August 2020

Ethernet heralds a new age of networked computing Sonic the Hedgehog is coming... Playstation2 gets a US launchdate

These stories and many more on this month's episode of the Video Game Newsroom Time Machine

This month we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game industry in August of 1980, 1990, 2000. As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events..

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Links: 1980: Stern Electronics gets into video RePlay August 1980, pg. 7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stern_(game_company)#Stern_Electronics

Nintendo signs distribution deal with Far East Video RePlay August 1980, pg. 25 https://moneyppl.com/two-washington-frat-boys-became-millionaire-arcade-game-distributors/1238/

Musee Mecanique featured in Atari Coin Connection https://archive.org/details/Atari_Coin_Connection_Volume_4_Number_8_August_1980/page/n2/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%C3%A9e_M%C3%A9canique https://museemecanique.com/

RePlay magazine profiles Argentine coin-op operator RePlay August 1980, pg. 17 http://www.sacoacard.com/press_release/playmetercoverstory.html

Handheld games take to TV Plaything August 1980, pg. 27 pg. 33 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYovW27KBC8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p49nY1dyq2M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwt9Lk6e-7s

Fantasy and strategy games are booming Toys Hobbies & Crafts August 1980, pg. 45

D&D implicated in student's death https://www.nytimes.com/1980/08/18/archives/brilliant-computer-student-dies-from-gun-wound-intellectual-fantasy.html?searchResultPosition=4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Dallas_Egbert_III https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dungeon_Master https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazes_and_Monsters https://www.chick.com/products/tract?stk=0046

Ethernet is here! https://archive.org/details/CreativeComputingbetterScan198008/page/n18/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet

Radio Shack expands TRS-80 line https://www.nytimes.com/1980/08/01/archives/radio-shack-broadens-its-home-computer-line-broadening-a-threeway.html?searchResultPosition=2h https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandy_Pocket_Computer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_Color_Computer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_Model_II https://archive.org/details/80-microcomputing-magazine-1980-08/page/n7/mode/1up

The fourth Hypertext conference takes playce in Pennsylvania https://archive.org/details/CreativeComputingbetterScan198008/page/n22/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Xanadu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Nelson

SoftSide becomes a real boy... I mean magazine and advertises Mystery House from On-Line Systems! https://www.mobygames.com/game/hi-res-adventure-1-mystery-house https://archive.org/details/softside-magazine-23/page/n4/mode/1up Cryptologist funding cut https://www.nytimes.com/1980/08/27/archives/science-agency-blocks-funds-to-aid-research-on-computer-coding.html?searchResultPosition=3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Adleman

1990: MGT enters receivership https://archive.org/details/ACEIssue35Aug90/page/n6/mode/1up https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_105_1990-08_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n9/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAM_Coup%C3%A9 https://archive.org/details/crash-magazine-79/page/n13/mode/1up

ST CD to take on CDTV sans CDi https://archive.org/details/zero-magazine-10/page/n8/mode/1up https://www.maedicke.de/atari/hardware/cdar504.htm

Wingleader gets in depth previews https://archive.org/details/ACEIssue35Aug90/page/n38/mode/1up https://www.mobygames.com/game/wing-commander Leisure Suit Larry is going to the movies https://archive.org/details/ACEIssue35Aug90/page/n8/mode/1up https://videogamenewsroomtimemachine.libsyn.com/al-lowe-interview

Sierra remakes King's Quest 1 https://archive.org/details/zero-magazine-10/page/n8/mode/1up https://www.mobygames.com/game/roberta-williams-kings-quest-i-quest-for-the-crown

Nolan Bushnell wants to bring VR to the masses within three years https://archive.org/details/ACEIssue35Aug90/page/n8/mode/1up

And Bushnell also wants to bring TV to your screen... https://www.inc.com/magazine/19890901/5784.html https://archive.org/details/ACEIssue35Aug90/page/n9/mode/1up

Super Famicom gets a release date https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20013%20%28August%201990%29#page/n24/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Nintendo_Entertainment_System

British developer Argonaut rumored to be developing 3D graphics for Nintendo https://archive.org/details/Computer_Video_Games_Issue_105_1990-08_EMAP_Publishing_GB/page/n8/mode/1up https://www.mobygames.com/company/argonaut-games-plc

First preview shot of Sonic the Headgehog revealed https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20013%20%28August%201990%29#page/n26/mode/1up https://www.mobygames.com/game/sonic-the-hedgehog

Mike Tyson dropped from Punch Out https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20013%20%28August%201990%29#page/n24/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch-Out!!_(NES)

Konami introduces the Laser Scope https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20013%20%28August%201990%29#page/n32/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaserScope

2000: PS2 North American launch date announced https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3955-gamepro-issue-143-august-2000/ pg. 28 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_2

Sony launches PSOne https://archive.org/details/NextGen68Aug2000/page/n10/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_models#PS_One

Sega restrucuters and has a new president https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20133%20%28August%202000%29#page/n53/mode/1up

Sega offers $50 refund to Dreamcast owners that sign up for free month of internet service https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20133%20%28August%202000%29#page/n45/mode/1up Sega shows off Dreamcast DVD drive and MP3 VMU at E3 https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20133%20%28August%202000%29#page/n47/mode/1up https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20133%20%28August%202000%29#page/n53/mode/1up

CGW talks GOTCHA http://mechanar.com/gotcha/menu.htm https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_193/page/n42/mode/1up https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,107204/

Paul Steed fired from id https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_193/page/n41/mode/1up https://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=7315 https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,1065/

South Korea to promote game development https://archive.org/details/NextGen68Aug2000/page/n16/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_games_in_South_Korea

Vampire the Masquerade: Redemption gets pilloried in tests https://archive.org/details/NextGen68Aug2000/page/n85/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire:_The_Masquerade_%E2%80%93_Redemption

Looking Glass closes its doors https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_193/page/n36/mode/1up https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_193/page/n37/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Looking_Glass_Studios

Recommended Links: 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/ The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/ Retro Asylum: http://retroasylum.com/category/all-posts/ Retro Game Squad: http://retrogamesquad.libsyn.com/

Sound Effects by Ethan of History of How We Play.