The story of a programmer who made "E.T." called "the lowest game in history"

In 1977AtariOf a home game machine that has been released from the market and has caused a major boomAtari 2600However, the game called "the lowest game in history"E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial(E.T.) "has appeared, so that the good results up to that point will change. A game programmer who is the creator of such "ET"Howard Scott WarshawSays the secret story of development at the time.

The Story Behind the Worst Video Game of All Time - YouTube


Often called "the worst TV game in history" is "E.T." that appeared as a game for Atari 2600.


"I read that the game I made in a magazine is" It is the cause of destroying the video game industry in the early 1980s "


"The surrounding people do not ask me about" E.T. "because everyone thinks I care about this game"


"Omiger: You made the lowest game ever, do not you get ridiculous of being hidden?" There is nothing to be ridiculed. "


...... It is said that Howard Scott Warshaw, a former game programmer who is a developer of "ET"


Warshaw is one of the game programmers who took charge of Atari's game development in the 1980s.


We have developed a number of Atari 2600 games, and the game we developed has been loved by many people.


Warshaw said, "IYars' RevengeAfter makingRaiders / Lost Arc "The Cathedral"I made a great success with two games. These two games have achieved millions of sellers. At that time I believed that all the games I was involved in would succeed, "he says about the time he was involved in the development of the game for Atari 2600.


One day, Mr. Warshaw received a call from Atari's CEO and is asked to "I want you to make the best game ever." And that game title was the game title of the big hit movie "ET".


"We thought that we wanted to do it," Warshaw talks about the feelings of the time.


"Although it was a project to make famous movie works into games, the production period was only five weeks"


"For that reason, we were working on game development shortly before breaks."


... ..., we tell you that the production period was very compact and very hard.


"ET" is basically a puzzle game, walking around various places to solve problems "



When the game is released, it seems that millions of pieces have been manufactured by making games of big hit movies into games. However, the situation will change after a couple of months.


Although millions of manufactured "ET", it did not sell at all, Atari became to have a large amount of inventory.


The reasons why I could not make the best game are various, such as poor planning and tight schedule, but because of that, Mr. Warshaw can not handle basic mistakes in development, such as a bug where ET can not move because it enters a hole Pattern.


Immediately after the release of "E.T.", Atari 's reputation falls at a stroke. In addition, the sales of "ET" will be disappointing, and Atari's mistake management will become more noticeable.


"In a couple of months after the release, Atari reduced the number of employees who had 10,000 people to 2,000 people," Warshaw said. After that, Mr. Warshaw will leave the game industry forever.


Mr. Warshaw seems to have never thought of the game "E.T." in the next 10 years. "Early in the 1990s, everyone started talking about what a game" ET "is the worst game ... When I heard that, I was really surprised that everyone is talking about that game," War Shaw.


And recently, "Hello. The game" E.T. "released by Atari jumped out to the news that it was discovered in a landfill in New Mexico State and is on sale again".


It was a big news that the game "E.T." was found in a landfill called "video game graveyard" located in New Mexico state in the USA and called the topic all over the world.

Urban legend really, the lowest game "E.T." is discovered in "graveyard of video game" - GIGAZINE


"E.T." excavated at the "graveyard of video game" is put on sale on eBay of the online marketplace ... ...


The game which troubled trouble without selling that much was traded at a high price of hundreds of dollars.


Warshaw's game was made in just 5 weeks ago more than 30 years ago, but still produces enthusiasm and excitement in various ways.


"It will be very emotional for this game to become a hot topic now as well"


"Because I still feel that there is a huge significance in making this game the center of the topic," I'm afraid that "ET" game fails "I will ask you I am not concerned and it is not a failed work for me at all, "Wo Shou says.


In the past Warshaw responded to an interview on the game "E.T." at BBC, and its contents can be checked in the following article.

One man who developed 'legendary kusoge' and collapsed Atari - GIGAZINE


There is also a work "ATARI GAME OVER" which made the documentary picture of Atari collapse from the appearance of the game "E.T.", which is worth seeing at first sight.

ATARI GAME OVER (Subtitled Version) - YouTube


"ATARI GAME OVER" has been converted to DVD, Amazon.co.jp is available for purchase at 4854 yen including tax.

Amazon.co.jp | ATARI GAME OVER Atari Game Over (Special Edition) [DVD] DVD · Blu-ray - Zack · Penn, Nolan · Bushnell, Seamus · Blackleigh, Howard · Warshaw, Joe · Levandovski