Arcade operators fear the VCS Nintendo trounces Atari in court and The PS2 takes Japan by storm

These stories and a very tired Karl 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 April 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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Correction: Tiertex did not do Back to the Future 2, it was Images Software Ltd.

1980: FCC lets Ma Bell go online https://www.nytimes.com/1980/04/08/archives/computer-curb-lifted-for-phone-companies-fcc-in-decontrol-move.html?searchResultPosition=2

The Ludites are back... and their wearing berets https://www.nytimes.com/1980/04/11/archives/raiders-in-france-destroy-two-computer-centers.html?searchResultPosition=3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_directe_(armed_group) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite

Warner, Mattel, and Coleco report record profits Playthings, April 1980, pg. 11 Toy & Hobby World, April 1980

AMD is making it rain https://www.nytimes.com/1980/04/30/archives/companies-compete-to-lure-employees-california-computer-suppliers.html?searchResultPosition=11 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Micro_Devices

https://www.nytimes.com/1980/04/08/archives/intel-reports-higher-profits.html?searchResultPosition=17

Game Consoles are the up and coming thing... just not at toy retailers. Playthings, April 1980, pg. 55

Arcade game operators fear the VCS Play Meter, April 1980, pg. 36

Inflation grips the arcade industry... and the industry fights back! Replay, April 1980, pg. 29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_funds_rate Cinematronics sues Atari over Asteroids Play Meter April 1980, pg. 41 Play Meter October 15, 1981 pg. 148 https://tinyurl.com/ybhc4gxy TSR opens UK office Playthings, April 1980, pg. 10 https://www.webcitation.org/655ldIQOO?url=http://www.thekyngdoms.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Turnbull_(game_designer) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer_(game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Games_Workshop

SSI brings wargaming to the digital world https://archive.org/details/CreativeComputingbetterScan198004/page/n44/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Billings

1990: Nintendo can sue retailers that carry unlicensed NES carts Playthings April 1980 https://casetext.com/case/atari-games-corp-v-nintendo-of-america

The arcade is coming home https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo_Geo_(system) https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20009%20%28April%201990%29#page/n29/mode/2up https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20009%20%28April%201990%29#page/n42/mode/1up https://archive.org/details/ACEIssue31Apr90/page/n8/mode/1up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNtfVTaSLOg&list=PLjnUa-_dnEnMFh2ANIXDqLShwMuDu2Ols https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pSYKXaFK0M&list=PLjnUa-_dnEnMFh2ANIXDqLShwMuDu2Ols&index=26

The GX4000 is on its way https://archive.org/details/ACEIssue31Apr90/page/n8/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amstrad_GX4000

Sega expands Master System licensees to European companies https://archive.org/details/computer-and-videogames-101/page/n8/mode/1up https://archive.org/details/zero-magazine-06/page/n8/mode/1up https://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/sega-master-system/us-gold-ltd/ https://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/sega-master-system/image-works/ https://www.mobygames.com/browse/games/sega-master-system/titus-interactive-sa/

Atari turns a profit https://www.atariarchives.org/atarileaks/timeline.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_g-JIfV3sg&feature=youtu.be https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-24-fi-2005-story.html https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-11-09-fi-1502-story.html Playthings April 198

US Memories shuts down. https://archive.org/details/1990-04-compute-magazine/page/n7/mode/1up https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-12-26-fi-922-story.html https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-01-28-fi-1464-story.html https://tinyurl.com/yafagpwh https://tinyurl.com/y7obdfup

Madden gets updated Roster data disk https://archive.org/details/1990-04-compute-magazine/page/n125/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Madden_Football_(1988_video_game)

Super Mario Ice Capades https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuuhn2cfVUE https://www.mariowiki.com/Mario_Ice_Capades https://archive.org/details/ACEIssue31Apr90/page/n9/mode/1up

2000: PS2 launches in Japan. https://archive.org/details/mm63_20190722/page/n10/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_2#Reception

Xbox finally revealed https://archive.org/details/mm63_20190722/page/n4/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_(console)

Nintendo does what everyone knew they would... delay the Dolphin...AND the Gameboy Advance https://archive.org/details/mm63_20190722/page/n5/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_Boy_Advance https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameCube

Conker is no longer a nice guy... https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20129%20%28April%202000%29#page/n39/mode/1up https://www.mobygames.com/game/n64/conkers-bad-fur-day

Final Fantasy is going online https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20129%20%28April%202000%29#page/n33/mode/2up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_XI

Fallout 3 to go 3D https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-2000-04/page/n11/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallout_(series)#Van_Buren_(Black_Isle_Studios'_Fallout_3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Buren_(video_game) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TvcanIELcY

Origin shuts down the Ultima 9 boards https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_189/page/n34/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_IX:_Ascension#Reception

Protestors go after Midway https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3941-gamepro-issue-139-april-2000/ pg. 36 https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/93462/Midway_Protests.php

Cavedog is gone but Chris Taylor is hitting it big https://archive.org/details/mm63_20190722/page/n68/mode/1up https://www.mobygames.com/company/wargaming-seattle

Infogrames goes through another COO https://archive.org/details/NextGen64Apr2000/page/n11/mode/1up 3Dfx cuts 20% of its workforce https://archive.org/details/NextGen64Apr2000/page/n11/mode/1up https://www.gamespot.com/articles/meet-3dfxs-new-ceo/1100-2447005/ https://www.forbes.com/2000/12/18/12183dfx.html#24c92428637f https://www.barrons.com/articles/barrons-100-most-influential-women-in-finance-tricia-griffith-51584709204

Hasbro is going to defend its Atari rights https://archive.org/details/NextGen64Apr2000/page/n11/mode/1up https://archive.org/details/PC-Player-German-Magazine-2000-04/page/n118/mode/1up

Psychic sues Pokemon https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3941-gamepro-issue-139-april-2000/ pg. 34 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abra,_Kadabra,_and_Alakazam#Controversy

EA buys up Dreamworks Interactive https://archive.org/details/NextGen64Apr2000/page/n18/mode/1up https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_Close_Games

Freeloader.com is bringing free games to you https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_Issue_088_2000-04_Dennis_Publishing_GB/page/n22/mode/1up https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/news/freeloadercom-to-shut-down

Recommended Links: 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/

Sound Effects by Ethan of History of How We Play.