.com/game-group/et-the-extra-terrestrial-licensees

Corrections:
November 1982 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/november-1982-75944920
https://www.arcade-museum.com/manuf_detail.php?manuf_id=1703&orig_game_id=8767
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacewar!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Space
August 1981 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/august-1981-55291660
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(game)
https://www.retroplace.com/en/games/169330--radio-shack-tandyvision-one
https://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/activision-publishing-inc/offset,1475/so,1d/list-games/
Robert Kniskern - Gamemaster - https://www.patreon.com/posts/robert-kniskern-64771353
https://www.mobygames.com/game/pinball-construction-set/cover-art

1962
Arthur C Clarke predicts networked AI wiping us out
https://www.nytimes.com/1962/12/09/archives/spark-of-the-second-industrial-revolution-it-is-the-electron-and.html?searchResultPosition=12

1972
Final Apollo mission lands on moon
https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/08/archives/ronald-ellwin-evans.html?searchResultPosition=34
https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/06/archives/last-of-apollos-set-for-liftoff-to-moon-tonight.html?searchResultPosition=45
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_program

Laser Disc premieres
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/93514522/first-public-showcase-of-discovision/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaserDisc

1982:
NYT Timeline
Our Crash Episodes:
The Video Game Crash 40th Anniversary - Part 1: Atari
https://www.patreon.com/posts/video-game-crash-75643983
The Video Game Crash 40th Anniversary - Part 2: Everyone Else
https://www.patreon.com/posts/video-game-crash-76259421

Atari secures Destron licenses
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/03/business/briefs-073723.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://arcadeblogger.com/2017/06/02/gdis-slither-the-1-3-million-dollar-crash-burn/

Video Game Update newsletter bullish on CES
https://retrocdn.net/File:ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.1_09.pdf

Games By Apollo files for bankruptcy
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/07/business/a-squeeze-in-video-games.html?searchResultPosition=3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Games_by_Apollo

Warner announces earnings guidance adjustment
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/09/business/atari-relieves-executive-of-duties.html?searchResultPosition=5
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/09/business/dow-loses-9.85-in-late-selloff.html?searchResultPosition=7

Atari sues Coleco over Module 1
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/09/business/coleco-industries-is-sued-by-atari.html?searchResultPosition=9
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ColecoVision#Atari_2600_expansion

Atari stock plummets further
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/10/business/video-game-industry-is-jarred-anew.html?searchResultPosition=11

Mattel and Warner continue decline while others begin to recover
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/11/business/mattel-stock-buffeted-by-video-game-scare.html?searchResultPosition=13

Atari Announces 1200XL
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/14/business/a-new-computer-is-offered-by-atari.html?searchResultPosition=20
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_8-bit_family#Models

Warner's problems not limited to Atari
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/19/business/a-myriad-of-problems-for-warner.html?searchResultPosition=25

Atari 's problems start at the head
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/19/business/the-game-turns-serious-at-atari.html?searchResultPosition=26
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1983/03/17/atari-to-tap-smart-phone-market/b90e4689-b038-41eb-8bed-bc27fca4366d/
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/02/09/Atari-transforms-video-game-into-home-computer/3105413614800/
https://www.technologizer.com/2012/02/12/atari-oddities/9/

Ray Kassar caught in insider trading investigation
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/24/business/warner-reports-atari-insider-case.html?searchResultPosition=29

Warner calls off Madison Fund purchase
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/25/business/madison-bid-halted-by-warner.html?searchResultPosition=32

Warner begins to recover
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/31/business/increase-in-broker-rate-pushes-dow-down-12.23.html?searchResultPosition=36

AMOA muted despite standouts
Replay Dec. 1982 pg. 46
AMOA 1980 Special Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/42756585
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/qbert
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/joust
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/popeye
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/super-pac-man
https://segaretro.org/Sega_LaserDisc_hardware
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/pole-position
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/buck-rogers-planet-of-zoom
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/front-line
Dark Planet video - https://youtu.be/e74YU-pWtF4

Japan Amusement Machine Show muted
Play Meter Dec. 15, 1982 pg. 44

Silco to bring home games to the arcades
Replay Dec. 1982 pg. 43

Pizza Time Theatre opens 200th store
https://showbizpizza.com/info/documents/ptt/ptt_pizzatimes2-4.pdf

Coke adds games to vending machines
Replay Dec. 1982 pg. 105
https://www.handheldmuseum.com/Bandai/CatchACoke.htm

Replay editor goes hardcore Reagan
Replay December 1982 pg. 3

Surgeon General warns against video games
Replay Dec. 1982, pg. 15
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/10/us/around-the-nation-surgeon-general-sees-danger-in-video-games.html
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n9

Pacman is keeping the kids off drugs
Playmeter Dec. 1, 1982 pg. 16

Epileptic seizures caused by games
https://archive.org/details/CreativeComputing1982-12/page/n11/mode/1up
https://www.gamesdatabase.org/game/arcade/dark-warrior
https://www.epsyhealth.com/seizure-epilepsy-blog/video-games-and-seizure-safety

Atari Semiconductor Group founded
Play Meter Dec. 15, 1982, pg. 42

Financial records broken
Toy & Hobby World Dec. 1982

VentureVision enters VCS market
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n10/page/n2/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/company/venturevision
https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,26573/

Zimag enters video game market
https://retrocdn.net/File:ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.1_09.pdf
https://www.mobygames.com/company/zimag

MysteryDisc brings Laser disc gaming dream to life
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n10/page/n2/mode/1up
https://www.lddb.com/laserdisc/39318/V-MD-82-001/MysteryDisc-1:-Murder-Anyone

Comdex shows both promise and problems of growing computer industry
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/04/business/winners-of-gamble-on-small-computer.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visi_On

The GUIs are coming! The GUIs are coming!
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/07/science/personal-computers-a-big-1983-expected-for-the-digital-mouse.html?searchResultPosition=6
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visi_On

IBM sues over trade secrets
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/01/business/ibm-suit-on-secrets-is-settled.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://archive.org/details/InterfaceAge198212/page/n9/mode/1up

IBM buys 12% of Intel
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/23/world/in-unusual-step-ibm-buys-stake-in-big-supplier-of-parts.html?searchResultPosition=6

Atari licenses Donkey Kong for home computers
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n10

Artworx advertises Strip Poker
https://archive.org/details/1982-12-compute-magazine/page/n46/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/game/strip-poker-a-sizzling-game-of-chance

Computer price wars continue
https://archive.org/details/CreativeComputing1982-12/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater

Mattel enters computer fray
https://retrocdn.net/File:ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.1_09.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattel_Aquarius
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellivision#Entertainment_Computer_System_(ECS)

IBM rumored to be entering home market
https://archive.org/details/1982-12-compute-magazine/page/n7/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PCjr

Commodore recalls C64s
https://archive.org/details/1982-12-compute-magazine/page/n7/mode/1up

Sinclair dismantles US operations
https://archive.org/details/CreativeComputing1982-12/page/n13/mode/1up

Electron misses Xmas
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1982-12-02/page/n4/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_array
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Electron

British computer makers move to block imports
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1982-12-16/mode/1up?view=theater

The Source adopts NCBMS standard
https://archive.org/details/softalkv3n04dec1982/page/n285/mode/2up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_email

Computerland opens 300th store
https://archive.org/details/softalkv3n04dec1982/page/n285/mode/2up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ComputerLand

WH Smith begins stocking the Speccy
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1982-12-16/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WHSmith

Universities begin to introduce computer requirements
https://archive.org/details/CreativeComputing1982-12/page/n13/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1982/12/13/small-computers-making-a-big-splash-on-campus/fd264ead-e32d-4e2e-b6f3-8073d60a012f/
https://www.cs.cornell.edu/wya/AcademicComputing/text/andrew.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Project
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3M_computer

Mazes and Monsters airs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazes_and_Monsters

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

Find out on the VGNRTM