March 1983

Author: Karl Kuras April 2, 2023 Duration: 2:37:29

Commodore goes portable
IBM introduces the XT
Nintendo shows off Game and Watch

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 February 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: Mega Force
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/80898412
https://www.mobygames.com/game/22987/mega-force/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084316/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Corrections:
February 1983 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/february-1983-79444139
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datei:Magnavox-Odyssey-Switchbox.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcian_Hoff
https://www.pinterest.de/pin/141933825729597463/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/9789/tacscan/
https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/2019/03/31/the-unreleased-games-of-sega-gremlin/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWmVlgIR2HA
https://www.mobygames.com/game/9789/tacscan/
https://www.msx.org/wiki/Spectravideo_SVI-728
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13365876/
Why The First Playable Women Of The '80s Were Naked | Video Dames (Streaking / Beat 'Em & Eat 'Em) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHYXAoUQ_LI

1943.03
Uncle Sam wants your pinballs
https://www.nytimes.com/1943/03/07/archives/pinball-boards-to-train-fliers.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11587355/notifies-army-to-come-and-pick-up/
Billboard Mar 27, 1943
https://www.google.com/books/edition/Printed_Classification_Tests/92kaAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22mechanical+aptitude+test%22&pg=PA297

1963.03
Raytheon introduces infrared wargaming weapons
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/60s/63/Pop-1963-03.pdf pg. 6

1973.03
Japan's computer industry is on the rise
Business Japan March 1973 pg. 73
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aggretsuko
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDGkcwNjoUY

1983.03
Used games hit the auction block
https://archive.org/details/cashbox44unse_37/page/31/mode/1up?view=theater

Distributors embrace conversion kits
https://archive.org/details/cashbox44unse_40/page/35/mode/1up

Chuck E Cheese breaks records
https://www.showbizpizza.com/info/documents/ptt/ptt_pizzatimes3-1.pdf pg. 2
Games People March 5, 1983 pg. 1

You aren't playing games, you're making an investment!
https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Fun_with_Computer_Games_Vol_01_No_05_1983-03_Fun_Games_Publishing_US/page/n17/mode/1up
Kevin Hayes - Atari - Namco https://www.patreon.com/posts/50612798

News Flash: 2600 ET was a flop!
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68993030/et-on-atari-2600-declared-a-failure-by/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game)
The Video Game Crash 40th Anniversary - Part 2: Everyone Else https://www.patreon.com/posts/video-game-crash-76259421
The Video Game Crash 40th Anniversary - Part 1: Atari https://www.patreon.com/posts/video-game-crash-75643983

The great cartridge discount has begun
Playthings March 1983 pg. 30
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beige_Book

Wall Street predicts end of video game growth
Games People March 12, 1983 pg. 17

Video games increasingly dominate toy retail
Toy & Hobby World March 1983 pg. 14

Atari distribution goes exclusive
https://archive.org/details/cashbox44unse_40/page/5/mode/1up

Court halts Atari distribution reform
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/30/business/atari-distribution-plan-is-blocked.html?searchResultPosition=1

Delays plague game release schedules
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-video-game-update March 1983 pg. 1

Amiga announces the Power Module
Playthings March 1983
http://www.bambi-amiga.co.uk/amigahistory/powermod.html
Toy and Hobby World March 1983

Starpath cuts supercharger price
Playthings March 1983
Toyand Hobby World March 1983

CBS ups the RAM
Toy and Hobby World March 1983
https://www.buckosoft.com/~dick/resume.html
https://patents.justia.com/patent/4485457
https://www.mobygames.com/game/19721/tunnel-runner/

Intellivision 2 doesn't like Coleco
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-video-game-update March 1983 pg. 7

Milton Bradley goes multiplatform
Toy and Hobby World March 1983
https://www.mobygames.com/company/2767/milton-bradley-co/

Data Age spends big on Journey game
Toy & Hobby World March 1983
https://youtu.be/V41ajt3euYQ

Move over Custer, Leatherface is here
Games People March 12, 1983
https://www.mobygames.com/game/21563/the-texas-chainsaw-massacre/

Vectrex jumps on console-to-computer bandwagon
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-video-game-update March 1983 pg. 7
https://www.mobygames.com/game/10350/journey-escape/

Summer CES to be the biggest yet
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n17

Japanese games invade CES
Toy and Hobby World March 1983
https://www.handheldmuseum.com/Nintendo/index.html
https://www.handheldmuseum.com/Bandai/index.html

Computer price war continues
Toy & Hobby World March 1983 pg. S3
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews001-18Mar1983/page/n14/mode/1up

TI extends rebate
Playthings March 1983

TI reaches a new PLATO
Toy and Hobby World March 1983
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PLATO_(computer_system)

TI announces cost of defective TI994A transformer
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/02/business/texas-instruments-earnings-charge.html?searchResultPosition=13

Vic20 beats competition in install base
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1983-03-rescan/page/n495/mode/1up
American McGee - id - spicy horse - ea https://www.patreon.com/posts/45549970

Commodore introduces the 1702
Toy and Hobby World March 1983
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_64_peripherals#Other_peripherals

Commodore and Timex debut new machines at CES
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1983-03-rescan/page/n497/mode/1up

HDs go 3.5"
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews001-18Mar1983/page/n18/mode/1up

IBM PC Add-ons and clones become a cottage industry
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/27/business/big-ibm-has-done-it-again.html?searchResultPosition=1

IBM drops 16k systems in US
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1983-03-rescan/page/n494/mode/1up

IBM announces the XT
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews002-25Mar1983/page/n7/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Personal_Computer_XT

Intel gets into GPUs
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews001-18Mar1983/page/n4/mode/1up

Retailers can sell software without carrying hardware
Toy & Hobby World March 1983 pg. S3

Hundreds of computer stores close
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1983-03-rescan/page/n496/mode/1up

Software leasing comes to the faire
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/29/science/personal-computers-report-from-the-faire.html?searchResultPosition=34

Microsoft hits UK high street
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews001-18Mar1983/page/n3/mode/1up
https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/micro_Live_Windows_gem/zm6mjhv

Atari going multiplatform
Toy & Hobby World March 1983 pg. S3
https://www.mobygames.com/company/97/atarisoft/

More details of Disney's software plans revealed
Toy and Hobby World March 1983

Before there was Typing of the Dead...
https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Fun_with_Computer_Games_Vol_01_No_05_1983-03_Fun_Games_Publishing_US/page/n26/mode/1up
https://youtu.be/T3YcbvgCsh4

Benji is going into space
Playthings March 1983
https://www.mobygames.com/game/32180/benji-space-rescue/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benji

Games Network test ends
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_3.2/page/n4/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Fun_with_Computer_Games_Vol_01_No_05_1983-03_Fun_Games_Publishing_US/page/n77/mode/1up
legal

Coleco and Atari settle
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/12/business/company-news-atari-coleco-pact.html?searchResultPosition=6
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/31/business/technology-issue-of-deceit-in-electronics.html?searchResultPosition=2

France levies fine against anglicized computer documentation
https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1983-03-rescan/page/n497/mode/1up
https://www.theverge.com/2022/5/31/23148358/france-academie-francaise-esports-gaming-translations

Pacman merch may have maxed out
Games People March 12, 1983 pg. 20
https://vglegacy.com/pop-culture/pac-man-vitamins/
https://archive.org/details/Video_Games_Volume_1_Number_06_1983-03_Pumpkin_Press_US/page/n18/mode/1up

Atari launches Ataritel
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/18/business/company-news-atari-plans-entry-in-communications.html?searchResultPosition=12

The race for digital TV is on
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITT_Inc.
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/17/business/technology-the-flexibility-of-digital-tv.html?searchResultPosition=21
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_television

Penthouse wants to advertise your game
https://archive.org/details/Electronic_Fun_with_Computer_Games_Vol_01_No_05_1983-03_Fun_Games_Publishing_US/page/n26/mode/1up

Marvel teams up with George Romero for media cross polination project
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/01/movies/new-film-comic-superhero-coming.html?searchResultPosition=19
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a839148/george-romero-marvel-superhero-movies/

Kadabroscope promises to bring hand drawn animation into the computer age
https://www.showbizpizza.com/info/documents/ptt/ptt_pizzatimes3-1.pdf pg. 5
https://twitter.com/mjsamps/status/1331301343135457283?lang=en

German mag Homecomputer hits newsracks
http://www.kultmags.com/mags.php?folder=SG9tZWNvbXB1dGVy
https://www.c64-wiki.de/wiki/Homecomputer

RIP US Games
https://archive.org/details/arcade_express_v1n17
https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGames/Electronic%20Games%20Issue%2013%20%28March%201983%29/page/n96/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Games

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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