October 1982

October 1982

Author: Karl Kuras November 6, 2022 Duration: 2:16:50
Video Game Newsroom Time Machine
LeisureGamesHistoryVideo Games

Distributors give conversion boards the cold shoulder
Atari looks down on the competition
The computer price war 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 October 1982.
As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events.

Ethan from the The History of How We Play is our cohost. You can find his other fine retrogaming work here:
https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
or
https://twitter.com/GameResearch_E

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 twitter @videogamenewsr2
Or
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vgnrtm
Or
videogamenewsroomtimemachine@gmail.com

Links:
7 Minutes in Heaven: Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-74255622
https://www.mobygames.com/game/smurf-rescue-in-gargamels-castle
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smurfs#Television_series

Corrections:
September 1982 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/september-1982-72623643
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Joe:_A_Real_American_Hero

1972
Star Trek comes to the arcades
Cashbox October 14, 1972 pg. 57
https://www.mobygames.com/game/star-trek__

1982
Arcade industry faces massive slow down
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/24/business/what-s-new-in-video-games-taking-the-zing-out-of-the-arcade-boom.html

Burger Time rights split
Replay Oct. 1982 pg. 51
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/burgertime

Tarzan stops Taito's Jungle King
Games People Oct. 16 pg. 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahfHlIqOLRY
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/jungle-hunt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarzan

Conversion kits get distributor cold shoulder
Replay Oct. 1982, pg. 13, pg. 35
Replay Oct. 1982, pg. 38, 94
https://www.gamesdatabase.org/all_publisher_games-status_games

Sega shows off video disk tech
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/24/business/what-s-new-in-video-games-and-trying-to-put-it-back.html?searchResultPosition=5
https://segaretro.org/Astron_Belt
https://segaretro.org/Sega_LaserDisc_hardware

Politicians gunning for games
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92045039/legislator-criticizes-custers-revenge/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/apple2/firebug/adblurbs
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/15/nyregion/new-york-day-by-day-221763.html?searchResultPosition=7
https://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/swedish-erotica-custers-revenge
Ed Zaron - Muse - https://www.patreon.com/posts/30697517
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Armstrong_Custer

Game violence discussion begins
Games People Oct. 2, 1982, pg. 5
https://www.mobygames.com/game/arcade/berzerk

Mattel loses to Phillips
Arcade Express v.1 n5 pg. 1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnavox_Odyssey#Lawsuits

FCC goes after Colecovision
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77695436/colecovision-does-not-have-to-recall/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77695449/colecovision-does-not-have-to-recall/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77787676/colecovision-partial-recall-due-to-fcc/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77787618/coleco-fcc-fine/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ColecoVision

Warner profits surge
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/19/business/rca-posts-a-profit-warner-tandy-up.html?searchResultPosition=15
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/22/business/big-board-short-interest-climbs-to-record-level.html?searchResultPosition=3

Atari R&D hits $100 million
Games People Oct. 9, 1982 pg. 2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evans_%26_Sutherland

Atari dismisses competitors
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/04/arts/home-video-games-nearing-profitability-of-the-film-business.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kassar

Atari pumps up movie licenses
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-october-1982/page/7/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-october-1982/page/29/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/raiders-of-the-lost-ark
https://www.mobygames.com/game/atari-2600/et-the-extra-terrestrial_

Nitron agrees to buy Astrocade
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/20/business/briefs-232796.html?searchResultPosition=19
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bally_Astrocade

Channel F returns!
https://archive.org/details/videogaming-illustrated-october-1982/page/10/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Channel_F

Intellivision keyboard component goes back to the drawing board
https://ia902506.us.archive.org/29/items/computer-entertainer-video-game-update_202205/1982-10%20The%20Video%20Game%20Update.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellivision#Keyboard_Component

Conan is coming to the Astrocade
https://archive.org/details/videogaming-illustrated-october-1982/page/49/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3MU8YywoHk

Ultravision joins 2600 fray
Arcade Express v.1 n5 pg. 2
https://www.mobygames.com/company/ultravision-inc

Frobco is selling the Frob
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-october-1982/page/n73/mode/1up?view=theater
http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-frob-26_29983.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VIC-20

Apple slashes prices
https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_07-10_1982-10_Computers_in_Business/page/n457/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_IIe
https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_07-10_1982-10_Computers_in_Business/page/n457/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/sim_compute_1982-10_4_29/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater

Apple severs ties with Xerox
https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_07-10_1982-10_Computers_in_Business/page/n457/mode/1up?view=theater

Atari replaces Badetscher with Cavalier
https://archive.org/details/sim_compute_1982-10_4_29/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater

Spectravision announces Vic20 cartridge games
https://ia902506.us.archive.org/29/items/computer-entertainer-video-game-update_202205/1982-10%20The%20Video%20Game%20Update.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectravideo
http://www.atarimania.com/documents/spectravideo_spring_summer_1983_press_kit.pdf
https://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/spectravideo-international-ltd/list-games/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VIC-20

Spectrum launch a debacle
https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_007/page/5/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1982-10-21/page/n4/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1982-10-14/page/n4/mode/1up https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_007/page/14/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX_Spectrum

ZX81 software prices drop
https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_007/page/11/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX81

Hewson launches ZX81 flight sim
https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_007/page/17/mode/1up
https://www.mobygames.com/game/pilot
https://www.mobygames.com/company/21st-century-entertainment-ltd

Computers adapt to reduce stress
https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_07-10_1982-10_Computers_in_Business/page/n457/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_CPC

Softside editorial discusses the future of computing as a field of study
https://archive.org/details/softside-magazine-49/page/n5/mode/1up

Creative Computing explores the origins of the video game
https://archive.org/details/creativecomputing-1982-10/page/n191/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_for_Two

Cyborg 64 Gazzette debuts
https://archive.org/details/Cyborg-64_Gazette_Issue_1_Vol_1_1982-10-11_Synertech_Design_US
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.info_(magazine)

Software Merchandising magazine premieres
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-october-1982/page/6/mode/1up?view=theater

Computerland goes Software only
https://archive.org/details/software-merchandising-october-1982/page/8/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ComputerLand

Book retailers eyeing software
https://archive.org/details/BYTE_Vol_07-10_1982-10_Computers_in_Business/page/n456/mode/1up?view=theater
https://web.archive.org/web/20150630082300/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/898798718.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B._Dalton#Software_Etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldenbooks

Atari Force takes to comics
https://archive.org/details/videogaming-illustrated-october-1982/page/9/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/Atari_Force_Volume_1_Number_1_1982_DC_Comics/page/n3/mode/1up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Force

TV viewers to go to the Starcade
Replay Oct. 1982 pg. 42
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starcade

Star Fighter to make video game dreams a silverscreen reality
https://archive.org/details/videogaming-illustrated-october-1982/page/10/mode/1up?view=theater
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_Starfighter

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/

Sound Effects by Ethan Johnson of History of How We Play.

Copyright Karl Kuras

Find out on the VGNRTM

atari, colecovision, 5200, 2600, arcade, sega, custer's revenge, commodore, apple, last starfighter, starcade, channel f, astrocade, burger time, smurfs

40 years ago:
Distributors give conversion boards the cold shoulder,
#Atari looks down on the competition &
The computer price war heats up

These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM

 


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: Language: English Episodes: 100

Official website RSS
youtubepatreon
Video Game Newsroom Time Machine
Podcast Episodes
Bruce Nesmith - TSR, Bethesda [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:26:32
In the history of pen and paper role playing games, no company name looms larger than TSR, creators of Dungeons and Dragons, and in the realm of computer role playing games one of the greatest publishers has been Bethesd…
Ed Pearson - Seattle Funplex [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:19
After the crash, a new type of venue emerged as the dominant force in coin operated video games, the family entertainment center. No longer just video games, but a mix of mini golf, redemption games, food counters and mo…
July 1983 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:34:15
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 t…
June 1993 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:53:17
Street Fighter movie is a go Traditional computer game makers falter Sega's Battle with Nintendo heats up These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in…
Gary Brose - Seattle Funplex [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:11
After the crash, a new type of venue emerged as the dominant force in coin operated video games, the family entertainment center. No longer just video games, but a mix of mini golf, redemption games, food counters and mo…
June 1983 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:35:35
40 years ago: TI reports huge losses, Sega gets out of the arcade business in the US & Nintendo prepares to launch the Family Computer These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look b…
May 1993 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:24:28
Super Mario Brothers hits theatres, Blast Processing brings sega to the next level & Id shows off Doom These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in an…
May 1983 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:18:36
The Supreme Court comes to the aid of video games Commodore's Vic20 drops below $100 Electronic Arts ships its first games These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the b…
OpenGL vs. Direct3D with Servan Keondjian and Casey Muratori [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:13:40
At the dawn of 3D acceleration a battle was fought over who would control the APIs that would allow programmers to unlock the power of this new type of PC hardware. Would it be an open source community effort born of Sil…
April 1993 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:47:50
Street Fighter 2 merch goes into overdrive, Nintendo neuters Mortal Kombat & The World Wide Web goes open source These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM This episode we will look back at the biggest sto…

«1...345678910»