These are all programmable systems, Michael. The Odyssey was not programmable. The "cartridges" were merely selector switches that turned the built-in features on and off. That's why Pong and other systems with fixed games weren't included. There's an interesting case to be made, but I believe that the first system to meet that qualification was 1976's Fairchild VES. I also don't like to count kit systems, particularly kit computers and computers without proper displays, which is why the first home computer systems don't start on my list until 1977.
These are all programmable systems, Michael. The Odyssey was not programmable. The "cartridges" were merely selector switches that turned the built-in features on and off. That's why Pong and other systems with fixed games weren't included. There's an interesting case to be made, but I believe that the first system to meet that qualification was 1976's Fairchild VES. I also don't like to count kit systems, particularly kit computers and computers without proper displays, which is why the first home computer systems don't start on my list until 1977.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director | Armchair Arcade, Inc.
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Bill Loguidice, Managing Director
Armchair Arcade, Inc.