1977 in computer games

Events

Atari opens the first Pizza Time Theater - an institution that combines a pizzeria and a slot machine hall. The initiator of this was Atari co-owner Nolan Bushnell. In June, he also buys from Atari the rights to this institution for 500 thousand dollars. A whole network of such family entertainment centers, called Chuck E. Cheese's, was opened.
Sega buys Gremlin Industries
Nakamura Manufacturing Ltd. formally renamed Namco (the name Namco has been used as a brand since 1971) and opens Namco Enterprises Asia Ltd. in Hong Kong, its first division outside of Japan.

Cinematronics launches Space Wars - the first gaming machine with vector graphics .
Mattel launches Missile Attack , the first portable game on the LCD.
Walter Bright created Empire , one of the first computer strategy games .
The future founders of Infocom are creating the first version of the Zork game on the PDP-10.

Nintendo launches Color TV Game 6 , which represents six variations of the console with the game Light Tennis (clone Pong ). Mitsubishi , a Nintendo partner, produces most of the system components.
In January, RCA Corporation launches the game console RCA Studio II .
In October, Atari launches the Video Computer System game console, better known as the Atari 2600.