MARKETPLACE
NEWSLETTER
PAGE 7, SEPTEMBER 30, 1974
ATARI
July 29
•
I
1974
Mr. Bill Gersh
MARKETPLACE
185 N. Wabash Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60601
Dear Bill:
In response to your fine article,
11
Say Can You See Video Games", I would like to thank you
for your positive stand on an industry which is, of course, near and dear to my heart.
...
I believe that video games have made a significant impact and will continue to be even more
of a significant and larger part of the amusement machine industry in the future. Video games
provide all the things that an operator needs for a profitable operation, mainly, high income
and low maintenance •
I can also speak with authority and say that the computer games of next year will be as dra-
matically different from what we see on the market today as Pong was to the average pinball
machine. The medium in terms of its uses has just started. Some of the items in the Atari
labs and I am sure in many of the other labs around the country, are going to be dazzling
as new technologies and new sciences come out with even more exciting and innovative games.
The other factor that will be exciting to most, is that the games, even though they will be
more exciting and more dynamic in presentation, will actually be simpler than our current
machines in terms of repairability. It has amazed me that some of the people are as fright-
ened of the maintenance of video games or computer games as they are because of the sheer
complexity and ease of operation.
However, the repair task is very small in comparison with a pinball machine or some of the
other extremely complex mechanical devices. I am convinced that once the operator becomes
familiar with the computer games, the situation will enable servicemen to repair a video
game or computer game on sight cheaper and easier than previously could be done with a pin-
ball machine. The relative complexities are really much lees but it's a matter of becoming
familiar and, in some cases, teaching some old dogs new tricks in terms of the service game.
•
Bill, I also would like to thank you for your fantastic pictorial history of the amusement
machine business. It gives some of the younger people in the industry, or at least me, a
chance to participate in understanding some of the things that have happened in the early
days of the coin machine business and learn about what I call the Golden Years in the
industry which, over the years, we've learned to enjoy and appreciate.
Yours truly,
Nolan K. Bushnell
President
ATARI INC 14600 WINCHESTER BOULEVARD, LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA 95030 · TELEPHONE (408) 374 -2440 •TELEX 357-488