Video Game Newsroom Time Machine: July 1983

July 1983

Aug 20, 2023

Atari axes Ray Kassar,
Nintendo launches the Famicom &
Commodore's Jack Tramiel delivers the killing blow to Texas Instruments

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 July 1983.
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/
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https://www.theycreateworlds.com/book

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Links:
7 Minutes in Heaven: Manic Miner
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/87996985
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manic_Miner
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassed_Off

Corrections:
June 1983 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/june-1983-85898642
Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
When Nintendo Games Were on Atari | Gaming Historian - Written by Ethan Johnson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjRuV52Jk78

1963
Maloney sells Bally
https://archive.org/details/cashbox24unse_41/page/54/mode/1up?view=theater
http://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/lion-and-bally-manufacturing/

Lasers featured in Popular Electronics
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/60s/63/Pop-1963-07.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser

1973
Atari introduces Space Race
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_3/page/39/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Race_(video_game)

Bushnell goes to Europe
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_3/page/39/mode/1up

RCA announces mass production of LCDs
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/70s/1973/Poptronics-1973-07.pdf pg. 23

Motorola announces Dynatac
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/70s/1973/Poptronics-1973-07.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola_DynaTAC

Associated Press uses lasers to transmit and computers to store images
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/70s/1973/Poptronics-1973-07.pdf pg. 23

Digital Watches are the latest male fashion statement https://www.nytimes.com/1973/07/21/archives/a-watch-that-takes-the-hard-time-out-of-telling-time.html

Ira Bettleman graduates with psychology degree
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_2/page/50/mode/1up
Noah Falstein - Lucasfilm https://www.patreon.com/posts/37807684

1983:
Ray Kassar leaves Atari
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner-atari-inc-ray/62357592/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-resignation-of-ray-kassar-f/68994316/
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/08/business/chief-is-replaced-at-troubled-atari.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/24/business/philip-morris-s-marlboro-man.html
Toys Hobbies and Crafts July 1983
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n26/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n24
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/27/movies/shapiro-quits-at-warner-s.html

Atari distribution restructuring tanks
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-atari-inc-deals-with-c/62356604/
The Video Game Crash 40th Anniversary - Part 1: Atari https://www.patreon.com/posts/video-game-crash-75643983

Mattel, Atari, and TI announces even bigger losses
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/26/business/mattel-expects-to-post-large-loss.html
Toy and Hobby World July 1983
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/22/business/warner-posts-a-283.4-million-loss.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/13/business/mattel-reshuffles-its-electronics-unit.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/23/business/texas-instruments-lost-119.2-million-in-quarter.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/19/business/rca-profits-rise-zenith-also-climbs.html
Playthings July 1983
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/25/business/earnings-up-sharply-in-quarter.html

Williams profits down
Games People July 30, 1983, pg. 7

Mattel axes 260 in Electronics division
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n26/mode/1up

TI lays off 750
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n26/mode/1up

Marketers brought in to take reigns of computer makers
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/27/business/selling-computers-like-soap.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/13/business/mattel-reshuffles-its-electronics-unit.html

UK tax authority preps for micro crash
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-07-21/mode/1up?view=theater

Rebates hit coinop
Replay July 1983 pg. 8

Gottlieb changes name
Replay July 1983 pg. 8
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottlieb

Sente has Videa
https://archive.org/details/joystik_magazine-1983-07/page/n11/mode/2up
Roger Hector - Atari, Disney, Sega, Namco, Sente https://www.patreon.com/posts/72058794

New tech needed to revitalize arcades
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-modesto-bee-arcade-game-difficulties/85528989/
Play Meter July 15, 1983, pg. 36
https://www.thebasementarcade.com/roadtrips31.htm

Magnetic strips poised to replace coins
Play Meter July 15, 1983, pg. 32
https://www.sacoacard.com/

VCTER wants you to book flights at your arcade
Play Meter July 1, 1983 pg. 40

Digital poker goes after the older audience
Replay July 1983 pg. 8
Replay July 1983, pg. 32

Tex Critter bows out of pizza-arcade market
Games People July 30, 1983, pg. 1
https://dreamfiction.fandom.com/wiki/Tex_Critter%27s_Pizza_Jamboree_(fictional)

Nintendo's Tokyo stock debut dampened by lawsuit
Japan Economic Newswire JULY 21, 1983, THURSDAY
https://www.mariowiki.com/Ikegami_Tsushinki
NINTENDO TO SPLIT STOCK, Copyright 1983 Jiji Press Ltd.Jiji Press Ticker Service, JULY 22, 1983, FRIDAY

Nintendo and Sega enter the programmable console market
https://archive.org/details/login-september-1983/page/n89/mode/2up?q=%E4%BB%BB%E5%A4%A9%E5%A0%82
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Entertainment_System
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SG-1000

Sega's SC3000 sales estimates jump
Sharp attention on Sega product , The Japan Economic Journal July 19, 1983,
Tuesday Business Japan, July 1983

Atari 2600 Adapter for the 5200 ships
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 57
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_5200

Atari drops price of 5200
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 60

Vectrex drops to $100
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 60

Gameline won't leave retailers in the lurch
Playthings July 1983
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 55

Electra Concepts introduces a trigger button
Playthings July 1983
https://www.ebay.com/itm/224626441270

Second hand mail order game exchanges boom
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/07/garden/secondhand-games-for-video-buffs.html

Supercharger gets first licensee
The Video Game Update July 1983, pg. 50

Frob makes console game design affordable
The Video Game Update July 1983, pg. 50
http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-frob-26_29983.html

Coleco axes Super Game Module 3
The Video Game Update July 1983, pg. 53
https://cancelled-games.fandom.com/wiki/ColecoVision_Super_Game_Module

Mattel axes Intellivision 3
The Video Game Update July 1983, pg. 53
https://cancelled-games.fandom.com/wiki/ColecoVision_Super_Game_Module

MB goes blam-blam on VCS
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 57

20th Century Fox wants you to make them a better game
https://archive.org/details/1983-07-compute-magazine/page/n33/mode/1up?view=theater

Fox sees bright future for their games
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n24/page/n6/mode/1up

Fox halves price of MASH on VCS
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n26/page/n2/mode/1up

Colecovision games coming to Spectravideo
https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Fun_with_Computer_Games_Vol_01_No_09_1983-07_Fun_Games_Publishing_US/page/n7/mode/2up
https://www.msx.org/wiki/Spectravideo_SV-603

As action figures rise, consoles fall
Playthings July 1983

Activision opens UK subsidiary https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews019-20Jul1983/page/n11/mode/1up
Gregory Fischbach Part 1 - Activision - Acclaim https://www.patreon.com/posts/46578120

Atari drops the 1200XL
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 58'
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_8-bit_family#1200XL

Atari introduces XL line
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 59
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-07-28/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 60

Atari gets Hawkeye to hawk their wares
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n24/page/n3/mode/1up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvNLr_AVTAM

Atari reacts to Adam introduction with new 600XL bundle
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 54
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-07-28/mode/1up

Adam ditches wafers for "Data packs"
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 58
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleco_Adam

Tomy enters computer market with free home trial
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 63
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n24/page/n6/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n26/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomy_Tutor

Acorn to launch BBC in US
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-07-07/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Micro#Export_initiatives

Electron won't be BBC Micro compatible
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews020-27Jul1983/page/n3/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorn_Electron

Sinclair's Microdrive arrives
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-07-28/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX_Microdrive

Computer maker stocks tumble on Peanut rumors
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/28/business/computer-stocks-slide.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PCjr

Osborne 1 price crashes
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/29/business/osborne-cuts-computer-price.html

Mini and mainframe makers jump into micro fray
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1983-07-rescan/page/n8/mode/1up

Networking to come to IBM PC
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1983-07-rescan/page/n8/mode/1up
SNL Weekend Update - https://youtu.be/GYyur7EEqns

Milton Bradley brings speech recognition to TI
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 60
http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/hardware/mbx/mbx.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04SecKb_ejA

Apple ii software coming to the PC
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n25/page/n7/mode/2up
https://www.hackster.io/news/quapple-clones-a-card-that-turns-an-ibm-pc-xt-into-an-apple-ii-plus-clone-98c9b75ecfda

The many faces of the mouse compete for dominance at NCC
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1983-07-rescan/page/n299/mode/1up?view=theater
http://www.le2.net/summa/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Mouse

TI signs up third parties
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 60
https://www.mobygames.com/company/5680/texas-instruments-incorporated/games/

Romox announces Gameport for TI
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 63
https://4apedia.com/index.php/Solid_State_Software_Command_Module
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews019-20Jul1983/page/n7/mode/2up

Commodore declares software price war
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews019-20Jul1983/page/n3/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews020-27Jul1983/page/n4/mode/1up
Gary Carlston- Broderbund
https://www.patreon.com/posts/50036733

bye bye Jelly Monsters, Hello Cosmic Cruncher!
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-07-07/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.mobygames.com/game/138/pac-man/screenshots/vic-20/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/60882/cosmic-cruncher/

Commodore 64 and IBM conversions are coming
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_3.4/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_3.4/page/n29/mode/1up?view=theater

Softsync announces C64 games
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 60

Parker Bros expands into computer games
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 54
Tom Dusenberry - Parker Brothers - Hasbro - Atari https://www.patreon.com/posts/42807419
https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/octopussy-the-james-bond-videogame-that-never-was/
https://web.archive.org/web/20150302072400/https://atariage.com/catalog_page.html?CatalogID=15&currentPage=12

Spinnaker goes cartridge
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n24/page/n3/mode/1up

Sierra offers one-to-one return policy with retailers
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n26/mode/1up

Soft Switch simplifies piracy
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-07-14
https://www.c64copyprotection.com/vic-20-cartridge-to-tape/
https://www.mobygames.com/company/966/microplay-software/

Datasoft launches budget line
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 59
https://www.mobygames.com/company/20696/gentry-software/

WH Smith stops taking new ZX81 software
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-07-14

Palace Software is looking for programmers
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews019-20Jul1983/page/n56/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/company/1000/palace-software-ltd/

Dr. J and Larry Bird sign with EA
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 57
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gahan_Wilson
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n24/page/n1/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/game/488/one-on-one/

First Star Software signs with Marvel
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_3.4/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.mobygames.com/company/166/first-star-software-inc/

Sydney Software gets Johnny Hart licenses
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 54
https://www.mobygames.com/company/1569/sydney-development-corp/

Crash mail order places ads https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews020-27Jul1983/page/n56/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash_(magazine)

Videotex brings hope of standardized networked information and fears of privacy concerns
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1983-07-rescan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Videotex

Canadian Pacific Air brings games to planes
https://retrocdn.net/images/d/d0/ComputerEntertainer_US_Vol.2_04.pdf pg. 56
https://docplayer.net/205275760-From-electronic-to-video-gaming-computing-in-canada-historical-assessment-update.html

Dan Bunten extols the virtues of play testing
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_3.4/page/n25/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.mobygames.com/person/8515/danielle-berry/

UCLA holds conference on graphic design in games
https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_Volume_1_Number_10_1983-07_Pumpkin_Press_US/page/n69/mode/1up?view=theater

First Video Game Conference held in San Fransisco
Toys Hobbies & Crafts July 1983.

Supercade coming to Saturday mornings
Replay July 1983, pg. 18

Vid Kid column brings game reviews to newspapers
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-07-07/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater

Julian Rignall is gaming champ
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1983-07-14/page/n4/mode/1up

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.

Find out on the VGNRTM

These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM with @QuarterPast83's Dale!
Atari axes Ray Kassar,
Nintendo launches the Famicom &
Commodore's Jack Tramiel delivers the killing blow to Texas Instruments