Video Game historical interviews and primary sources

[empsolo]

Looking for some good primary sources and interviews on the subject of the history of the devlopment of various games, consoles, companies from the various video game and computer manufacturers of the past 40-45 years. I'm mainly looking for interviews and primary sources on people involved with Atari, Mattel Electronics, and Coleco as well as stuff on the early days of the NES launch ad the pre-Genesis era at Sega. I hhave read anmd own a copy of Atari: Business is Fun, David Sheff'd Game Over, and am pouring through I AM ERROR, the all encompassing history on the Famicom in Japan. I know that Antic Podcast has a bunch of interviews but it's a bit of a chore to find interviews about internal Atari inc and Atari Corp business practices and issures surrounding the Crash of 83.

 

If anybody wants to use this thread to post about interviews and what not, that's be great.

 

Thanks!

[ubersaurus]

This book just came out and is quite exhaustive. https://www.amazon.com/They-Create-Worlds-Companies-1971-1982/dp/1138389900

 

There's also the All in Color for a Quarter blog - I know he's been working on a book, but last I heard it came in way too long to publish in one piece. Dunno what he's doing there. http://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.com/

 

Finally I would also refer you to ballyalley.com for information on the Astrocade, and the Hagley Library & Museum has recently posted scans of some of their RCA Studio II-related documents. https://digital.hagley.org/weisbecker there are primary documents held at the Hagley on RCA, the Strong Museum of Play on a number of topics, the Computer History Museum, the National Videogame Museum, and Stanford as well.

 

Edited December 10, 2019 by ubersaurus

[DJ Clae]

http://shmuplations.com/games/

[Blazing Lazers]

It's worth remembering that for a LOT of lore we collectors are ourselves primary sources, particularly those of us who've been at it for decades. More than a few people here on AA even have actual documents and various company items from many years ago. Ask around here- any specific questions you might have can likely be answered by the community.

[GameGirl420]

Checkout my interview with Howard Scott Warshaw!!

 

 

 

 

Also interviewed Nolan Bushnell, David Crane, and Rick Levine(Imagic) before on my radio show. Planning to put my Nolan and Crane interviews sometime up soon as well.

[ubersaurus]

Oh yes, not to toot my own horn too much, but I have been reaching out and interviewing people/digging through older sources for my Atari Archive youtube series. If you have interest in any particular games, I highly suggest checking into it!

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo_f7y6sBDmFnGbZoq1Ce_w?view_as=subscriber

[+mksmith]

Try 'The Retro Hour' podcast. Had some brilliant guests from both the US and UK.

[Adriano Arcade]

Almost 200 interviews (text and podcast) with true gaming legends can be found here: https://www.arcadeattack.co.uk/interviews-2/