Forgotten in the Shadows: Exploring the Ambiguity of Unexceptional Consoles

Alex Custodio and Michael Iantorno explore the study of unexceptional consoles, fringe devices that have been overlooked by both the public and academia, existing outside the standard and more popular canon of gaming history. Focusing on consoles such as RadioShack’s Electronic TV Scoreboards and various Pong consoles, the authors address the challenges posed by the lack of documentation, naming conventions, and distinct identities for these devices.

The basis behind the concept of unexceptional consoles emerged during the cataloging of the Residual Media Depot’s holdings, which the authors call unexceptional circumstances. The authors cataloged 900 individual objects, focusing on North American and Japanese home video game consoles from the seventies and eighties.

Using the example of Pong consoles, the difficulty in distinguishing between various versions of basically the same console is highlighted. On top of that, the vast multitude of Pong clones complicates identification, creating a significant challenge for game historians, academics, and hobbyists. This is emphasized by the inadequacy of date-based differentiation and the prevalence of ambiguous distinctions in naming conventions across box art, advertising materials, and console shells.

Building on those challenges, hobbyist communities, while often preserving the memory of even more various and fringe consoles, lack academic credibility. Still, users interacting with systems are valuable in contributing to the naming conventions through folksonomies. These conventions sometimes establish common truths and fill knowledge gaps left by corporate interests. Examples include nicknames for Atari 2600 models, revealing the valuable insights provided by user communities.

The naming problem around the Atari Video Computer System (VCS) illustrates the conflict between academics, industry, and evolving technologies. The Atari VCS, initially released in 1977, was rebranded as the Atari 2600 when its successor, the Atari 5200, was released. In addition, in 2021, Atari released a new console branded as the Atari VCS. This led to a problem where, essentially, Atari had two consoles with the same name; therefore, searching for Atari VCS can lead to either the 2021 iteration or, less likely, the 1977 one. This emphasizes the need for historical documentation.

Companies used to inconsistently brand and market their systems, causing identification issues. For instance, RadioShack’s Electronic TV Scoreboard has discrepancies between the console, box, and manuals when it comes to its name. This lack of consistency poses challenges for academics attempting to document and classify these devices within research collections.

In a case study of Magnavox’s line of Odyssey videogames, a paradoxical legacy of the console is explored: on the one hand, the original Odyssey is said to be the first commercially available home videogame; on the other hand, the later entries face challenges in cultural recognition and commercial success compared to competitors. The study emphasizes the importance of researching unexceptional consoles to better understand the material conditions of video game circulation during their early years.

As a conclusion, the article emphasizes the importance of attending to the material collections of these unexceptional consoles. It discusses how this engagement can enrich videogame studies by revealing broader industry trends, challenging claims about who was first, and contesting conventional historiography. As presented, a major problem is related to identifying and historicizing unexceptional consoles, and this calls for more inclusive videogame histories that go beyond mainstream platforms.

Basic information:
Sources: Custodio, A., & Iantorno, M. (2023). Unexceptional Consoles, 23(3). https://gamestudies.org/2303/articles/custodioiantorno
Pictures: Picture generated with Microsoft Bing Image Generator.

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Veikko Juntunen

Casual gamer who enjoys different style of games from retro beat 'em ups and getting beated up in roguelikes to modern online FPS games with friends.

Gustavo Moreira Kares

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Game explorer with a heart split between platformers (videogames) and eurogames (boardgames). Outside gaming, parenting is just another level of strategy.

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