1977 in video gaming

List of years in video gaming (table)
... 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 ... 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 ... 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 ...
Art Archaeology Architecture Literature Music Philosophy Science +...

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]
• 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 Japan.^[3]

Notable releases

The Atari Video Computer System was the most successful video game console of the second-generation era.

Video game consoles

• In January, RCA Corporation releases the Studio II video game console.^[4]

• In October, Atari releases the Video Computer System (later known as the VCS or Atari 2600) video game console alongside nine launch titles.^[5]
• 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).^[6]

• 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.^[7]

• 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.^[8]

Home computers

• June 10, Apple Computer releases the Apple II.
• August 3, Tandy releases the TRS-80 Model I.
• October, Commodore releases the Commodore PET.
• Intelligent Systems releases the Compucolor II.

Games

• Cinematronics releases Larry Rosenthal's Space Wars, the first vector graphics arcade game.^[9]

• 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.^[10]

• 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.^[11]

References

1. Fischer, John (2002). "Famous Philadelphians – Nine Richest Philadelphians". About.com – Greater Philadelphia / South Jersey. Archived from the original on March 29, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2006.
2. Thomas, Donald A. Jr (2005). "–1977–". ICWhen.com. Archived from the original on March 12, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2006.
3. "Namco History (English summary)". NAMCO WonderPage. 2001. Archived from the original on January 10, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2006.
4. Miller, Michael (2005). "A History of Home Video Game Consoles > First Generation: 1972–1977". InformIT. Retrieved February 18, 2006.
5. "Atari 2600 History". AtariAge. 2006. Archived from the original on February 19, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2006.
6. Goldberg, Martin (2003). "Museum of Home Video Gaming". Archived from the original on February 11, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2006.
7. "Color TV Game 6". NinDB. Archived from the original on August 16, 2009. Retrieved February 18, 2006.
8. Squire, Lance F. (2005). "The Bally/Astrocade FAQ version h2.8". Lance F. Squire Homepage. Archived from the original on February 7, 2006. Retrieved February 19, 2006.
9. Hunter, William (2005). "Player 2 Stage 1: The Coin Eaters". The Dot Eaters. Retrieved February 18, 2006.
10. "History of Infocom". Infocom – The Master Storytellers. Retrieved February 18, 2006.
11. Koster, Raph (2002). "Online World Timeline". Raph Koster's Website. Archived from the original on February 14, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2006.