1977 in video games
| |||
|---|---|---|---|
| +... |
Events
- Agnes Kim opens the first Electronics Boutique, a kiosk at the King of Prussia Mall in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania selling transistor radios and calculators.[1]
- Atari opens the first Pizza Time Theater (later Chuck E. Cheese's), a combination video arcade/pizzeria conceived by Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell. In June, Bushnell purchases the rights to Pizza Time Theater back from Atari for $500,000 USD.[2]
- Sega acquires Gremlin Industries, a major developer of coin-operated "wall games."[3]
- Nakamura Manufacturing Ltd. formally changes its name to Namco (which it has employed as a brand name since 1971), and establishes Namco Enterprises Asia Ltd. in Hong Kong, its first subsidiary based outside of Japan.[4]
- The retail video game market in the United States is valued at $21 million.[5]
- The overall video game industry is valued at $400 million.[6]
Notable releases
Video game consoles
- Coleco releases a number of new models of the Telstar console: the Telstar Alpha, the Telstar Colormatic, the Telstar Regent, the Telstar Ranger, the Telstar Galaxy, and the Telstar Combat. Most of these systems feature only minor variations on the original Telstar model, such as new controller types (for example, the Ranger featured a light gun, while the Galaxy included joysticks).[7]
- Nintendo releases the Color TV Game 6 dedicated console, featuring six variations of Light Tennis (a Pong clone). Nintendo's partner, Mitsubishi, produces most of the system's hardware components.[8]
- Bally releases the Bally Home Library Computer (Astrocade) video game console through mail order retailer JS&A National Sales Group. Delays in production of the system, however, mean that none of the units will actually ship until the following year.[9]
- In January, RCA Corporation releases the Studio II video game console.[10]
- In October, Atari releases the Video Computer System (later known as the VCS or Atari 2600) video game console alongside nine launch titles.[11]
Games
- Cinematronics releases Larry Rosenthal's Space Wars, the first vector graphics arcade game.[12]
- Tim Anderson, Marc Blank, Bruce Daniels, and Dave Lebling, the future founders of Infocom, develop the first version of Zork on a PDP-10 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Laboratory for Computer Science.[13]
- While studying for a Ph.D. at the University of Virginia, Kelton Flinn begins developing a text-based aerial combat game called Air, an early precursor to 1987's Air Warrior, the first massively multiplayer online game.[14]
References
- ^ Fischer, John (2002). "Famous Philadelphians – Nine Richest Philadelphians". About.com – Greater Philadelphia / South Jersey. Archived from the original on 29 March 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work=|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Thomas, Donald A. Jr (2005). "–1977–". ICWhen.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work=|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Gremlin Industries Incorporated". Wall Games. 2004. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ "Namco History (English summary)". NAMCO WonderPage. 2001. Archived from the original on 10 January 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ Electronic Toys Taking A Beating (December 17, 1980)
- ^ ThirdWay, p. 26, April 2003
- ^ Goldberg, Martin (2003). "Museum of Home Video Gaming". Archived from the original on 11 February 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Color TV Game 6". NinDB. Archived from the original on 2009-08-16. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work=|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Squire, Lance F. (2005). "The Bally/Astrocade FAQ version h2.8". Lance F. Squire Homepage. Archived from the original on 7 February 2006. Retrieved 19 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work=|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Miller, Michael (2005). "A History of Home Video Game Consoles > First Generation: 1972–1977". InformIT. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
- ^ "Atari 2600 History". AtariAge. 2006. Archived from the original on 19 February 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work=|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Hunter, William (2005). "Player 2 Stage 1: The Coin Eaters". The Dot Eaters. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ "History of Infocom". Infocom – The Master Storytellers. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work= - ^ Koster, Raph (2002). "Online World Timeline". Raph Koster's Website. Archived from the original on 14 February 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2006.
{{cite web}}: External link in|work=|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
