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Quarter Past

@quarterpast.bsky.social
1.8K followers 380 following 2.8K posts

Researcher, pre-20th-C videogames (Citations available upon request)

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Kevin Bunch (ubersaurus) @atariarchive.org · 02/10/2026
Wrangling a sick household this week has left me kind of frazzled, so I almost forgot that the latest Intellivision Archive video has gone live! Enjoy two really solid games and one absolutely failed by the system’s controller youtu.be/ARQnf7wLRiA
youtu.be
Night Stalker, Sub Hunt & Space Hawk - Intellivision Archive Episode 9
YouTube video by Atari Archive
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Sept. 26, 1970: Stunned by the news of Jimi Hendrix's death, America consoles itself with some all-new television shows like The Odd Couple, Monday Night Football, Mary Tyler Moore and The Partridge Family. We're headed to the arcade to play pinball and listen to this week's #AT40 countdown.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Sept. 18, 1976: Everyone’s excited* about the upcoming first presidential election in 16 years! We’re headed to the arcade to listen to the #AT40 and check out the controversial buzz around the newest sensation in video games that’s corrupting today’s youth—Death Race! (*Utterly uninterested)
Photo of the arcade cabinet of Exidy’s Death Race. The cabinet is predominantly black with grotesque side art of a grim reaper driving a car. The front of the cabinet features two steering wheels, and colorful bezel art.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
They Might Be Giants with the speech bubble meme pointing to John Linell
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They Create Worlds @theycreateworlds.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Atari’s best-selling VCS games hold a few surprises. Sales records glimpsed in Once Upon Atari show what really sold and how the crash hit Atari. We dig into the stories behind these games and the people who made them. youtu.be/7Zj61ykgVk8 #Atari #AtariVCS #Atari2600 #VideoGameHistory #RetroGaming
youtu.be
TCW 266 - The 10 Best Selling Atari Games
YouTube video by They Create Worlds Podcast
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Computer Chronicles Revisited @deviledeggpress.com · 15/09/2026
When Osborne Computer Corporation filed for bankruptcy in September 1983, there were 1,000 unsold Osborne-1 computers stranded in a Toronto warehouse. For some reason, they were not FCC-approved for sale in the US. I wonder whatever became of them... (cc: @quarterpast.bsky.social) #retrocomputing
A section from the Osborne bankruptcy filings:

"(The Toronto Finished Goods have been refused by the purchaser, Lanpar Technologies, Inc., who is indebted to Debtor [Osborne] but who has asserted various claims and offsets against Debtor. The amounts Debtor claims are owed it by Lanpar for these goods are included in the valuation of accounts receivable forming a part of the Orderly Liquidation Value. These units of finished goods have not been approved for sale by the Federal Communications Commission for use or sale in the United States. Debtor could realize value from these units if it could recover them and sell them in other overseas markets. In the event the Court approved a settlement of the Lampar dispute which also allows Lanpar to keep or sell said goods and which permits Lanpar to pay less than the full value of the Debtor's receivable, the Adjusted Orderly Liquidation Value will be correspondingly reduced."
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ourlostarcade.bsky.social @ourlostarcade.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Why do we call it an "arcade"? This question takes us back to the earliest days of coin-op amusement, the origin of recorded entertainment, and the tumultuous days of technology Trusts. Introducing: The First Arcade (maybe).
A postcard featuring The Arcade building in Cleveland, Ohio, circa 1901. The lower left shows the Ohio Phonograph Company office on the second floor. This is possibly the first location for coin-operated amusements situated inside of an "arcade" style building, potentially giving birth to the term "arcade" as a space for coin-operated machines.

https://www.loc.gov/item/2016800199/
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Play History @playhistory.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
ANNOUNCEMENT: My book Two Sides of the Quarter about the early days of arcade video games will no longer be published by Press Run. I will be exploring other avenues for traditional publishing but I will likely be self-publishing the book initially.
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chiba_latte @chibalatte.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Someone is into shmups at the local rescue
Screenshot of cat adoption page with multiple cats with shmup names (Gradius, Raiden, Twinbee, Garegga)
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Aug. 31, 1974: The music industry’s hit rock bottom. But that’s not stopping us from heading to the 1974 arcade & listening to the #AT40. The newest game is Clean Sweep—a rare single-player that’s as challenging as it is garish. Join us as we ask the locals if they think Ford should pardon Nixon.
A photo of the front of Ramtek’s arcade cabinet for Clean Sweep. The color scheme of the machine is sky blue, canary yellow and bright red lettering (along with a helping of wood panel on the front and the sides). The controls are a single knob and a couple of buttons. The screen is filled with dots on the play field with printed overlays indicating the area for score, ball count and credits.
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Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
I’m happy to pay 1,700 dollars for whatever videogame console comes out next, some of you don’t love Bubsy enough to not pay rent for three months and it shows
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They Create Worlds @theycreateworlds.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Hasbro went from toys to a major force in video games. Tom Dusenberry made Win95 Monopoly the foundation of #HasbroInteractive, leading to Frogger #Atari #MicroProse Avalon Hill and #WotC before Hasbro sold the division to Infogrames. www.youtube.com/watch?v=whwe... #VideoGameHistory #RetroGaming
youtube.com
TCW 265 - Hasbro Interactive
YouTube video by They Create Worlds Podcast
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The traditional gift for 60th anniversaries is diamond. Please choose something appropriate for the Ralph Baer fan in your life. (also, the information in the excellent thread *will* be on the test)
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Find me a sexier looking console than Fred III, I'll wait
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Professor Frink from the Simpsons predicting "COMPUTERS WILL BE TWICE AS POWERFUL, 10000 TIMES LARGER AND SO EXPENSIVE THAT ONLY THE FIVE RICHEST KINGS OF EUROPE WILL OWN THEM."
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
August 25, 1979: Seems like every couple of months we hop in the DeLorean to go back to 1979 & gawk at the wonder of Space Invaders—this week is no exception Pop-culture historians recognize this week as the official ‘Death of the 70s’ as “Pop Muzik” by M broke containment and reached the #AT40
The cover of the 1979 single “Pop Muzik” by M featuring contrasting, vibrant pink and yellow colors with the picture of a smiling, blue-eyed baby with a pacifier.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
How exciting—our (lengthy) panel debate on what's the first personal computer is finally available for public consumption! I forget what my choice was, but it's obviously the correct one.
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Play History @playhistory.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
A fun new post about that time for consoles before Atari got in! thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com/2026/08/22/1... Learn about the strange, interesting, and largely European early history of game consoles!
thehistoryofhowweplay.wordpress.com
1974’s Bizarre Game Consoles
Weird and wonderful early consoles. Let’s talk about them.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
August 22, 1970: Way too many people are headed to see the 3rd annual Isle of Wight Festival! We’re headed to the arcade to listen to the #AT40 and play some Williams’ pinball. (Arcade video games don’t exist yet.) You’re welcome to break rank, go join a half million hippies & trash Afton Down.
Article on the Isle of Wight festival: “Surge of Dust, Music, Litter. 250,000 Rock Fans Jam Isle of Wight Festival. Youthful Crowd Tears Fencing To Get in Free” from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 31, 1970, p. 28.
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No Cartridge Trev @nocartridge.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Me filling my car in GTAVI and I turn to an npc and say, via voice chat AI transcription, “what are those clowns in Liberty City Congress doing, 5.87 a gallon?” The npc turns to me and says “have you used your DraftKings Presents Maximum Fun Tokens yet? I hear the casino downtown takes them.”
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
August 13, 1977: We’re headed to the arcade to play the new Hustle video game and listen to the #AT40. Please remember: The Temporal Accords of 2769 strictly forbid discussing future events with the locals. So absolutely NO mention that Elvis will die in three days—no exceptions!
A photo of the Gremlin arcade game Hustle, with some guy posing with Sabrina Osment in front of the game. Photo stone-cold stolen from @playhistory.bsky.social.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
it's unclear here if only Paul has succumbed to the zombie mod girls or if they have infected all of The Bootles
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Play History @playhistory.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
One of the documents I saw at The Strong Museum was a December 1984 list of all of Atari's coin-op games. Later versions of this list have circulated around the internet, but this one has something unique: Exact dates listed for many of the games.
The Atari Numbers document from August 1999.A sample from the Atari production number sheet from the end of 1991.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
The control panel for Computer Space, the Nutting Associates arcade game with various buttons and a coin slot—and in the bottom lefthand corner the printed text reads "syzygy engineered"
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Nathaniel Lockhart @nathaniellockhart.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
It's time for a late summer, PCB garage sale! Aka - I ordered too many of these things and would like to recoup some costs. First up: KIM-1 replica with RIOT adapter board and keypad - $35 3 sets left
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Today is the first day of the rest of our life!
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
You should buy these—game lots are best when they're a prime number
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
perhaps we could interest you in something from our spaniels at high tide collection
A liver and white colored springer spaniel walks along a rocky beach shore. Large black rocks jut up from the shoreline as the tide rolls in.A liver and white colored springer spaniel swims towards the shore with a stick in her mouth as a wave breaks in the foreground. A liver and white colored springer spaniel runs along a rocky shoreline as the waves lap under her feet. The sun shines bright in the sky.A liver and white colored springer spaniel stands at attention on the shore of a beach, master of her domain.
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They Create Worlds @theycreateworlds.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Howell Ivy turned familiar arcade ideas into something fresh, from his early work at Ramtek and Exidy to his later impact at SEGA. #ArcadeHistory #Ramtek #SEGA #Exidy #RetroGaming youtu.be/fHoRfn1uh3o
youtu.be
TCW 263 - Howell Ivy
YouTube video by They Create Worlds Podcast
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AtariSpot // rob @atarispot.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
*blows 14 months of dust off Bluesky* Hi to friends old & new, and to so many followers amassed for no good reason! 😸 I’ve started a website with help from a good friend. Only a few things are there so far, but more will come now that I have a non-social-media place to put things! theAtari.spot
theatari.spot
theAtari.spot
Highlighting the unusual side of Atari 2600 collecting.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
July 29, 1978: You understand the assignment. Get in the DeLorean. Go back in time 48 years to the arcade and listen to the #AT40. If a local tries to engage you in conversation, mutter something about how you saw Animal House at the drive-in last night and stay focused on playing Sky Raider.
A picture of Atari’s 1978 arcade cabinet Sky Raider, which features a driving yoke (like a steering wheel but for jets). It’s adorned with space-age imagery and a bright yellow marquee with black text.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Would like to thank all of you today who reminded me that I'm older than the phrase "video game"
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
July 21, 1973: It’s the summer of Pong! Here’s what you need to know as we head to listen to the #AT40 at the arcade: 🔴 It’s revealed to the Watergate Committee that Nixon made Oval Office tapes 🔴 Bruce Lee just died at age 32 🔴 Alex Trebek made his US game show debut on Wizard of Odds
Promo photo of a young Alex Trebek (with moustache) in front of the wheel for Wizard of Odds.
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Kevin Bunch (ubersaurus) @atariarchive.org · 23/07/2026
New Atari Archive post! We wrap up March 1981 on the blog with a history of Activision's Tennis, and early tennis video games. Discover that that the game name "Tennis for Two" is a lie! www.atariarchive.org/blog/tennis-...
atariarchive.org
Tennis – March 1981, Atari Archive
The final March 1981 release, Tennis, is another sports game from the folks at Activision, which drew attention with titles like Boxing, Skiing and...
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
my submission to this that says "Doom" explaining "There are two types of video games: Those which came before Doom, and those which came after Doom."
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
July 10, 1971: Within the last week, the world lost Louis Armstrong and Jim Morrison. In a solemn spirit, we’re still headed to the arcade to listen to this week’s #AT40. There are no commercial video games yet. We’ll stick with four-player pinball.
A photo of Bally’s “Four Million BC” an electromechanical four-player pinball table, predominantly lime green with a dinosaur theme.
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Play History @playhistory.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
We have yet another ill-defined game anniversary today: Donkey Kong! According to official sources, Donkey Kong was "released" on July 9, 1981. But as usual we need to interrogate what "release" means.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Sirius XM Production Meeting: Producer 1: We need to pick an #AT40 countdown for this upcoming Saturday, which is oc the 250th Producer 2: Oooo—let’s go with the very 1st one which debuted on that day in 1970! We haven’t aired that one in six years Producer 1: Not bad—but I’m going with June 1974
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
2029: Sony announces new PlaySation 6 console to be available in digital-only download format.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
June 24, 1978: The Grease soundtrack will continue until morale improves! Resistance is futile! We’re headed to the arcade to listen to the #AT40 & play a brand spanking new game: Fire Truck. It’s two players, so you can sit & drive while you make your dorky friend stand up and control the rear!
A photo of Atari’s Fire Truck arcade game, which looks like a more-common sit-down type of cabinet but with an additional steering-wheel control on the back for the second player. It’s themed like an old-timey fire truck.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
The release of "Wannabe" is now closer to the release of The Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love" than today.
Cover for the single of "You Can't Hurry Love"
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RJ “Quantity Over Quality” White @rjwhite.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Just remembered I made these awhile ago.
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Brian Jay Jones @brianjayjones.com · 22/06/2026
OTD in 1979, THE MUPPET MOVIE opened in theaters across the United States. Jim Henson noted (with typical understatement) that its reception was "Great!" and it was one of the most profitable films of the decade. But getting the Muppets to the big screen in the first place was hard work.
The movie poster for THE MUPPET MOVIE, which opened OTD in 1979.
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Play History @playhistory.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
Thanks for sharing the article around! I had a lot of details I couldn't fit into the overview as I wanted to focus things on the case, but here's some good bits 🧵 bsky.app/profile/gami...
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 20/06/2026
June 23, 1979: Doctors confirm the music industry’s diagnosis of stage IV disco. We’re headed to the arcade to listen to the #AT40 and pay respects to the patient. While there, we’ll drop a few coins in the new Space Invaders machine. (They finally got a second one, so the lineup isn’t as long.)
Photo of a first-run Space Invaders cabinet.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
It's got lawyers! It's got Nintendo intellectual property! You live for this shit! Get in on it!
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Nathaniel Lockhart @nathaniellockhart.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Look at how beautiful it is...
Side view of the arcade cabinet of 1974's Ramtek DeLuxe Baseball. Cabinet has woodgrain veneer, an orange control panel, and large, chrome buttons.Front view of the same cabinet. The bezel surrounding the screen depicts a baseball stadium. Looking closely at the monitor reveals the burned-in images of the player characters.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
If you’re into retro computer you’re probably already following this lovely bot, and if you’re not you should fix that. But I do have to offer a correction on this post: this schematic for the Whirlwind I (WWI) is probably from 1951, not 1944.
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Name a TV show you're positive no one remembers but you.
newsprint ad for Enos, a spin-off of the Dukes of Hazzard, a fever dream cooked up in 1980 by CBS
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Quarter Past @quarterpast.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Don't believe the hype! Lots of chatter today about how Space Invaders released publicly on this day in 1978—but that's not the case. In the US, the first mention in trade publications didn't occur until late October. The games themselves probably didn't arrive at locations until November.
A portion of the "Chicago Chatter" column in Cashbox Magazine (October 28, 1978) which describes some new games coming soon:

"WITH EVERYTHING JUST ABOUT SETTLED in the new space, the crew at Empire Dist., Inc. can now devote full energy to fall business and preparations for such upcoming conventions as AMOA and IAAPA. Present business is good, as we learned from Jerry Marcus, and he's very enthusiastic over the outstanding new pinball machines hitting the market —and the new Midway "Shuffleboard" and "Space Invader" video games."
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