1983

January

• Mattel Electronics shows the Intellivision III game system at the Consumer Electronics Show. [12]
• Extex introduces the 2000 Piggyback Computer, a keyboard add-on for the Atari 2600, with 8 kB BASIC and 3 kB RAM, for US$100. [25.496]

January 22

• The National Broadcasting Company airs the TV show The A-Team in the USA. Two arcade games appear, Pac-Man and Hockey. [958]

January 31

• Atari announces that Marcian Hoff, inventor of the microprocessor, is joining the company as vice president of research and development. [680.D2]

February 7

• Atari seeks a legal injunction against Coleco Industries to stop it from selling its Colecovision adapter to play Atari cartridges. [34.D4]

February 9

• Atari announces the My First Computer keyboard component for the Atari 2600 game system, to turn it into a home computer. It features 8 kB RAM, expandable to 32 kB. The system is to be shipped after September, for under US$90. [131.D4] [299.115]

February 15

• Magnavox settles its television game patent infringement suit against Mattel Electronics and five other companies. Mattel will pay a settlement fee, and be licensed to continue producing and selling its systems. [132.D4]

February 19

• In Washington, D.C., the Corcoran Gallery of Art exhibits 200 video arcade games. US$35 tours include limited free plays, competitions, prizes, etc. [133.A22]

March 11

• Atari and Coleco Industries settle their legal disputes. Coleco is licensed to continue making and selling the Expansion Module No. 1 for the Colecovision, and is licensed to produce the Gemini video game system. [134.30]

March 29

• Federal court judge Albert Bryan issues a temporary restraining order barring Atari from requiring its distributors to deal exclusively with Atari items. [135.D4]

January-March

• Unit sales of video game cartridges over the past three months: 16.6 million. [137.D1]
• Atari incurs a first quarter (January to March) loss of US$45.8 million. [151.D4]

April

• The Quaker Oats Company closes its the U.S. Games division. [143.D4] [303.78]

April 12

• Atari announces it will start selling video game systems and cartridges in Japan on May 10. Systems will cost about US$104, and cartridges will range US$18-29. [136.D4]

April 13

• Atari signs a long-term agreement with Williams Electronics, giving Atari first refusal rights to Williams' coin-operated games for home video games and computer games. [137.D5]

(month unknown)

• Sega releases the Astron Belt video game in arcades in the USA. [302.39] [960.22]

May 3

• Mattel files a lawsuit against Atari, accusing it of luring away three employees who then helped develop game cartridges compatible with Mattel's Intellivision game system. [140.D4]

May

• Control Video Corporation announces the Gameline service to distribute video games over phone lines to a special cartridge plugged into the Atari 2600 game system. The device would cost US$50-60, with games costing US$1 for about an hour of game play. The service is scheduled to start in June. [139.D2]

May 10

• Atari forms a joint venture with MCA Video Games, to create coin-operated video games, home video games, and computer software based on motion pictures, television, and other MCA properties. [141.D4]

May

• Quote by Richard Stearns, vice president for consumer electronics at Parker Bros.: "Two or three years from now video games will be considered a piece of history". [300.104]

June 3

• MGM/UA Entertainment releases the film WarGames to theaters in the USA. A scene takes place in an arcade; Galaga is prominently featured, and we also see Ms. Pac-Man. [1105]

June

• Mattel Electronics announces the scrapping of plans for the Intellivision III. [12]
• Mattel Electronics announces the Home Entertainment Computer System (HECS). The unit is an add-on for the Intellivision game system, including 32 kB RAM, 20x12 text, BASIC, 16-bit GI 1610 processor, for US$150. [12] [299.115]
• Coleco Industries introduces the Family Computer Module for the ColecoVision video game system, turning it into an Adam computer. price is US$400. [380.77]
• Atari shows The Graduate at the Summer CES. Previous name for the systems was My First Computer. It is an add on computer for the Atari 2600 VCS game unit. It features 8 kB RAM, 57-key keyboard, 16 kB ROM with BASIC, and various I/O interfaces. [29.202] [299.]115
• Video Technology shows a prototype Laser 2001 computer, compatible with ColecoVision and Atari VCS cartridges. It features 16 kB ROM, 64 kB RAM, 256x192 graphics, four channel sound, and I/O interfaces. [29.202]

June 21

• In the Netherlands, Philips N.V. and Thomson-Brandt S.A. agree to cooperate to produce video game systems and cassettes. [142.D4]

June 26

• Fisher-Price Toys announces it has cancelled plans to expand into video games. [143.D4]

June 30

• Mattel announces the termination of 260 office jobs, to reduce overhead costs. [144.D4]

April-June

• Atari incurs a second quarter (April to June) loss of US$310.5 million. [145.C11] [149.D4]

(month unknown)

• Spectravideo announces the CompuMate computer add-on for the Atari VCS. It features 2 kB RAM, 12x12 text display, BASIC, for US$80. [299.115]
• Parker Bros. releases The Empire Strikes Back game for the Atari 2600. [304.54] (1982 [643.116])
• Parker Bros. releases The Empire Strikes Back game for the Intellivision. [643.116]
• Atari pays US$380,000 to Alpex Computer to license a video game patent covering movement and interaction of characters on the screen. [264.D2]
• Nintendo releases the Game & Watch Mario's Bombs Away handheld video game. [460.53]
• In Japan, Sega Enterprises releases the SG-1000 video game system. [124.38] [1091.94]
• Mattel and General Instrument develop the Playcable service to distribute video games over cable television to Intellivision game systems. [147.D5]
• Midway releases the Spy Hunter video arcade game. [397.58] [412.130]
• Lucasfilm Games releases the Ballblazer game for the Atari 5200 in the US. [454.59]
• Atari releases the Vanguard video game for the Atari 2600 in the US. [683.150]
• Doris Self scores a record 1,112,300 on Q*Bert. [778.45]
• Namco releases the Xevious video game to arcades. [959.38] (1982 [1091.65])
• Casio releases the PV-1000 video game system in Japan. [1091.92]
• Philips releases the Videopac G7400 video game system. [1091.94]

July 1

• Cinematronics releases Dragon's Lair to arcade centers. It is the first laser-disc based coin-operated arcade game. Cost per play is 50-cents. Advanced Microcomputer Systems designed the game, with animation provided by Don Bluth Animations. Cost to purchase a machine is about US$5500. [53.D9] [64.30] [145.C11] [150.D4] [294.79] [302.39] [303.79] [305.37] [685.134] (Starcom releases game [22.79])

July 15

• In Japan, Nintendo ships the Family Computer (Famicom) video game system. It features 1.79-MHz processor, 256x240 pixel graphics, able to display 16 simultaneous colors from a palette of 52 colors. Price is 14,800 yen. (500,000 units sell in the first two months. In two years Nintendo will market this same technology as the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America.) [124.35] [298.40] [449.66] [567.19] [1255.19]
• Nintendo releases the Donkey Kong video game for the Family Computer in Japan. [298.40] [1255.19]
• Nintendo releases the Donkey Kong Jr. video game for the Family Computer in Japan. [298.40]
• Nintendo releases the Popeye video game for the Family Computer in Japan. [298.40]

(month unknown)

• Coleco Industries obtains exclusive rights to market home computer and videogame versions of the Dragon's Lair arcade game. [45.8]

August 25

• Bally Manufacturing agrees to acquire the American coin-operated assets of Sega Enterprises. [146.D13]

September 7

• American Telephone and Telegraph announces a joint venture with Coleco Industries to develop a home video game service to deliver games over phone lines to the Colecovision game system. [147.D1]

September 16

• Imagic terminates 40 jobs (out of 170), due to the slowdown in the video game industry. [148.34]

September 27

• Atari dumps 14 truckloads of game cartridges and other computer equipment in a landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico. 5-6 million cartridges of ET: The Extraterrestrial are included. [149.D4] [124.150] [431.45] [1210.42]

(month unknown)

• Mylstar Electronics releases the M.A.C.H. 3 laser disc arcade video game machine. [305.37]
• Quote by Michael Ayers, director of corporate communications at Activision: "A lot of guys who got in for the fast buck are going to disappear." [303.78]
• Data East USA ships the Bega's Battle laserdisc arcade video game. [303.79]

October

• Atari reports a third quarter (July to September) loss of US$180 million. [150.D4] [151.D4]

October 26

• Atari introduces versions of some of its video games for use on other video game systems and home computers. [151.D4]

October

• Sega Enterprises introduces the Astron Belt video game to arcades in North America. The game uses laser disk technology. [153.D2] [302.39]

November 9

• 20th Century-Fox Film announces it is phasing out its video game division. [152.D6]

November 10

• Activision lays off many of its staff, due to the decrease in demand for home video game machines and cartridges. [105.52]

December

• 20th Century Fox Videogames abandons the videogame business. [20.9]

Year

• Sales of arcade video game machines during the year: US$2.9 billion. [305.37]
• Arcade video game revenue for the year: US$5 billion. [53.D1]
• Unit sales of game cartridges during the year: 75 million. Average price: US$15. [18.8] [52.D1]
• Unit sales of video game machines during the year: 6.65 million. [18.8] [52.D1]
• Unit sales of Intellivision game systems during the year: 750,000. Total sales to date: over 3 million. [154.37]
• Atari incurs a net loss of US$538.6 million for the year. [156.D2]
• Sales of video game systems and cartridges in the US during the year: about US$2 billion. [167.D23]