Spielberg’s Blockbuster Inspires a Video Game Sensation
When Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, hit theaters, it captivated audiences worldwide. Atari saw an opportunity to cash in on the movie’s success and rushed to develop a video game adaptation. Little did they know that this decision would lead to their downfall.
A Race Against Time
With a ridiculously tight deadline of just five weeks, game designer Howard Scott Warshaw faced an almost impossible task: creating a game that would meet the holiday season release. The pressure to deliver a hit game was immense, and it ultimately took a toll on the final product.
A Disastrous Development
The development process for E.T. was plagued with challenges. Warshaw had to work with limited resources and time constraints, resulting in a rushed and unfinished game. The gameplay itself lacked depth and quickly became repetitive, leading to frustration among players.
The E.T. Game Buried in the Desert
E.T.'s commercial failure was so severe that Atari was left with millions of unsold copies. In a desperate move to clear inventory, the company resorted to burying thousands of game cartridges in a landfill in New Mexico. This burial became an urban legend until it was rediscovered and excavated years later.
The Industry Crash and Legacy
The failure of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, coupled with other poor-quality games flooding the market, led to the video game industry crash of 1983. This event marked a turning point and a valuable lesson for the industry, emphasizing the importance of quality control and avoiding rushed releases.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial for the Atari 2600 may have been a critical and commercial disaster, but its impact on the video game industry cannot be ignored. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of prioritizing profits over quality and the lasting repercussions that a single game can have. The legacy of E.T. lives on as a reminder that even the most beloved films can fall victim to the challenges of game development.
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