August 1983

Author: Karl Kuras September 25, 2023 Duration: 2:40:18

Dragon's Lair takes arcades by storm,
Commodore rules the computer roost &
Video game makers pivot to micros

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 August 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/
and order his book here:
https://www.theycreateworlds.com/book

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Links:
7 Minutes in Heaven: Decathlon
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-89553431
https://www.mobygames.com/game/11537/the-activision-decathlon/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcHeXlhxeX4

Corrections:
July 1983 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/july-1983-87998862
Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
https://youtu.be/A-6AKe2pvsQ?si=Y86cYPldukmG2V-H
The Video Game Crash 40th Anniversary - Part 1: Atari https://www.patreon.com/posts/video-game-crash-75643983

1973
Atari moves into new facilities
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_5/page/n49/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_7/page/47/mode/1up

Atari announces new cabinet for Space Race
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Race_(video_game)
https://www.old-computers.com/museum/software_detail.asp?id=464

Are pongs slowing down?
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_7/page/48/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_8/page/47/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_8/page/48/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_8/page/47/mode/1up

1983
Dragon's Lair gives arcades hope
https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-cruz-sentinel-laserdisc-games-prof/85528743/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-dragons-lair-in/86477004/
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/02/arts/hollywood-playing-harder-at-the-video-game.html
Replay August 1983 pg. 10
Replay August 1983, pg. 54

Sega sells manufacturing to Bally
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/28/business/barry-diller-s-latest-starring-role.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/30/business/advertisingn-r-kleinfield-computers-take-aim-at-schools.html

Bally To Buy Sega's U.S. Coin-Op Game Assets
The Associated Press, August 25, 1983, Thursday, AM cycle
PR Newswire, August 25, 1983, Thursday
PR Newswire, August 11, 1983, Thursday
Gregory Fischbach Part 2 - Acclaim https://www.patreon.com/posts/47720122

Coinop returns to its roots
Games People August 6, 1983 pg. 1

Off duty cops patrolling arcades
Replay August 1983, pg. 81

Mattel lays off 400 in Electronics
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/05/business/mattel-to-lay-off-400-in-electronics-division.html
Don Daglow Part 1 - PDP - Mattel - Intellivision - EA https://www.patreon.com/posts/38445119

Amiga buys US Games titles
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-5/page/68/mode/1up
http://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/powerarcade/powerarcade.htm

Telesys anounces budget games
https://archive.org/details/logical_gamer_aug83/page/5/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/company/4847/telesys/

Mythicon introduces budget 2600 line
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-5/page/72/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.mobygames.com/company/4823/mythicon-inc/

Gammation to support Supercharger
https://archive.org/details/logical_gamer_aug83/page/5/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/company/11203/gammation/

Game cancellations mount
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-5/page/68/mode/1up

Milton Bradley sues Atari over voice unit cancellation
Electronic Games Hotline August 28, 1983 pg. 1

Suncom brings physical fitness to the VCS
Toy and Hobby World July/August 1983 S31
https://picclick.fr/RARE-AEROBICS-JOYSTICK-exercise-bike-385448488962.html
http://www.atarihq.com/museum/2678/hardware/aerobics.html

Atari moves to TSX
With Multiuser Operating System; Atari Resolves PRogrammer/System Dilemma, Computerworld, August 15, 1983

Bring on the celeb endorsements
Toy and Hobby World July/August 1983 S11

C64 hits $199
Playthings August 1983

Commodore reigns supreme in the home computer wars... for now
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/01/business/two-standouts-in-electronics.html

TI changes the color of the 994A
Toy and Hobby World July/August 1983 S7
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-99/4A

99/2 is dead...
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-08_OCR/page/n9/mode/1up
https://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=267
https://www.old-computers.com/MUSEUM/computer.asp?c=268&st=1

Adam price announcements deceptive
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-5/page/68/mode/1up
Toy and Hobby World July/August 1983 S12
Electronic Games Hotline August 14, 1983 pg. 1

Adam prototypes are no shows
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/01/business/coleco-strong-in-marketing.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleco_Adam

Romox to bring software teledelivery to MSX
Software Teledelivery is planned, The Japan Economic Journal, August 2, 1983

MSX licensing fees come under fire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSX#Manufacturers
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews023-17Aug1983/page/n5/mode/1up

JVC brings laser disc games to MSX
https://www.msx.org/wiki/Victor_HC-7
JVC To Produce Personal Computer, Copyright 1983 Jiji Press Ltd.Jiji Press Ticker Service AUGUST 31, 1983, WEDNESDAY
https://youtu.be/ShDiFJFoXSg?si=UY6QM_kM_i5JABlX

Japan moves to protect against software rentals
Consent of copyright holders should be won for renting, The Japan Economic Journal, August 2, 1983

Timex reveals TS2000 details
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews021-03Aug1983/page/n3/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews025-31Aug1983/page/n6/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews023-17Aug1983/page/n36/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews025-31Aug1983/page/n43/mode/1up

Osborne cuts jobs, closes factory
https://vgpavilion.com/mags/1983/08/28egh/pages/19830828egh.pdf

IBM announces plans to sell Concurrent CPM
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-08_OCR/page/n9/mode/1up
Japanese version of CP/M-86 is introduced, The Japan Economic Journal, August 2, 1983

Creative Computing begins publishing price list

Commodore sues former employees and Atari over VCS add-on
https://www.ataricompendium.com/faq/bagnall_vcs_keyboard.pdf
Toy and Hobby World July/August 1983 S7

Commodore announces 70 new software packages
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-08_OCR/page/n9/mode/1up

Infocom unleashes Z Machine
Electronic Games Hotline August 14, 1983 pg. 2

Activision lands on home computers
Electronic Games Hotline August 14, 1983 pg. 7

Epyx announces outside studio
Toy and Hobby World July/August 1983 S12

Spectrum Games renamed Ocean
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews022-10Aug1983/page/n12/mode/1up

Sony teams up with Data East
Sony ties up with Data East in MSX software development, The Japan Economic Journal, August 2, 1983

Stellar 7 debuts
https://vgpavilion.com/mags/1983/08/28egh/pages/19830828egh.pdf pg. 7

Park Brothers goes big on ads
https://vgpavilion.com/mags/1983/08/28egh/pages/19830828egh.pdf pg. 8

Jon Shirley becomes Microsoft prez
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-08_OCR/page/n9/mode/1up

Games Network hits the stock market
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/24/business/briefs-119250.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://archive.org/details/logical_gamer_aug83/page/6/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews025-31Aug1983/page/n8/mode/1up

Softyme tests online distribution
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-08_OCR/page/n9/mode/1up

BBS's bring out the Pirates
Gilded youth, jaded youth , Forbes, August 15, 1983
The "On-Line" Society, Computerworld, August 17, 1983

Microcom licenses MNP
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-08_OCR/page/n9/mode/1up

Softwareland wants standardized UPCs
https://vgpavilion.com/mags/1983/08/28egh/pages/19830828egh.pdf pg. 4
https://books.google.de/books?id=baj-kGvs1L0C&pg=RA1-PA76&lpg=RA1-PA76&dq=%22softwareland%22+retail+store+taylor+coleman&source=bl&ots=QngUR-drNu&sig=ACfU3U1Iz9L7kenfh8SwIYdbRq9IGafJgw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiwurn2iaWBAxUd_rsIHXI1CaQQ6AF6BAgLEAM#v=onepage&q=%22softwareland%22%20retail%20store%20taylor%20coleman&f=false

UK leads in computer adoption
Commodore News Vol1 Num3 1983

Gamer begins to enter the vernacular
https://vgpavilion.com/mags/1983/08/28egh/pages/19830828egh.pdf pg. 2

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.

Video Game Newsroom Time Machine

Ever wonder what gamers were actually talking about decades ago, before online forums and endless hot takes? Each month, Video Game Newsroom Time Machine hosted by Karl Kuras does exactly that, dusting off the headlines and magazine pages from the past. This isn't just a nostalgia trip; it's a grounded look at the industry's turning points as they happened. You'll hear about the surprising announcements, the forgotten controversies, and the hardware launches that had everyone buzzing-from arcade trends in Japan to home computer wars in Europe and North America. The podcast specifically revisits news from exactly 30, 40, and 50 years prior, creating a unique layered perspective on how video game culture evolved. It’s like sitting in a newsroom from a different era, piecing together the stories that shaped the games we remember today. Tune in for a monthly dose of context, where the past conversations about pixels and processors feel surprisingly fresh and directly connected to the present.

Author: Karl Kuras Language: English Episodes: 100

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