Video Game Crash 1984

1976 : Fairchild F Console (Fairchild Semiconductor) - Also known as Video Entertainment System (VES) - First console with removable cartridges - First with microprocessor - Two games + 27 game cartridges on sale - Games were considered mediocre - Did not do well in Market ($170 retail price and only 250,000 units sold) - Overpowered by Atari 2600 in 1977

1977 : Aari 2600 (Atari) - Launched at price of $200 by Atari Video Computer System (VCS) - 2 joysticks with 1 action button - "Combat" Cartridge included 27 games in one cartridge - Included trackball for "Centipede" and Missile Command and Paddle controller for "Pong" - Most successful video game console of its generation - First to popularise interchangeable cartridges - Had license for popular arcade games (i.e. "Space Invaders" and Pac-Man) - Sold 30 million units

1979 : Activision Founded - Founded by David Crane and Alan Miller, both programmers who left Atari - Atari did not give credits for game designers - First developer and distributors of video games for home consoles - Third party companies began to make games for Atari 2600 - Most known for side scrolling platform games of the era - legitimised third-party development in video game industry

1978 : Magnavox Odyssey2 (Magnavox) - Released by Magnavox, successor of the first home video game console "Magnavox Odyssey" - built-in keyboard - sold moderately well before the North American Video Game Crash in 1984 - offered simple programming practice software cartridge - voice-module add-on for voice compatible games - detachable controlelrs

1979 : Intellivision (Mattel) - First serious competitor of Atari 2600 - Controller with a disc and 12-button numeric keypad - Buttons on each side of controller - 16 recognisable direction instead of 8 - 12 button keypad were mapped to play different functions - Superior in graphic capabilities and processing power - Promised a add-on Keyboard Component, but was constantly delayed - Mid 1982, Mattel was ordered by the Federal Trader Commission to pay monthly fine or false advertisement - Sold 3 million u

1982 : ColecoVision (Coleco) - started creating video games and electronics when Atari 2600 was released - Controller similar to Intellivision, but with joystick on top and keypad on bottom - 16 colour display, best in the era - had exclusive right to Donkey Kong arcade game, showcased superior graphic capabilities - Near-perfect versions of popular arcade games (i.e. Zaxxon, Burger Time, Lady Bug, Spy Hunter)

1982 : Vectrex (Smith Engineering/ General Consumer Electronics GCE) - built-in vector graphics monitor self-contained portable unit - only capable of black and white line and polygons - semi-transparent colour overlays similar to Odyssey - 4-button mini-joystick controller connected to monitor - Built-in "Mine Storm" game - discontinued in 1984

1982 : Atari 5200 (Atari) - presented as successor of Atari 2600 - Intended to compete with Intellivision and ColecoVision - High $270 retail price - rushed into market and lacked hardware quality control - each controller had poorly made analog joystick and 4 awkwardly placed action buttons

1984 : Atari 7800 (Atari) - announced to replace the failure of Atari 5200

- Revenues peaked at $3.2 billion in 1983 - Revenues dropped 97%, fell to $100 million - ended the second generation of home console gaming in north America - Almost destroyed video game industry and bankrupted many video game companies

1984 : The North American Video Game Crash Causes : - Oversaturation of the video game industry and market - Lack of quality control caused by the rush of creating many mediocre games for profit - Competition against other entertainment sources such as the music video revolution, VCRs, personal computers, etc.

1984 : The North American Video Game Crash