Atari's ghost: why a cataclysm in the '80s haunts the modern games industry

Abstract

This project is an investigation into the events, causes, and effects of the Video Game Crash of 1983. I discuss the origins of the home video game console market and the events that lead to Atari’s dominance in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I identify the mistakes and issues that weakened Atari’s position and ultimately brought on an industry-wide market collapse in North America. Finally, I highlight several of the ways this economic disaster continues to affect the modern gaming industry and speculate on what further changes the industry may see going forward.