The Boom is over,
Texas Instruments is out &
Nintendo becomes stock market darling
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 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:
Complete links can be found at:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/94392565
7 Minutes in Heaven: Kool-Aid Man
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-aid-94380376
https://www.mobygames.com/game/16706/kool-aid-man/
https://www.mobygames.com/game/40671/kool-aid-man/
https://youtu.be/mpbaznILT3s?si=oGZ8BCrVkhGu_aeG
Corrections:
September 1983 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/september-1983-92463308
Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nio3hYAx_Tc
https://youtu.be/zONxBXLw4YY
1973-10
Sega joins pong craze
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_16/page/n108/mode/1up
Midway announces Space Race clone
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_14/page/52/mode/1up?view=theater.
Kee Games plant opens
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_14/page/52/mode/1up?view=theater
Video game sales exceed 45,000
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_17/page/59/mode/1up?view=theater
1983-10
Supreme Court refuses to hear speed up kit case
"Economy At A Glance, United Press International, October 3, 1983, Monday, AM cycle, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJB-F6H0-001X-R0FX-00000-00&context=1516831.
By ELIZABETH OLSON, United Press International, October 3, 1983, Monday, BC cycle, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJB-F6M0-001X-R0W3-00000-00&context=1516831."
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/23/business/the-gavel-comes-down-on-computer-copycats.html
Lasermania grips coinop
Replay Oct. 1983, pg. 8
Replay, Oct. 1983, pg. 97, 41, 136
Coleco catches Singe
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-7
SENTE is a go...
Replay Oct. 1983 pg. 22, 8
Nintendo dividend tops charts
NINTENDO INCREASES ANNUAL DIVIDEND BY 6.5 YEN, Copyright 1983 Jiji Press Ltd.Jiji Press Ticker Service, OCTOBER 11, 1983, TUESDAY, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJD-P7J0-001B-N4KX-00000-00&context=1516831. Copyright 1983 Jiji Press Ltd., Copyright 1983 Jiji Press Ltd.Jiji
Press Ticker Service, OCTOBER 11, 1983, TUESDAY, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJD-P7G0-001B-N4GD-00000-00&context=1516831.
Matsushita Electric tops 807 firms in consolidated earnings figures, The Japan Economic Journal, October 11, 1983, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-1PT0-000H-H1RH-00000-00&context=1516831.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/43294923
Konami opens US operations
Replay Oct. 1983 pg 136
Atari opens Chicago dealership
Replay Oct 1983 pg. 10
Harry Williams, RIP
Replay Oct. 1983 pg. 28
Bars need not fear arcades
PR Newswire, October 5, 1983, Wednesday, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJB-2S40-000D-81GN-00000-00&context=1516831.
The boom is over
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/17/business/video-games-industry-comes-down-to-earth.html
Warner loses $122.4 million in third quarter
New York Times, October 15, 1983, pg. 37
Warner cuts 250 jobs at New York HQ
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/14/business/warner-cuts-corporate-staff-by-250.html
2600 being sold off for $60
Playthings, Oct. 1983, pg. 24
Activision supports 5200
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-7/page/105/mode/1up
Mattel revenues collapse
By James E. Braham, Profit's a question on home screens, Industry Week, October 3, 1983, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SPF-0RB0-0010-M0WW-00000-00&context=1516831.
Mattel Computer Adaptor tested
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews032-19Oct1983/page/n19/mode/1up?view=theater
Coleco revenue plummets
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/25/business/declines-sharp-for-apple-and-coleco.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/05/business/market-placedaniel-f-cuff-coleco-s-adam-betting-heavy.html
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews031-12Oct1983/page/n5/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-7/page/108/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews032-19Oct1983/page/n5/mode/1up
CBS posts gains
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/13/business/cbs-inc-profits-surge-3-groups-help-results.html
Toys R Us sees drop in video games and computers
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/13/business/toys-r-us.html
Apple earnings plummet
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/25/business/declines-sharp-for-apple-and-coleco.html
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews032-19Oct1983/page/n3/mode/1up
Commodore numbers surge
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/27/business/results-are-mixed-for-xerox.html
MacNeil Lehrer Newshour interviews Jack Tramiel
https://youtu.be/U5skpKlVOqc?si=6vDkO5DnwZJZIbrd
https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_507-mp4vh5d74j#at_2421.316381_s
TI drops out
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/29/business/retreat-set-by-texas-instruments.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/31/business/ibm-may-benefit.html
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-10_OCR/page/n8/mode/1up?view=theater
David Ahl presents Price Wars, the Graphic Novel
https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1983-10/page/n187/mode/1up?view=theater
IBM profits up
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/15/business/ibm-net-up-24.8-in-quarter.html
IBM welcomes Taiwanese imitators
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews033-26Oct1983/page/n3/mode/1up?view=theater
Apple cuts price of Lisa by 15%
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews030-05Oct1983/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Formats, formats everywhere
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_3.5/page/n4/mode/1up
Japanese show off at SICOB
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews031-12Oct1983/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater
http://www.fruitcake.plus.com/Sinclair/Interface2/Cartridges/Interface2_RC_Cartridges.htm
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews032-19Oct1983/page/n62/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews033-26Oct1983/page/n19/mode/1up?view=theater
Tandy introduces Coco2
"https://oldcomputermuseum.com/tandy_coco2.html
NEW PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET, United Press International, October 5, 1983, Wednesday, BC cycle, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJB-F670-001X-R50S-00000-00&context=1516831."
Tandy introduces the MC10
https://archive.org/details/Creative_Computing_1983-10/page/n42/mode/1up?view=theater https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_MC-10
Osborne effect postulated as cause of death
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews030-05Oct1983/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Computer industry shakeup not affecting jobs
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/16/jobs/computer-industry-more-jobs-despite-layoffs.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HP-150
UK computer makers want to make Acorn a standard
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews030-05Oct1983/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater
British homes in love with micros
Computer buying bonanza awaited; Jason Crisp reveals problems behind the Christmas surge, Financial Times (London,England), October 8, 1983, Saturday, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-2PT0-000F-54WF-00000-00&context=1516831. By BARNABY J. FEDER. (October 10, 1983, Monday, Late City Final Edition).
COMPUTER MARKET STRONG IN BRITAIN. The New York Times. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8G-J7J0-0008-Y1B4-00000-00&context=1516831.
Teenage programming superstars blossom in the UK
Joan Gray, A world of asteroids and whizz-kid programmers, Financial Times (London,England), October 10, 1983, Monday, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-2PS0-000F-54VH-00000-00&context=1516831.
Spectrum goes cartridge
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews031-12Oct1983/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater
http://www.fruitcake.plus.com/Sinclair/Interface2/Cartridges/Interface2_RC_Cartridges.htm
https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews032-19Oct1983/page/n62/mode/1up?view=theater
http://www.fruitcake.plus.com/Sinclair/Interface2/Cartridges/Interface2_RC_Unreleased.htm
Microdrive weakness becomes more apparent
https://archive.org/details/nzbitsandbytes-2-03/page/n5/mode/1up?view=theater
sinclair recommends photocopying printouts
https://archive.org/details/nzbitsandbytes-2-03/page/n3/mode/1up?view=theater
Game software prices begin to drop in England
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_024_1983-10_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n90/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_3.5/page/n4/mode/1up
Martin Wheeler - Virgin, BITS, Recluse https://www.patreon.com/posts/72185638
Jerry Wolosenko - Synapse - https://www.patreon.com/posts/42014024
Guild of Software Houses forms
https://archive.org/details/CommodoreUserIssue011983Oct/page/n5/mode/2up
CGW hates on the c64
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_3.5/page/n26/mode/1up
http://www.kultmags.com/mags.php?folder=Q1BVLzE5ODM= CPU 10-1983 pg. 30, 25, 1
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_3.5/page/n39/mode/1up
Cmmodore User magazine debuts
https://archive.org/details/CommodoreUserIssue011983Oct/page/n5/mode/2up
Atarisoft launches
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/27/business/atari-s-new-games-fit-other-machines.html
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-7
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-7/page/105/mode/1up
Trip is bringing the hotness
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-10_OCR/page/n101/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_3.5/page/n11/mode/1up
Epyx launches the "Preview Disk"
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-7/page/108/mode/1up
https://archive.org/details/a8b_Epyx_Preview_Disk_1983_Epyx_US
Computer games go 3D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RoNTTPcPwI
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_024_1983-10_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n18/mode/1up?view=theater
Turn your micro into an animation studio
https://archive.org/details/eu_BYTE-1983-10_OCR/page/n357/mode/1up?view=theater
Tom Carter Productions goes interactive
Replay Oct. 1983 pg. 137
https://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/hucks-landing/
Animated features are dead... except for Disney
TODAY'S TOPIC: Little Life Left In Full-Length Animated Feature Production, The Associated Press, October 3, 1983, Monday, PM cycle, available at https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJ4-M6D0-0011-523X-00000-00&context=1516831.
Activists go after commercial length TV shows aimed at kids
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/12/arts/eight-children-s-tv-shows-assailed.html
Wherehouse goes public
(October 6, 1983, Thursday). WHEREHOUSE; Public offering. Business Wire. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJD-MK90-001B-R0VJ-00000-00&context=1516831
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wherehouse_Entertainment
First commercial cellphone service introduced
https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/14/business/cellular-mobile-phone-debute.html
Best Quote of the month: https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews032-19Oct1983/page/n5/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.
Copyright Karl Kuras
