Video Game Newsroom Time Machine: January 1984

January 1984

Mar 8, 2024

Jack Tramiel leaves Commodore,

Apple advertises the Mac &

Amstrad enters the home computer market

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 January 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:

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Links:

Complete Links for this episode can be found here:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/100014130

7 Minutes in Heaven: Moon Dust

Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/100007281

https://www.jaronlanier.com/

https://www.mobygames.com/game/47859/moondust/

Corrections:

December 1983 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/december-1983-98325214

Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/

1974:

D&D is released

https://twitter.com/GameResearch_E/status/1751283969583141097?t=_dYbQapJicUWEGYRO-0Q8g&s=03

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeons_%26_Dragons

Blue Sky operators catch Pong fever

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-blue-sky-oper/94003918/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-evening-independent-fraudulent-order/94006031/

Atari sells Syzygy

https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_30/page/53/mode/1up

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari

Odyssey begins to get noticed

https://www.newspapers.com/article/honolulu-star-bulletin-magnavox-odyssey/81646620/

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gazette-magnavox-odyssey-profile/94005725/

The Times-Picayune, January 5 1974, Section 1, pg. 9

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnavox_Odyssey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_(1968_TV_program)

Despite funding cuts, high schools continue to add computers

https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/16/archives/computers-flourish-as-classroom-tools-by-victor-k-mcelheny-high.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minicomputer

HP introduces programmable pocket calculator

https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/17/archives/hewlettpackard-markets-pocket-calculator-doing-computers-job-many.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-65

Watson Jr. steps down

Computerworld Jan 9, 1974, pg. 1,2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Watson_Jr.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Watson

Japan braces for oil embargo triggered downturn

https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/06/archives/in-japan-oil-may-expose-ills-of-growth-japan-haunted-by-growth-ills.html

Computer animation conference to feature at 2nd Annual New York animation festival

https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/09/archives/screen-2d-animation-festival-begins.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgCxCZNkQ9E

1984 meets suburban gridlock in kids book

https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/13/archives/three-novels-one-by-an-american-from-england-by-dee-wells-285-pp.html

https://archive.org/details/endlesspavement00jack/mode/2up?view=theater

Travelers Insurance Co adopts SSNs

Computerworld Jan. 16, 1974 pg. 1

1984:

Chuck E Cheese grows up

https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_Volume_2_Number_04_1984-01_Pumpkin_Press_US/page/n13/mode/2up

https://chucke.fandom.com/wiki/Wolfman_Zapp

Chuck E Cheese isn't Bushnell's only restaurant edeavor

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/07/us/restaurantf-has-recipe-for-multimillion-dollar-computer-deals.html

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/12/19/silicon-valleys-power-restaurant-lion-compass-closing-after-35-years/

Unlicensed arcade shutters after killing

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/06/nyregion/a-video-arcade-the-city-fought-suddenly-closed.html

Nintendo sees profits drop

(January 17, 1984). The Japan Economic Journal. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-23K0-000H-H02Y-00000-00&context=1516831.

As the smoke clears, the realities of the year of the Crash begin to emerge... https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/10/business/sigh-of-relief-on-video-games.html

https://youtu.be/lE3OqJdzP74?si=mipAfE5i-E2OqcWT

Game Retailers hit hard

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/10/business/sigh-of-relief-on-video-games.html

Mattel takes second place in list of biggest stock market losers of 1983

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/03/business/memorable-83-market-moves.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/20/business/market-place-gains-losses-in-new-issues.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Milken

Mattel reports further losses

Toys Hobbies & Crafts January 1984

Industry predicts Mattel's exit

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/10/business/sigh-of-relief-on-video-games.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckCtXK2Gdh0&t=1s

Murdoch announces intent to buy big stake in Warner

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/04/business/new-warner-try-by-murdoch.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/08/business/the-battle-for-survival-at-warner.html

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-rupert-murdoch-att/69260875/

https://archive.org/details/cashbox45unse_30/page/n7/mode/1up?q=murdoch

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-rupert-murdoch-att/69260894/

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/19/business/warner-2-way-tv-cutbacks.html

Coleco announces losses

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/10/business/4th-quarter-loss-seen-by-coleco.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleco_Adam

MB closes GCE

Toy and Hobby World, January 1984.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vectrex

Imagic turns freelance

computer entertainer page 152

https://www.mobygames.com/game/3929/star-wars/credits/atari-2600/

game cancelations continue to mount

computer entertainer page 147

Sega signs deal with Broderbund

(January 17, 1984). Sega and Broderbund form software team. The Japan Economic Journal.

https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-23K0-000H-H01R-00000-00&context=1516831.

https://www.mobygames.com/game/243/lode-runner/screenshots/sg-1000/

Video tape and compact discs wow at CES

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/09/business/company-news-in-electronics-optimism-and-worry.html

https://archive.org/details/cashbox45unse_30/page/n6/mode/1up

Commodore introduces the 264 and 364

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/09/business/computer-makers-new-mood.html

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-01-12

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_Plus/4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_16

Jack resigns

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/14/business/founder-of-commodore-resigns-unexpectedly.html

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-01-19/mode/2up?view=theater

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/16/business/commodore-executive-rift-denied.html

https://archive.org/details/forbes131janforb/page/n355/mode/2up?view=theater

Marshall Smith named new head of Commodore

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-01-26/mode/1up

Game selling terminal competition heats up

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/12/business/technology-new-software-delivery-ideas.html

https://www.digitpress.com/library/manuals/atari2600/meltdown_draft.pdf

Palmtex launches PVS

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-01-26/page/n4/mode/1up

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmtex_Portable_Videogame_System

https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Games_Volume_02_Number_11_1984-01_Reese_Communications_US/page/n17/mode/2up

1984 won't be like 1984

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1984_(advertisement)

Sinclair Introduces the QL

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-01-12

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-01-19/mode/1up?view=theater

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-01-19/page/n13/mode/1up

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_68008

Amstrad announces home computer

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-01-05

Inmos promotes their Transputer

https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1984-01_OCR/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transputer

Sierra teases 3rd generation adventure game

computer entertainer page 151

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_Quest

Warner buys into First Star

computer entertainer page 151

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Star_Software

https://www.mobygames.com/game/4632/boulder-dash/

Developers eager for the PCJr give Adam the cold shoulder

computer entertainer page 151

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PCjr

MECC goes Commodore

Ahoy Jan. 1984 pg. 13

https://www.mobygames.com/game/company:936/platform:c64/sort:-date/page:1/

Ahoy! magazine premieres

Ahoy Jan. 1984

CPU Jan. 1984 - http://www.kultmags.com/mags.php?folder=Q1BVLzE5ODQ=

Baby Bells are coming for you, modem users

https://archive.org/details/kilobaudmagazine-1984-01/page/n25/mode/1up

SCOTUS hears "Beta Max" case

https://archive.org/details/cashbox45unse_30/page/n13/mode/1up

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_Corp._of_America_v._Universal_City_Studios,_Inc.

Nintendo beats Universal

https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse/page/31/mode/1up

(JANUARY 6, 1984, FRIDAY). UNIVERSAL APPEALS VIDEO GAME TRADEMARK CASE AGAINST NINTENDO. Copyright 1984 Jiji Press Ltd.Jiji Press Ticker Service. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJD-P2P0-001B-N0JD-00000-00&context=1516831.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_City_Studios,_Inc._v._Nintendo_Co.,_Ltd.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074751/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2

Software copyright debate heads to showdown in Japan

(January 24, 1984). CLASH WITH MITI THAT ADVOCATES 'PROGRAM RIGHT' LAW; Copyright law can protect programmings: Cultural Agency. The Japan Economic Journal. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-23F0-000H-H51C-00000-00&context=1516831.

Former Atari employees sue

https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Games_Volume_02_Number_11_1984-01_Reese_Communications_US/page/n17/mode/2up

Computer Trade Association files stolen

https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-01-05/page/n4/mode/1up

The Great White North will teach yanks about computers, eh?

https://www.youtube.com/@bitsandbytestvo https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/30/arts/12-lessons-for-novices-in-computers.html

Atari signs deal with Androbot

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/10/business/atari-licensing-pact.html

Learning with Leeper cover art sets Sierra standards

https://archive.org/details/CreativeComputingbetterScan198401/page/n108/mode/1up

Barbera spills the beans on Pacman TV show

https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Games_Volume_02_Number_11_1984-01_Reese_Communications_US/page/n17/mode/2up

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pac-Man_(TV_series)

Mattel airlifts toys

Playthings, January 1984

TSR gets new management

https://archive.org/details/MicroAdventurer03-Jan84/page/n5/mode/1up

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Gygax#Leaving_TSR

http://playingattheworld.blogspot.com/

Quotes of the Month:

William Grubb, chairman of Imagic at CES told the NYT: "For this industry, 1983 was the year of humility." https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/10/business/sigh-of-relief-on-video-games.html

Arnold Greenberg, president of Coleco at CES, told the NYT, when discussing defective Coleco Adams: "You still hear a few horror stories but they are almost all about machines that were shipped a while ago and just recently put on the shelves."

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/10/business/4th-quarter-loss-seen-by-coleco.html

A spokeswoman for CBS Electronics, when asked about the massive number of unsold carts still sitting in the retail pipeline: "We hope retailes can be rid of most of their excess inventory by the first quarter of 1984. Overall retailers reported an excellent Christmas season adn hopefully this will help towards a fresh start in 1984."

Toy and Hobby World, January 1984.

January 1984

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