Video game crash

From: John Foust <jfoust_at_threedee.com>
Date: Mon Jul 6 09:57:10 1998

At 07:06 PM 7/3/98 -0700, Doug Coward wrote:
> BUT, 1982 was one of those years when computers just exploded.
>Machines like the C64. Easy to set up, cheap, better graphics and
>sound. People started putting their Atari 2600s in the closet and
>going out and buying computers. Parents were complaining that kids
>were playing video games too much. The fad was over.
> Almost overnight 2600 cartridges when from $20-$30 to $3-$5 each.
>Atari was the head domino and when they fell, they all started to fall.

I was writing games for a computer music company with several
C-64 titles at the time, and it was my impression that the
software market disappeared once people figured out they could
pirate their friend's software, instead of buying it. That,
and the way that Christmas always affects sales, and the way
people quickly tired of the abilities of their cheap computer.

- John
Received on Mon Jul 06 1998 - 09:57:10 BST