The Video Game History Foundation (VGHF) has announced the online availability of the complete digital archive of Computer Entertainer, a pivotal early video game publication from the 1980s. This eight-year collection is now accessible for free, offering a deep dive into an important era of gaming history.
Predating well-known magazines like EGM and GamePro, Computer Entertainer was launched in 1982 by sisters Marylou Badeaux and Celeste Dolan. Remarkably, it was the only video game-focused magazine to withstand the infamous video game industry crash of 1983. Consequently, Computer Entertainer provides a unique perspective on the post-crash period, as well as the crucial time leading up to and immediately following the North American debut of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1985.
The magazine is also notable for featuring some of the earliest reviews for iconic NES titles, including Metroid, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario Bros.
“I often call the period between 1985 and 1988 the `dark ages` of the home console game industry in the US. Games and even entire systems were still technically being released, but without an enthusiast press to cover them, we don`t have a lot of insight into what people thought. Computer Entertainer gives us an incredibly rare glimpse into the rebirth that would define the industry as we know it today, and we are incredibly proud to offer the magazine in its entirety to everyone as a public utility.”
The Computer Entertainer archive joins the VGHF`s extensive digital collection, which already encompasses over 3,000 out-of-print video game magazines and hundreds of trade publications. This vast resource also includes rare artwork, videos, and various behind-the-scenes materials spanning more than four decades of gaming development.