In 1976, Atari released Breakout, a single-player spin on Pong that would become one of the most influential arcade games of all time. In this episode, we trace how Nolan Bushnell’s vision led Steve Jobs to recruit his friend Steve Wozniak to design a prototype that pushed the limits of Atari’s technology. We explore Wozniak’s minimalist circuit design, Jobs’ questionable payday, and how Breakout became a hit that influenced both Apple’s creation and the birth of Space Invaders. Our conversation dives into the courtroom too, where Breakout stood at the center of Atari v. Oman, a landmark case that helped define copyright law for video games. Join us as we bounce through innovation, friendship, and a few legal battles on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.
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A Trip Down Memory Card Lane