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.