February 1984

Famicom rules Japan, Bushnell leaves Chuck E Cheese & Vectrex put to rest 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 February 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/100523595 7 Minutes in Heaven: Campaign '84 Video Version:  https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-84-102259801     https://www.mobygames.com/game/158302/campaign-84/ Corrections: January 1984 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/january-1984-100014130 Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/      1954-02     Anti Comic book bill proposed in New York     https://www.nytimes.com/1954/02/17/archives/bills-would-curb-immoral-reading-comicbook-committee-cites-torrent.html?searchResultPosition=1 1964-02     General Precision shows off 47" disc     https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/60s/64/Pop-1964-02.pdf  pg. 54 1974-02     atari and Kee Games arrangement clarified     https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_31/page/51/mode/1up?view=theater Pong boon leads to arcade bombs     https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_32/page/45/mode/1up?view=theater     https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_34/page/50/mode/1up MITS introduces Programmer add-on     https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/70s/1974/Poptronics-1974-02.pdf   pg. 19        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_Instrumentation_and_Telemetry_Systems#Calculators Sony becomes Heathkit distributor     https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/70s/1974/Poptronics-1974-02.pdf   pg. 16 Heathkit introduces digital color TV     https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/70s/1974/Poptronics-1974-02.pdf   pg. 18 Sinclair announces pocket TV     https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Poptronics/70s/1974/Poptronics-1974-02.pdf   pg. 18        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV-1      Nixon addresses privacy in the age of the computer     Richard M. Nixon. (February 23, 1974). Radio Address About the American Right of Privacy.. Primary Sources in U.S. Presidential History. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:47DJ-HKP0-01K9-024S-00000-00&context=1516831.     LA Flipper ban upheld on appeal    https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_31/page/51/mode/1up?view=theater       https://www.latimes.com/visuals/photography/la-me-fw-archives-pinball-games-banned-in-los-angeles-20180911-htmlstory.html        https://la.curbed.com/2013/7/15/10219774/pinball-and-claw-games-were-illegal-in-la-from-1939-until-1974 1984-02 Bally/Williams merger called off     Replay Feb. 1984, pg. 10, 21      Bally/Midway cancel game leasing plans     Replay Feb. 1984, pg.  Nintendo predicts profit drop     (February 14, 1984). The Japan Economic Journal. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-2380-000H-H4N7-00000-00&context=1516831. Nolan steps down at Pizza Time     Replay Feb. 1984, pg.  19        https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse_2/page/29/mode/1up More deck chair shuffling at Atari     Replay Feb. 1984, pg.  Warner sells Malibu     Replay Feb. 1984, pg.  50 Simutrek files for Chapter 11     Replay Feb. 1984, pg.  19 CVS declares bankruptcy     Replay Feb. 1984, pg. 10        https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-02-02/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater GoldmanSachs sees arcade decline continuing     https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse_3/page/34/mode/1up?view=theater Bally/Midway taps Budweiser for cross promotion     https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse_4/page/30/mode/1up?view=theater        https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse_3/page/36/mode/1up?view=theater Don Bluth talks Space Ace     https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse_3/page/42/mode/1up?view=theater Nintendo promotes Larry Holmes' Punch Out!     Replay Feb. 1984, pg. 10         https://archive.org/details/cashbox46unse_3/page/31/mode/1up?view=theater Twin Galaxies crowns Video Game Champs     Replay Feb. 1984, pg.  22      Famicom dominates Japanese market     (February 7, 1984). Sales of video games in Japan topped one-million mark last year. The Japan Economic Journal. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-2390-000H-H4SN-00000-00&context=1516831. Mattel tells retailers "Show me the money!!"     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-11/page/167/mode/1up?view=theater Imagic licenses to Amiga     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-11/page/166/mode/1up?view=theater      More impressions from CES     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-11/page/165/mode/1up?view=theater      Coleco makes big promises     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-11/page/171/mode/1up?view=theater        https://www.mobygames.com/platform/colecoadam/      Commodore rethinking 264     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-11/page/170/mode/1up?view=theater Commodore announces next gen     https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-02/page/n7/mode/2up        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_900 IBM plans to go big on PC production     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_900 PCJr fracass becomes clearer     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-11/page/170/mode/1up?view=theater Byte reviews the Mac     https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-02/page/n31/mode/1up?view=theater Byte bemoans the move to compatibility     https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-02/page/n5/mode/2up Sinclair breaks with Timex     https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-02-02/page/n1/mode/2up?view=theater CBM top execs leave     https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-02-09/page/n4/mode/1up?view=theater Toshiba to develop "Super Chip"     "(FEBRUARY 8, 1984, WEDNESDAY). TOSHIBA TO DEVELOP ""SUPER-CHIP"". Japan Economic Newswire. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SP7-BB50-000F-P04M-00000-00&context=1516831.        (FEBRUARY 7, 1984, TUESDAY). 11 AREAS LIKELY TO BE DESIGNATED AS TECHNOPOLISES. Japan Economic Newswire. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SP7-BB60-000F-P064-00000-00&context=1516831.            (FEBRUARY 25, 1984, SATURDAY). MITI STICKING TO ""ARBITRATION"" CLAUSE IN SOFTWARE LAW. Japan Economic Newswire. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SP7-BB00-000F-P4KT-00000-00&context=1516831.        (February 14, 1984). IC production exceeded Y1 trillion in 1983; to rise 30% to reach Y1.5 trillion this year. The Japan Economic Journal. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-2370-000H-H4KH-00000-00&context=1516831." NEC introduces image processing chip     (February 21, 1984). NEC develops high-speed image pipelined processor; World's 1st non-von Neumann type. The Japan Economic Journal. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-2350-000H-H4DW-00000-00&context=1516831.       https://www.shmj.or.jp/english/pdf/ic/exhibi704E.pdf    Personal CPM to be included on Z80s     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commodore_900 Edutainment is the next big thing     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-11/page/165/mode/1up?view=theater        https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-11/page/166/mode/1up?view=theater Avalon Hill teams up with Toei     (February 14, 1984). Avalon Hill to sell simulation games in Japan. The Japan Economic Journal. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3S8H-2370-000H-H4K1-00000-00&context=1516831. TI 99 4/A software not dead yet!     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-11/page/164/mode/2up      US eases restrictions on exports to China     (FEBRUARY 23, 1984, THURSDAY). U.S. TO EASE CONTROL ON TECHNOLOGY EXPORTS TO CHINA. Japan Economic Newswire. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SP7-BB00-000F-P4NT-00000-00&context=1516831. Japanese copyright reform debate heats up     (FEBRUARY 1, 1984, WEDNESDAY). FIRST JAPAN-U.S. DIALOGUE ON SOFTWARE LAW IN FEBRUARY. Japan Economic Newswire. https://advance.lexis.com/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SP7-BB80-000F-P0FP-00000-00&context=1516831.     Apple loses IP case in Australia     https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-02/page/n9/mode/1up?view=theater      Vectrex RIP     https://archive.org/details/computer-entertainer-2-11/page/162/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