Play Meter

state association, Music Oper-
ators of Connecticut, is headquar-
tered at 242 Trumbull St., Room
405, Hartford, 06103. A list of all
state associations, except for that
newly formed in Tennessee, is
listed in our January Directory.
-Ed. ]
I have read a copy of your
November 1976 issue. Your list of
exhibitors at the Chicago Show
(pages 28 and 29) would have
been very useful, if the type of
equipment each company mark-
ets was listed next to its name.
Evan Goodstein
Island Vending
Medford , New York
[Get hold of our January issue
if you haven't yet. In the
Directory, the manufacturers are
listed both alphabetically (with
the products they make given)
and according to product. All the
Chicago exhibitors are there and
then some. - Ed. ]
ATARIQUERY
[Ed. note: The following was
addressed to Nolan Bushnell,
Chairman of Atari through Play
Meter. The reasons for so doing
are explained in the letter. - Ed. ]
Dear Mr. Bushnell:
There is a rumor circulating
that Atari will be coming out with
acopy of the Gremlin hit Block-
ade, sometime in February or
March. We find this rumor hard
to believe since you have stated
publicly that copying "destroys
earnings on almost all levels" and
that you "really have a hard time
accepting copying of any form."
Furthermore, you stated, "If the
operator would get used to not
buying copies, they'd end up with
more earnings in the long run."
In commenting on operators who
buy copies you stated, "they're
cutting off their noses to spite
their faces."
I agree with your statements
that copying is bad for the
industry, and that operators
should be loyal to the designers.
In view of these statements
from your interview with Play
Meter magazine in their June/
July, 1975 issue, I find the
rumors hard to believe and
request your public clarification
of this issue. If you are consider-
ll1g copying the Gremlin game,
then I strongly suggest you
reread the interview before mak-
ing up your mind.
As a dedicated Atari and
Gremlin operator I would not
operate your rumored copy and
would publically call on other
operators to do the same.
Please reply publicly through
the industry media.
Kosher Games
[Play Meter was unable to get
anyone at A tari to publicly
comment on Kosher Games char-
ges regarding their blocking
game. That game, Dominos, has
been released as indicated in the
"New Products" section of last
month's Play Meter. A high
placed Atari official did teU us,
however, that the company did
have the technology for a block-
ing game before Gremlin came
out with Blockade. Even so,
according to this official, Atari
did offer Gremlin $100,000 "con-
science money, "even though this
was not strictly necessary. Grem-
lin refused the offer, however,
according to our A tari source.
- Ed.]
A Public Service of thi s magazine & T he Advertising Council
~!
Last year millions upon millions
counted on us.
Red Cross.
The Good Neighbor.