April 1984 Video Game Newsroom Time Machine

Acorn and Commodore soar, as Coleco and Atari falter
Software takes center stage in PC clone world
UK game prices hit rock bottom
 
These stories and many more on this episode of the VGNRTM!
 
This episode we will look back at the biggest stories in and around the video game industry in April 1984.
As always, we'll mostly be using magazine cover dates, and those are of course always a bit behind the actual events.
 
Alex Smith of They Create Worlds is our cohost.  Check out his podcast here:
https://www.theycreateworlds.com/
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https://www.theycreateworlds.com/book
 
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Links:
If you don't see all the links, find them here:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/106448718
 
7 Minutes in Heaven: Atic Atac
Video Version:  https://www.patreon.com/posts/7-minutes-in-106323507
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atic_Atac
    https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1984-04-26/page/n1/mode/1up
 
Corrections:
March 1984 Ep - https://www.patreon.com/posts/march-1984-104469980
Ethan's fine site The History of How We Play: https://thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/
    
 
1954    
Kefauver hearing puts pressure on comics industry
    https://www.nytimes.com/1954/04/20/archives/comicbook-hearing-to-start-tomorrow.html
    https://www.nytimes.com/1954/04/23/archives/senator-charges-deceit-on-comics-kefauver-says-child-study-groups.html    
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estes_Kefauver
 
1964    
IBM announces the 360
    https://x.com/kenshirriff/status/1777022892477239724
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System/360
 
1974    
Sega becomes American
https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_41/page/50/mode/1up?view=theater
    https://podcast.theycreateworlds.com/e/the-saga-of-sega/
 
Mirco Games brings freeplay to video
    https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_42/page/50/mode/1up?view=theater
    
Sam Stern urges industry to go to 25 cent play
    https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_43/page/35/mode/1up?view=theater
 
David Gottlieb, RIP
    https://archive.org/details/cashbox35unse_43/page/35/mode/1up?view=theater
 
1984
Atari losses fall
    Post Net Income of $30.9 Million, The Associated Press, April 19, 1984, Thursday, AM cycle, Section: Business News  
    Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Atari in Trouble Again
    https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/19/business/warner-severs-tie-with-ladd-warner-communications.html
 
Banks cut Coleco credit line
    https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/03/business/coleco-says-banks-cut-its-credit.html?searchResultPosition=1
    Coleco reports rebound from last quarter's loss, United Press International, April 17, 1984, Tuesday, BC cycle
 
Commodore sales skyrocket!
    https://www.nytimes.com/1984/04/27/business/profit-off-at-xerox-sperry-up.html
    Toy & Hobby World, April 1984 pg. 12
 
Acorn revenues soar!
    https://archive.org/details/AcornUser021-Apr84/page/n8/mode/1up
 
TI turn-around unprecedented
    Newsbytes, April 17, 1984, Texas Instruments Update
 
Milton Bradley returns to profitability
    Milton Bradley Show