Rob Mitchell Posted May 3, 2003 Share Posted May 3, 2003 "The release of the 2600 was delayed for one year for legal reasons." No .. I did not know this .. Why? So the VCS2600 could have come out in 1976? Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atarigamer Posted May 3, 2003 Share Posted May 3, 2003 I'm not sure 100% why... but I remember reading in "The Last Quarter" (Good Clasic Gaming Book) that the guys at Atari were big on drugs... so I'd guess it had something to do with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjessop Posted May 3, 2003 Share Posted May 3, 2003 It was held up a bit, but not a year. Atari had to pay royalties to Ralph Baer/Magnavox for video game systems announced/released prior to June 1st, 1977. The 2600 was not shown publically or announced until Summer CES in Chicago of that year sometime around June 10th or so. It was a deliberate strategy to avoid the royalty payment and a smart business move IMHO. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaManFan Posted May 3, 2003 Share Posted May 3, 2003 It was a deliberate strategy to avoid the royalty payment and a smart business move IMHO. Jerry I have to agree. Why not wait? They probably saved hundreds of millions if not more by just sitting on it a little bit. I bet Magnavox is still kicking themselves for having set a royalty expiration date in the negotiations that ran out just before VCS came to market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjessop Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 If Magnavox (actually Sanders Associates I think) had not come up with a royality ending date then Nolan (IMHO) never would have agreed to it. A long and bitter court battle would have taken place and they may have lost. Better to get some good cash for a few years vs loosing out to prior art from before Ralph Baer's "brown box". Ralph never got the credit he deserved but their were demonstrated video "type" games before Ralph's. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATARI TROLL Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Wasn't the 7800 delayed for two years. think of the losses in sales Atari could have been making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaManFan Posted May 4, 2003 Share Posted May 4, 2003 Ralph never got the credit he deserved but their were demonstrated video "type" games before Ralph's. Jerry One of the few things the Gameheadz special on TLC got right was giving Ralph the credit he deserved. Of course they didn't get into the "tennis for two" history before Baer, but that's definitely too obscure for a show that glossed over (or got wrong) so many facts as it is. There really needs to be a six part PBS series with a catchy title "Gaming: From Asteroids to Zelda" with an hour to two hours in EACH part to really document the important facts properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 Of course they didn't get into the "tennis for two" history before Baer, but that's definitely too obscure for a show that glossed over (or got wrong) so many facts as it is. There really needs to be a six part PBS series with a catchy title "Gaming: From Asteroids to Zelda" with an hour to two hours in EACH part to really document the important facts properly. I don't think it's that obscure where they couldn't have spent a moment talking about it. I even mentioned this bit of history briefly when I was interviewed on NPR, and that segment was considerably briefer than the recent documentary that aired.. ..Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaManFan Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 I don't think it's that obscure where they couldn't have spent a moment talking about it. I even mentioned this bit of history briefly when I was interviewed on NPR, and that segment was considerably briefer than the recent documentary that aired.. ..Al Well hell yes it was better. They just cut out too many parts of what you were saying. What got included IN was right, but I wanted to hear what they left OUT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla Posted May 5, 2003 Share Posted May 5, 2003 i had heard the 2600 was available in test markets or something in '76? or tested somewhere? trying to remember... does anyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.