April 1984

Acorn and Commodore soar, as Coleco and Atari falter Software takes center stage in PC clone world UK game prices hit rock bottom   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 April 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/ and order his book here: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/book   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 Mastodon @[email protected] Or twitter @videogamenewsr2 Or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/vgnrtm Or [email protected]   Links: If you don't see all the links, find them here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/106448718   7 Minutes in Heaven: Atic Atac Video Version:  https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-106323507     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atic_Atac     https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-26/page/n1/mode/1up   Corrections: March 1984 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/march-1984-104469980 Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/        1954     Kefauver hearing puts pressure on comics industry     https://www.nytimes.com/1954/04/20/archives/comicbook-hearing-to-start-tomorrow.html     https://www.nytimes.com/1954/04/23/archives/senator-charges-deceit-on-comics-kefauver-says-child-study-groups.html         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estes_Kefauver   1964     IBM announces the 360     https://x.com/kenshirriff/status/1777022892477239724     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System/360   1974     Sega becomes American https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_41/page/50/mode/1up?view=theater     https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-saga-of-sega/   Mirco Games brings freeplay to video     https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_42/page/50/mode/1up?view=theater      Sam Stern urges industry to go to 25 cent play     https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_43/page/35/mode/1up?view=theater   David Gottlieb, RIP     https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_43/page/35/mode/1up?view=theater   1984 Atari losses fall     Post Net Income of $30.9 Million, The Associated Press, April 19, 1984, Thursday, AM cycle, Section: Business News       Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Atari in Trouble Again     https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/19/business/warner-severs-tie-with-ladd-warner-communications.html   Banks cut Coleco credit line     https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/03/business/coleco-says-banks-cut-its-credit.html?searchResultPosition=1     Coleco reports rebound from last quarter's loss, United Press International, April 17, 1984, Tuesday, BC cycle   Commodore sales skyrocket!     https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/27/business/profit-off-at-xerox-sperry-up.html     Toy & Hobby World, April 1984 pg. 12   Acorn revenues soar!     https://archive.org/details/AcornUser021-Apr84/page/n8/mode/1up   TI turn-around unprecedented     Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Texas Instruments Update   Milton Bradley returns to profitability     Milton Bradley Shows Profit in First Quarter, The Associated Press, April 20, 1984, Friday, BC cycle, Section: Business News     Toy Maker Talking About 'Business Combination' With Another Company, The Associated Press, April 26, 1984, Thursday, AM cycle, Section: Business News, Dateline: SPRINGFIELD, Mass.   Pizza Time Losses continue to mount     Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, In Brief   Atari closes last California factory     Newsbytes, April 3, 1984, Atari Lay-Off        https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/07/business/atari-to-cut-550-jobs-at-2-plants.html      Alan Kay leaves Atari     Newsbytes, April 10, 1984, A week of resignations      5200 Software drought     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/12/mode/1up        https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/15/mode/1up   German court squashe Unimex duplicator     https://binarium.de/unimex_duplicator_sp280         https://archive.org/details/happycomputer-magazine-1984-04/page/n7/mode/1up   Sinclair misses another QL deadline     https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-05/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater       https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews057-14Apr1984/page/n3/mode/1up?view=theater     https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews056-07Apr1984/page/n5/mode/1up   Sinclair finds QL workaround!     https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews059-28Apr1984/page/n3/mode/1up?view=theater       https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-26/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater   Hannover Fair sees flood of PCs     https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews058-21Apr1984/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater   Commodore unveils PC clone     Newsbytes, April 3, 1984, Speaking of Clones        https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/05/business/2-machines-challenge-ibm.html   IBM looks to shut down clones     Newsbytes, April 3, 1984, More IBM, by Paul Richter     https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews056-07Apr1984/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater   IBM buys  additional Intel shares     Newsbytes, April 3, 1984, In Brief   PCJr sales still dismal     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/10/mode/1up?view=theater     https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews059-28Apr1984/page/n5/mode/1up?view=theater   Apple ][ forever!     Newsbytes, April 10, 1984, Apple II Forever        https://apple.fandom.com/wiki/Apple_II_Forever       Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Mac-Update   Apple holds its own with IBM     Newsbytes, April 10, 1984, Apple vs. IBM   Tomy drops out of US market     Toy & Hobby World, April 1984 pg. 12   HP introduces the ThinkJet     https://www.hp.com/hpinfo/abouthp/histnfacts/museum/imagingprinting/0011/        https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-04-rescan/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater   Moves to Asia continue     Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Stealing some thunder         https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/26/nyregion/thursday-april-26-1984-international.html      Bill Gates on Time cover     https://content.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19840416,00.html     https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/22/business/the-heady-world-of-ibm-suppliers.html   IBM working on GUI     https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-04-rescan/page/n10/mode/1up?view=theater        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_TopView   3rd parties abandon Adam     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/8/mode/1up?view=theater     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/10/mode/1up?view=theater   Imagine changes course on  price cut     https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews056-07Apr1984/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater   UK game prices hit 1 pound 99!     https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews057-14Apr1984/page/n3/mode/1up?view=theater     https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews057-14Apr1984/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater   PC Write shareware model a success     Newsbytes, April 10, 1984, Betting on Piracy   Wordstar hits hard times     Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Software Snafus   Atari Program Exchange shuttered     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater   Atari introduces AtariLab     PRESS CONFERENCE, PR Newswire, April 4, 1984, Wednesday         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AtariLab   Broderbund announces Print Shop     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-3-1/page/6/mode/1up?view=theater      HESWare hires Nimoy     https://archive.org/details/Ahoy_Issue_04_1984-04_Ion_International_US/page/n7/mode/2up   Empires redefines pass-and-play     https://archive.org/details/PersonalComputerNews/PersonalComputerNews057-14Apr1984/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater        https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/9706   Synapse withdraws from UK market     https://archive.org/details/computer-and-videogames-030/page/n19/mode/1up   Random House enters software biz     https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/11/business/advertising-random-s-software-account.html      64er launches     https://archive.org/details/64er_1984_04/mode/2up      France goes online     https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/30/business/computer-linkups-spurred-by-france.html   Games Network signs up additional franchises     https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-12/page/n18/mode/1up?view=theater        https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-26/page/n12/mode/1up?view=theater   Videotext gone took 'r jawbs!     https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/29/arts/tv-view-a-corporate-look-into-the-near-future.html      MITI throws in the towel     MITI GIVES UP PLAN TO SUBMIT SOFTWARE BILL TO DIET, Japan Economic Newswire, APRIL 21, 1984, SATURDAY       REVIEW-SOFTWARE: JAPAN, U.S. REMAIN APART ON SOFTWARE PROTECTION, Japan Economic Newswire, APRIL 19, 1984, THURSDAY   CalTech students hack Rose Bowl scoreboard     https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-04-rescan/page/n10/mode/1up?view=theater        https://www.edn.com/forget-touchdowns-engineers-score-with-pranks/   RCA axes Video disk https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/12/arts/tv-review-viewer-controls-screen.html?searchResultPosition=1     https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/06/business/rca-defends-timing-of-videodisk-canceling.html   Licensing business explodes     Children's Characters Stir Big Sales, The Associated Press, April 25, 1984, Wednesday, PM cycle, Section: Domestic News, Byline: By ROBERT WADE, Associated Press Writer   Takara pens deal with Hasbro     US firm permitted to use characters, The Japan Economic Journal, April 17, 1984, Section: SERVICE/LEISURE/FOOD; Pg. 18     Toy & Hobby World, April 1984   D&D scare hits the UK     https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-12/page/n1/mode/2up 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   sega nintendo atari coleco acorn commodore c64 spectrum sinclair ql microsoft windows vision gottlieb chuck e cheese pizza time pcjr shareware pulsonic imagine mastertronic ultimate aticatac apple macintosh appleii 40 years ago: #Acorn and #Commodore soar, as #Coleco and #Atari falter, Software takes center stage in PC clone world & UK game prices hit rock bottom   These stories and more on the VGNRTM!   #c64 #zxspectrum #ql #mastertronic #sega