 Atari Memorabilia Company: Atari, Inc.
Based: Sunnyvale Ca. Founded: 1972 Founders: Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney Specialty: Designed & manufactured 1980's video game arcade consoles and home systems, home computers and software, including the famous Atari 2600 VCS, and the Atari 400 & 800 line of home computers. |
 Atari assembly line testing video arcade game consoles (1980's) |
When it comes to vintage video game manufacturers,
Atari remains one of the most popular to vintage computer and video game collectors.
Promotional memorabilia from Atari that showcases electronics technology used in their early line of video game systems and home computers during the 1980's are rare.
Atari Asteroids ROM Chip Paperweight (1981)
Lucite paperweight that contains a 24-pin DIP ROM chip from the worlds #1 selling Coin-Op game in 1981, Atari's "Asteroids".
Asteroids was a hugely successful game title for Atari for both their Coin-Op arcade game units, as well as their 2600 VCS home video game system.
This Lucite paperweight was a presentation award from Atari given out at their 7th Annual distributor's conference in Pebble Beach CA., starting March 28th 1981.
Representatives from Atari Coin-Op distributors in attendance for the 5-day "Atari Classic" conference enjoyed events including luncheons, wine tasting, golf & tennis tournaments, business sessions & black-tie award ceremonies.
Asteroids was a hugely successful game title for Atari for both their Coin-Op arcade game units, as well as their 2600 VCS home video game system.
This Lucite paperweight was a presentation award from Atari given out at their 7th Annual distributor's conference in Pebble Beach CA., starting March 28th 1981.
Representatives from Atari Coin-Op distributors in attendance for the 5-day "Atari Classic" conference enjoyed events including luncheons, wine tasting, golf & tennis tournaments, business sessions & black-tie award ceremonies.
Atari "Coin Connection" distributors newsletter story - Pebble Beach Coin-Op conference (1981)
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Back of the Atari Asteroids ROM Chip paperweight
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Atari Computer Synertek ROM Chip Paperweight (1981)
Lucite paperweight from Atari featuring a C012409 24-pin DIP ROM chip manufactured by Synertek Corp. at their Santa Cruz CA. manufacturing plant. Synertek (based in Santa Clara CA.) also produced chips for Apple computer for use in their Apple II line of 8-bit computers.
This ROM chip would have been used to store game & educational programs in cartridge form for use in Atari's 400 & 800 line of 8-bit Home Computers.
Reads "Atari - We've brought the Computer Age Home".
This ROM chip would have been used to store game & educational programs in cartridge form for use in Atari's 400 & 800 line of 8-bit Home Computers.
Reads "Atari - We've brought the Computer Age Home".
Atari Home Computers store demo display (1979)
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Atari 2600 ROM Chip Gold Ring (2008)
Limited edition 18K gold mens ring resembling the 24 pin DIP ROM chips used in many of the 1980's era ATARI 2600 game cartridges.
Designed by Brooklyn-based artist Sakurako Shimizu.
Designed by Brooklyn-based artist Sakurako Shimizu.
Atari's chip development:
Atari's chip development had a significant impact on the gaming industry, particularly in the context of the challenges faced during the development of Atari games. The Atari 2600, a pioneering console, presented unique obstacles for programmers due to its interaction with television sets. Unlike modern video game consoles, the Atari 2600 couldn't construct a full screen for its games, outputting only a single row of pixels at any given moment. This constraint made programming for the system exceptionally challenging, as it had to synchronize with the television's drawing process, which occurred line by line. This limitation resulted in a system that was far from programmer-friendly, making game development a complex and demanding task.
Atari's chip development also played a crucial role in the company's attempt to enter the home computer market. The Atari home computers, such as the Atari 400 and Atari 800, were designed to run on the MOS 6502 microprocessor, which supported advanced graphic chips developed by Jay Miner. This technological foundation laid the groundwork for Atari's foray into the personal computer industry, showcasing the company's commitment to innovation and advancement in computing technology.
Furthermore, Atari's impact on the gaming industry extended beyond hardware development. The company's pioneering work in bringing video games from arcades to the home market caused a significant market shift, expanding the reach of video games to families and kids. This transition from coin-op culture to the home market was a pivotal moment in the history of video games, and Atari played a central role in this transformation. The company's contributions to the gaming industry, including the establishment of third-party game development, continue to influence the gaming landscape to this day.
In summary, Atari's chip development not only posed technical challenges but also contributed to the company's efforts to enter the home computer market and played a pivotal role in the transition of video games from arcades to the home, shaping the gaming industry as we know it today.