The First Video Game System News Letter

[FND]

 

 

Another first attributed to the Channel F, The First Video Game System News Letter

 

 

I was beginning to think this was just a rumor.

 

I had read in Clinton R. Dyer & Chris Webb’s Channel F FAQ (last updated 1997)

about a Channel F News letter from 1977 but since I have been collecting for the

Channel F even before this FAQ and have never found, seen or heard of this news letter

anywhere else except in this FAQ I had dismissed it as a Rumor.

 

Here is a cut and past from the FAQ

 

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4c. Fairchild newsletter

 

First and only known newsletter, featured descriptions of carts 1-9, with preview

descriptions of carts 10-12. Dated October 1977. Mentions that Carts 10-12 should be

out by November 1977.

=================

 

Again since I had never been able to find one I was beginning to think it must have been something else

like an in house memo or maybe a company announcement but not an actual newsletter. I was wrong as

I have finally found what appears to be the second issue of this news letter, its pictured below and you can

see at the top it states "January/Febuary/March 1978" and on the top right is says, "Volume 2 Number 1".

 

So there you have it Fairchild was the First to issue a Video Game News letter

 

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If anyone can locate the First 1977 letter I would like to either purchase it or obtain a scan Please contact me to discuss either

 

Other First for this Game System

 

First Video game system to have an expandable library through the use of interchangeable Programmable ROM Based Videocarts

 

First Video game system to have a game with an Easter Egg

 

First Video game system to have a Pause

 

First Video game system to have color

 

First Video game system with Black jack

 

First Video game system with AI (Spitfire)

 

First Video game to be used in a T.V. game Broadcast (POW)

Edited February 9, 2012 by FND

[Uppy]

Cool score FND. Very cool piece of Fairchild/gaming history.