From $2 Billion to Nothing - The Rise and Fall of Atari

Comments · 3.7K

• MA

  @markjones5973 · 5 years ago

  When I was a kid, I really wanted an Atari.  Instead, Dad bought us a computer.  Best decision he ever made.

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• RI

  @rickeymh · 4 years ago

  I first worked for Atari back in 1976 as a security guard.  On my first day I asked to summon Steve Jobs to the Lobby.  It was his last day at work and he had an entourage of people waiting for him.  I was told weeks later that Steve was co-owner of a new computer start-up called Apple. Fast forward a couple years later I went back to work with Atari as a material handler/assembler in a warehouse.  Part of my training was learning to drive a fork lift, they had me practice running over circuit boards, hence destroying $millions of old inventory.  I remember going to Busnell's going away party which was held at his Pizza Time theatre at the now defunct Towne and Country village in San Jose CA (Now Santana row).   Wow, the memories!

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• GU

  @guywoznicki7847 · 4 years ago

  When I was a kid, I got an Atari 2600 for Xmas 1978.  Got about 25 games and finally quit playing around 1986.  My first roommate introduced me to Nintendo in ‘92 and I played it so much that he gave it to me.  From there I bought a Sega Genesis and played every sports game until I got sick of them.  Bought a house in ‘98 and mothballed everything.  Then I witnessed a demo of the Xbox in 2001.  I became mesmerized and had to have one.  Now in my mid-50’s I still play Xbox One today.  Oh by the way, I didn’t get a PC until 2000!

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• SH

  @shelterdnewb9842 · 5 years ago

  I can't believe he became the guy who founded Chuck E Cheese, that's truly a fun fact XD

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• YA

  @yashgulave8366 · 5 years ago

  Man, Atari had Steve Jobs AND Bill Gates work for them and they still failed... 🤦‍♂️

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• RA

  @racer-w4y · 3 years ago

  Insane that they gave themselves a window of 6 weeks to make the game, test it, and, manufacture it, and ship it.  Absolutely insane and also straight up greed by the leadership team to meet Xmas timeline.

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• DO

  @dondixon4206 · 5 years ago (edited)

  I worked at Atari Research under Dr. Alan Kay. I had my own department, My own lab. Following that, I was hired by Nolan Bushnell and worked with his company Axlon. My field is Robotics and A.I... The years I worked at these great companies were formative. The people I worked with were fantastic... I am still creating Robots and A.I. stuff ... will do it forever. Thank You, Nolan. Thank you kindly!

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• WW

  @WWTormentor · 5 years ago

  As I child growing up in the late 70’s and early 80’s, we could never afford an Atari.  I remember we had one friend who had one and we would all go to his house to play.   We would also all chip in to buy new games.   Those were the days.  Thanks for the memories.

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• JO

  @johnhickman106 · 4 years ago

  This failure ultimately falls on the company executives for giving so little to the engineers to develop, test and correct a game prior to sales. 6 weeks for ONE engineer to accomplish all the stated prior to fielding? Ridiculous and money hungry execs; screw tomorrow, we want the almighty dollar now!

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• FR

  @freedomring3022 · 5 years ago

  I don't know why anybody looks at Steve Jobs as some kind of great genius ... It was Wozniak that was the brains behind everything

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• CO

  @comicsandanimation5531 · 5 years ago

  from every video I have seen every company&apos;s downfall is due to these reasons <br>1)ego<br>2)not paying attention to competition <br>3)refusing to change <br>4)absolutely lazy

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• DA

  @davemartin6217 · 4 years ago

  Great video, but it missed part of the story. &nbsp;I worked for Atari in 1981 when the 800 computer was the best one on the market. &nbsp;It had so much more capability than the others it was laughable. &nbsp;As I remember, during that year the computer section made $350 million. &nbsp;They worked hard to market it as a business computer but along the way made two colossal blunders. First, the CEO decided to name a new operating system after himself, the Tramiel operating system, or TOS, which he predicted would take over as the standard in the industry. &nbsp;Second, the major programs they created for the business side worked with only one floppy drive, which meant continuous disc swapping between the program disc and the data disc. It was unbelievable. &nbsp;The second year I was there the section lost $350 million. &nbsp;Straight up and straight down. &nbsp;The losses were accompanied by a remarkable flight of talent to other companies. &nbsp;But I remember fondly the time I spent at Atari. &nbsp;A remarkably talented group of people.

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