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Second generation of video game consoles

Atari 2600, manufactured by Atari, Inc. in the United States. Released in 1977, it was the best-selling second-generation console.
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In the history of video games, the second-generation era refers to computer and video games, video game consoles, and handheld video game consoles available from 1976 to 1992. Notable platforms of the second generation include the Fairchild Channel F, Atari 2600, Intellivision, Odyssey 2, and ColecoVision. The generation began in November 1976 with the release of the Fairchild Channel F.[1] This was followed by the Atari 2600 in 1977,[2] Magnavox Odyssey² in 1978,[3] Intellivision in 1980[4] and then the Emerson Arcadia 2001, ColecoVision, Atari 5200, and Vectrex,[5] all in 1982. By the end of the era, there were over 15 different consoles. It coincided with, and was partly fuelled by, the golden age of arcade video games. This peak era of popularity and innovation for the medium resulted in many games for second generation home consoles being ports of arcade games. Space Invaders, the first "killer app" arcade game to be ported, was released in 1980 for the Atari 2600, though earlier Atari-published arcade games were ported to the 2600 previously.[6] Coleco packaged Nintendo's Donkey Kong with the ColecoVision when it was released in August 1982.

Built-in games, like those from the first generation, saw limited use during this era. Though the first generation Magnavox Odyssey had put games on cartridge-like circuit cards, the games had limited functionality and required TV screen overlays and other accessories to be fully functional. More advanced cartridges, which contained the entire game experience, were developed for the Fairchild Channel F, and most video game systems adopted similar technology.[7] The first system of the generation and some others, such as the RCA Studio II, still came with built-in games[8] while also having the capability of utilizing cartridges.[9] The popularity of game cartridges grew after the release of the Atari 2600. From the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, most home video game systems used cartridges until the technology was replaced by optical discs. The Fairchild Channel F was also the first console to use a microprocessor, which was the driving technology that allowed the consoles to use cartridges.[10] Other technology such as screen resolution, color graphics, audio, and AI simulation was also improved during this era. The generation also saw the first handheld game cartridge system, the Microvision, which was released by toy company Milton Bradley in 1979.

In 1979, gaming giant Activision was created by former Atari programmers[11] and was the first third-party developer of video games.[12] By 1982, the shelf capacity of toy stores was overflowing with an overabundance of consoles, over-hyped game releases, and low-quality games from new third-party developers. An over-saturation of consoles and games,[13] coupled with poor knowledge of the market, saw the video game industry crash in 1983 and marked the start of the next generation. Beginning in December 1982 and stretching through all of 1984, the crash of 1983 caused major disruption to the North American market.[14][15] Some developers collapsed and almost no new games were released in 1984. The market did not fully recover until the third generation.[4] The second generation ended on January 1, 1992, with the discontinuation of the Atari 2600.[16]

  1. ^ Leigh, Peter (November 1, 2018). The Nostalgia Nerd's Retro Tech: Computer, Consoles & Games. Octopus. ISBN 9781781576823. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  2. ^ Forster, Winnie (2005). The encyclopedia of consoles, handhelds & home computers 1972-2005. GAMEPLAN. p. 27. ISBN 3-00-015359-4.
  3. ^ Matthewson, David K. (1982). Beginner's Guide to Video. Butterworth. p. 180. ISBN 9780408005777. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Wolf, Mark J. P. (2012). Encyclopedia of Video Games: The Culture, Technology, and Art of Gaming. ABC-CLIO. p. 135. ISBN 9780313379369. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  5. ^ Barton, Matt and Loguidice, Bill. (2007). A History of Gaming Platforms: The Vectrex Archived April 16, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Gamasutra.
  6. ^ Campbell, Stuart (September 2007). "The Definitive Space Invaders". Retro Gamer (41). Imagine Publishing: 24–33.
  7. ^ Cohen, D. S. (September 18, 2018). "Jerry Lawson - First Black Video Game Professional". Lifewire. Archived from the original on January 21, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  8. ^ Dillon, Roberto (2011). The Golden Age of Video Games. A K Peter/CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-4398-7323-6.
  9. ^ Kent, Steven L. (2001). The Ultimate History of Video Games. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.
  10. ^ Hardawar, Devindra (February 20, 2015). "Jerry Lawson, a self-taught engineer, gave us video game cartridges". Engadget. Archived from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  11. ^ Weiss, Brett (April 4, 2011). Classic Home Video Games, 1972_1984: A Complete Reference Guide. McFarland. p. 28. ISBN 9780786487554. Archived from the original on January 22, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
  12. ^ "Stream of video games is endless". Milwaukee Journal. December 26, 1982. pp. Business 1. Archived from the original on March 12, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  13. ^ Kleinfield, N.R. (October 17, 1983). "Video Games Industry Comes Down To Earth". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 13, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  14. ^ Dvorchak, Robert (July 30, 1989). "NEC out to dazzle Nintendo fans". The Times-News. p. 1D. Archived from the original on May 12, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  15. ^ Wolf, Mark J. P. (2008). The Video Game Explosion: A History from PONG to Playstation and Beyond. ABC-CLIO. p. 105. ISBN 9780313338687. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  16. ^ Montfort, Nick; Bogost, Ian (2009). Racing the Beam. MIT Press. p. 150. ISBN 978-0-2625-3976-0.