Thursday, 11 January 2018

Bob Jain: What To Know About The Video Game Crash Of 1983

By Jason McDonald


Gaming is one of the biggest industries in the world, trumping music and Hollywood alike. What you may not know is that it wasn't always as affluent as it is today. If you look back more than 3 decades ago, you'll see that it was in rough shape following the event now known as the video game crash of 1983. For those that would like to know more about this event, financially or otherwise, here are some details provided by Bob Jain.

To give you an understanding of the impact this event had, consider that revenue in the gaming industry reached a high point of $3.2 billion. Despite this level of success, it would be undone by 1985, as these highs would hit considerable lows with a profit of $100 million. While gamers grew tired of this hobby, they weren't the only ones affected. Retailers that once sold games and consoles with confidence saw that their inventory wasn't moving at even a fraction of the pace it once did.

What caused the video game crash, you may wonder? There wasn't one specific event, as different variables played into the event in question. Oversaturation was an influential part, as there were simply too many manufacturers in what was becoming a crowded market. While consoles like the Atari 2600 enjoyed considerable success, others seemed to rip off its success. As financial authorities like Robert Jain can attest, it's difficult for one person to keep up with so many costly devices at once.

Another common cause that's looked to, as far as the video game crash is concerned, is the decreased quality of the games themselves. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" for the Atari 2600 is a popular example, but it's far from the only one. As a matter of fact, these products left the buyers with sour tastes in their mouth. Eventually, it reached a point where the people that enjoyed this hobby simply couldn't justify spending money on shoddy entertainment.

Of course, video games would become popular once more, due in large part to the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System. With a sense of quality control in place, the NES was focused on producing high-quality content, which was something that the industry before the crash struggled to bring. Even though gaming is in a much a better place now, history shouldn't be overlooked. Needless to say, the video game crash of 1983 made an impact, for better or worse.




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