American Videogame

[bmadgames]

What is known about the quality of the games produced by the company? I know various Tax Avoiders threads have mentioned some details, but I'm too young to know how many games they released at retail, etc.

 

After many years of research and interviews, I have been in contact with the organization that holds the rights to these games. They nor anyone else I have spoken to know exactly how many games were brought to retail.

 

I'm just curious--trying to figure out the value of the games

[King Atari]

I thought Tax Avoiders was the only game they put out? Or at least the only one for the 2600?

[bmadgames]

Delete

Edited October 11, 2018 by bmadgames

[bmadgames]

I'm not sure. They have masters for about 200 games for the 2600. Almost all were developed in 1982 and 1983

Edited October 11, 2018 by bmadgames

[jhd]

I'm not sure. They have masters for about 200 games for the 2600. Almost all were developed in 1982 and 1983

 

Are these all original titles? That is a staggeringly large output for one firm, approaching the volume of titles produced by Atari themselves (over a much longer time period). How many employees did the firm have?

[bmadgames]

 

Are these all original titles? That is a staggeringly large output for one firm, approaching the volume of titles produced by Atari themselves (over a much longer time period). How many employees did the firm have?

My guess is they are mostly hacks being that they were essentially tax scams.

[pacman000]

 

Although this game has a 1982 copyright date, it was not seen on store shelves until 1986.

From http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-tax-avoiders_7938.html

 

Perhaps American Video Games' parent company bought the rights to games programmed in the early 80's? When on failed they decided against releasing the others.

[BassGuitari]

From http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-tax-avoiders_7938.html

 

Perhaps American Video Games' parent company bought the rights to games programmed in the early 80's? When on failed they decided against releasing the others.

 

re: the game not appearing until 1986:

 

Has that been established? I recall one person saying that, or at least saying that's when he first remembered seeing it, but I don't know if there was anything else to go on.

[+KaeruYojimbo]

According to this post, there were 192 titles copyrighted by American Videogame (the thread also has a short interview with the programmer of Tax Avoiders). There are videos of 11 of the 192, suggesting those games were completed or at least far enough along to make a gameplay video, but only Tax Avoiders was released. It's possible some of the other games were released with different titles, but without any game descriptions it's impossible to tell for sure.

Edited October 18, 2018 by KaeruYojimbo