History of video games/Platforms/Vectrex

A Vectrex console

History

The Vectrex logotype.

Development and Launch

Development of the system began in 1980, as a way for the company Smith Engineering to use surplus one inch cathode ray tube displays that several employees found at an electronics store while out for lunch.^[1]^[2] Initially a handheld, the system was redesigned in 1981 to have a nine inch display and be a tabletop unit.^[1] Debuted at CES in 1982^[2] and received positively,^[1] the console launched in November of that year at a cost of $199.^[3]^[2]

Crash

Initially the system sold well, which lead to it being acquired by Milton Bradley, and further leading to the price of Milton Bradley stock doubling.^[2] The Vectrex saw its national launch in Spring of 1983.^[4]

Due to the Video game Crash of 1983 sales suffered.^[2] In 1983 price of the system was reduced twice, once to $150, and then again to $100.^[3]^[2] These issues were compounded by poor sales of the Vectrex internationally.^[5]

Discontinuation

Most histories cite the discontinuation date of the Vectrex as 1984^[1] following the large costs the system incurred on Milton Bradley, about 16.5 million dollars^[2], and their subsequent 1984 merger with Hasbro.^[3] Some sources claim that it was Hasbro who made the decision to discontinue the system.^[2] However two articles in the New York Times of early 1984 claim it was discontinued prior to the acquisition^[6] in late 1983.^[7] Other contemporary sources seemingly paint a different picture, though perhaps not a mutually exclusive one, with at least one late 1984 magazine article discussing the recent discontinuation of the system, and a then current demand for remaining stock.^[8] A January 30th, 1984 Wall Street Journal article reported the Vectrex had been discontinued recently.^[4]

Renewed Interest

Following the discontinuation of the Vectrex, Smith Engineering regained the rights to the system and attempted to redevelop it as a handheld in 1988.^[3]^[9] The revised system was scrapped due to a price exceeding $100.^[9] A surviving and operational portable system system exists at the National Videogame Museum in Frisco, Texas.^[10]^[11]

Jay Smith required the rights to the system in 1996 and released the rights to the Vectrex to the public for non profit use in 1996.^[2] Hobbyists created upgrades for the system, such as a 2017 project that adds a 32 bit coprocessor expansion to improve system graphics.^[12] In early May 2020, an open source clone of the Vectrex called Scopetrex was designed, and can to be used with an oscilloscope as a vector display.^[13]^[14]

Technology

The Vectrex CPU was a Motorola 68A09 clocked at 1.6MHz.^[15] The Vectrex had 1 kilobyte of RAM, split across two four bit chips.^[15]^[16] Software cartridges contained 8 kilobytes of ROM.^[15]

The built in display is a monochrome Samsung 240RB40, which has a size of 9 inches by 11 inches.^[15] A General Instrument AY-3-8912 is used for audio.^[16] A prototype for Vectrex with a monitor capable of displaying one of three different colors at a time was made, but never released on the market.^[17]^[18]

The Vectrex was the first home console to use an analog controller.^[15] The joystick was self centering.^[16] An optional second controller could be used.^[16] An optional light pen and 3D Glasses were released for the system.^[2]^[19]^[20]