1976 in video gaming

Events

*In October, Warner Communications acquires Atari from Nolan Bushnell for $28 million USD. Bushnell stays on as chairman.

cite web
author=Thomas, Donald A. Jr
year=2005
title=–1976–
url=http://www.icwhen.com/book/the_1970s/1976.shtml
format=shtml
work= [http://www.icwhen.com/book/ ICWhen.com]
accessmonthday=18 February
accessyear=2006

]

Notable releases

*In April, Atari releases "Breakout" (whose prototype was designed by Apple Computer cofounders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak) to video arcades.
*In August, Fairchild Semiconductor releases the Video Entertainment System (later known as the Channel F), the first cartridge-based video game console.

cite web
title=Fairchild Video Entertainment System/Channel F
url=http://www.classicgaming.com/museum/channelf/
work= [http://www.classicgaming.com/ ClassicGaming.com]
accessmonthday=18 February
accessyear=2006

]

*Exidy releases "Death Race", a racing game based on the film "Death Race 2000", to video arcades. The game sparks a public outcry over violence in video games, and is banned in many areas.

cite web
author=Gonzalez, Lauren
title=When Two Tribes Go to War: A History of Video Game Controversy / The Major Offenders
url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/6090892/p-2.html
work= [http://www.gamespot.com/ GameSpot]
accessmonthday=18 February
accessyear=2006

]
*Coleco releases the Telstar, a console clone of "Pong" based on General Instrument's AY-3-8500 microchip.

cite web
author=Winter, David
year=2006
title=Coleco Telstar
url=http://www.pong-story.com/coleco_telstar.htm
work= [http://www.pong-story.com/ PONG-Story]
accessmonthday=18 February
accessyear=2006

]
*Radofin releases the 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System video game console in Europe.

cite web
author=Hansen, Dale
year=2002
title=1292 Advanced Programmable Video System FAQ version APVS.01
url=http://www.digitpress.com/faq/1292faq.txt
format=text
accessmonthday=18 February
accessyear=2006

]
*While working at the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab, Don Woods discovers and expands Will Crowther's "Adventure". Later in the year, James Gillogly ports Woods's version of the interactive fiction title from Fortran to the C programming language for Unix-based computers.

cite web
author=Adams, Rick
title=A history of 'Adventure'
url=http://www.rickadams.org/adventure/a_history.html
work= [http://www.rickadams.org/adventure/index.html The Colossal Cave Adventure page]
accessmonthday=17 February
accessyear=2006

]

References