Japan goes after arcades,
Nintendo's Famicon gets its first licensee &
Gamers come together online
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 1984.
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:
If you don't see all the links, find them here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/137421899
7 Minutes in Heaven: Lazy Jones
Video Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-137421447
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazy_Jones
Corrections:
September 1984 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/september-1984-127470165
Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
https://archive.org/details/atariincbusiness0000gold
http://jerrymomoda.com/universal-vs-nintendo-part-i-2/
https://www.patreon.com/posts/83174490/
https://www.filfre.net/2016/05/kit-williamss-golden-hare-part-1-the-contest/page_1big/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-Uz0LMbWpI
https://archive.org/details/zaprisefall00cohe/mode/2up
1944
Coinmen looking forward to VE Day
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/40s/44/CB-1944-10-03.pdf pg. 1
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/40s/44/CB-1944-10-10.pdf pg. 3
https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2735
https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=2736
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/40s/44/CB-1944-10-31.pdf pg. 2
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/40s/44/CB-1944-10-10.pdf pg. 2
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/40s/44/CB-1944-10-17.pdf pg. 5
First National Electronics Conference held
https://www.nytimes.com/1944/10/06/archives/electronics-holds-postwar-promise-war-expansion-of-uses-aids-in.html?searchResultPosition=2
1954
Popular Electronics debuts
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/50s/54/Pop-1954-10.pdf pg. 52
Von Neumann joins Atomic Energy Commission
https://www.nytimes.com/1954/10/24/archives/oppenheimer-friend-named-to-the-aec-von-neumann-gets-vacancy-on-aec.html?searchResultPosition=3
https://www.nytimes.com/1954/10/24/archives/von-neumann-had-key-hbomb-role-princeton-scientist-created.html?searchResultPosition=5
New York Magistrate resigns to head Comics Code Authority
https://www.nytimes.com/1954/10/02/archives/magistrate-resigns-murphy-to-draft-a-code-for-comic-magazine.html?searchResultPosition=4
1964
UNIVAC experiments with airflow computing
https://www.nytimes.com/1964/10/18/archives/new-digital-computer-introduced-by-univac.html?searchResultPosition=2
Big Tech hit by defense spending cuts
https://www.nytimes.com/1964/10/13/archives/watson-announces-ibm-profits-mark-for-third-quarter.html?searchResultPosition=65
Bowling gets computerized
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/60s/64/Pop-1964-10.pdf pg. 46
1974
ASCII code extensions proposed
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/70s/1974/Poptronics-1974-10.pdf pg. 26
https://www.aivosto.com/articles/charsets-7bit.html#body
Atari Debuts Touch Me
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1974/CB-1974-10-19.pdf pg. 31
Sega sponsors video game tournament
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1974/CB-1974-10-26.pdf pg. 45
https://segaretro.org/Sega_TV_Game-ki_Zenkoku_Contest
1984:
Hasbro buys Milton Bradley
Toys Hobbies & Crafts, October 1984
Warner returns to profitability
"Posts $24.4 Million Profit Compared With Loss a Year Ago, The Associated Press October 23, 1984, Tuesday, AM cycle, Section: Business News"
Atari Games Inc. established
Replay, October 1984, pg. 15
Jack is looking for cash
The second time around, Forbes, October 8, 1984, Section: COMPANIES; Pg. 42, Byline: By Anne Bagamery
Electronic Games, October 1984, pg. 12
Gerard Leaves as Warner Co-President, The Associated Press, October 16, 1984, Tuesday, AM cycle, Section: Business News
Commodore financials break records
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-18/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Apple numbers soar
Apple earnings soar six-fold in quarter, Financial Times (London,England), October 19, 1984, Friday, Section: SECTION II; International Companies; Pg. 21
TI settles investor suit
Suit costs TI $12 million, Computerworld, October 15, 1984, Section: COMPUTER INDUSTRY; Pg. 116
Ocean buys Imagine
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-18/mode/1up?view=theater
Sinclair buys rights to bandersnatch
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-11/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-04/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Activision to spend big as computer game maker
ACTIVISION; Details pre-Christmas advertising and promotion plans, Business Wire, October 24, 1984, Wednesday
ACTIVISION; Financial results, Business Wire, October 29, 1984, Monday
PCS going into bankruptcy
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-25/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Konami goes public
KONAMI INDUSTRY TRADED FIRST AT 8,300 YEN, Copyright 1984 Jiji Press Ltd.Jiji Press Ticker Service, OCTOBER 1, 1984, MONDAY
Japanese Arcade law
https://archive.org/details/game-machine-magazine-19841001p/page/n18/mode/1up?view=theater
Japanese arcades diversify
https://archive.org/details/game-machine-magazine-19841015p/page/n16/mode/1up
Chuck E. Cheese operations normalize
Play Meter, October 15, 1984, pg. 9
Fighting games are all the rage
Replay, October 1984, pg. 16
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch-Out!!
AMOA set to be the battle of the carts
Replay, October 1984, pg. 27, pg. 31
Video Games donated to Smithsonian
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1984/CB-1984-10-20.pdf pg. 38
Namco moves to Famicom
https://archive.org/details/game-machine-magazine-19841001p/page/n18/mode/1up?view=theater
http://www.videogameden.com/fc.htm?lor
Parker Bros may be getting out
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-7/page/n14/mode/1up?view=theater
Tom Dusenberry - Parker Brothers - Hasbro - Atari - https://www.patreon.com/posts/42807419
Adam woes continue
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-7/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-7/page/105/mode/1up?view=theater
Cabbage Patch Sales Boost Coleco's 3rd-Qtr Profit, The Associated Press, October 25, 1984, Thursday, AM cycle, Section: Business News
No Headline In Original, United Press International, October 24, 1984, Wednesday, BC cycle, Section: Financial
Adam promotion costs hit earnings at Coleco, Financial Times (London,England), October 30, 1984, Tuesday, Section: SECTION II; International Companies; Pg. 15
Oric on the ropes
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-04/mode/1up?view=theater
GEC drops MSX plans
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-11/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Sega to launch MSX in UK
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-18/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
https://www.msx.org/wiki/Yashica_YC-64
https://www.msx.org/wiki/Category:Yeno
Amstrad bullish on CPC
Amstrad stays Sugar sweet, The Guardian (London), October 4, 1984, Byline: By MAGGIE BROWN
Commodore prepping 128
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-25/mode/1up?view=theater
Sinclair denies rumors of expanded speccy
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-04/mode/1up?view=theater
Sinclair announces Spectrum+
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-18/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-25/page/n17/mode/2up?view=theater
Home computers have the price right, just not the power
Byte, October 1984, pg. 6
Final bonanza for home micros / Sales of cheap home computers, The Guardian (London), October 8, 1984, Byline: By PETER LARGE
Games on cassette are dead
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-7/page/107/mode/1up?view=theater
Bookware mania explodes!
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-7/mode/1up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-11/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
Toy & Hobby World, October 1984, pg. 8
Visi On sold to CDC
https://books.google.de/books?id=d-tPdHcBE9wC&pg=PAPA41&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
Microsoft delays Windows... again
PERIPHERALS; SPECIAL INSURANCE COVERAGE COULD PREVENT COSTLY LOSSES, The New York Times, October 30, 1984, Tuesday, Late City Final Edition, Section: Section C; Page 6, Column 5; Science Desk
Ensoniq plans ad campaign
No Headline In Original, ADWEEK, October 22, 1984, Eastern Edition, Section: ACCOUNT ACQUISITIONS; New England
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ensoniq
Crackers get organized
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-25/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater
https://csdb.dk/group/?id=3423
Playnet Launches nationwide
PLAYNET; Launches national access to its in-home, on-line network, Business Wire, October 30, 1984, Tuesday
Comp-U-Card hits 1 million
COMP-U-CARD-INTL; Announces individual membership base exceeds one million, Business Wire, October 18, 1984, Thursday
Micronet to take on Compunet in the UK
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-18/mode/1up?view=theater
Futures (Micro Guardian): Search and you will find / The World Reporter full text news and current affairs database, The Guardian (London), October 18, 1984
Videotex or videotext?
Business World;Infant videotext industry has identity problems in pitching home information systems to consumer, United Press International, October 21, 1984, Sunday, BC cycle, Section: Domestic News, Byline: By SUSAN POSTLEWAITE, UPI Business Writer
Business World; Infant videotext industry has identity problems in pitching home information systems to consumer; First question: What does it do?; Second question: Why do I want it?; Third question: Can I afford it?, United Press International, October 21, 1984, Sunday, BC cycle, Section: Financial, Byline: By SUSAN POSTLEWAITE, UPI Business Writer
Game creators get chatty
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_4.5/page/n13/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_4.5/page/n29/mode/2up
ISBN adds software
Byte, October 1984, pg. 10
Antic Reviews The Art of Computer Game Design
https://archive.org/details/artofcomputergam00chri/mode/2up?view=theater
https://archive.org/details/1984-10-anticmagazine/page/82/mode/2up
Nintendo beats Universal on appeal
"Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, May 23, 1984, Argued ; October 4, 1984, Decided, No. 84-7095
On the Light Side, The Associated Press, October 11, 1984, Thursday, PM cycle"
MCA sues Atari
https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-7/mode/1up
https://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/dune/dune.htm
Commodore runs afoul of the FTC
Byte, October 1984, pg. 9
Learn to speculate - the Video Game!
INVESTMENT WATCH, The San Diego Union-Tribune, October 31, 1984 Wednesday, Section: BUSINESS; Pg. A-13, Byline: Janet Lowe, TRIBUNE FINANCIAL EDITOR
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/comex-game-market-simulator-software-3764189470
Acorn dives into Laserdiscs
Venture in video discs,Financial Times (London,England), October 31, 1984, Wednesday, Section: SECTION I; Technology; Education; Pg. 15, Byline: EDITED BY ALAN CANE
https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=1661
RIP HESWare
https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-11/mode/1up?view=theater
Jay Balakrishnan - HESWare, Radical, Dynamics, Solid State Software - https://www.patreon.com/posts/jay-balakrishnan-103071267
No Headline In Original, United Press International, October 8, 1984, Monday, BC cycle, Section: Financial, Dateline: EUGENE, Ore.
Quote of the month: https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-10-25/page/n2/mode/1up?view=theater
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
