The Leading Magazine in Gaming History is Now Open to the Public

A significant resource shedding light on the history of gaming has been made publicly available after extensive research. This development, which will attract the attention of not only collectors but also those who closely follow gaming culture, could usher in a new era in the industry.

Computer Entertainer Archive Completed and Open

The Video Game History Foundation has added another first to its digital archive project, making Computer Entertainer, one of the iconic gaming magazines of the 1980s, available online. Published between 1982 and 1990, this magazine is considered one of the oldest and most reliable sources on console gaming in the United States. It is particularly notable for its accurate release dates and rare reviews of gaming history.

Computer Entertainer began as a newsletter for a retailer called Video Take-Out. Edited by Marylou Badeaux and Celeste Dolan, the publication holds the distinction of being one of the first female-led magazines in the gaming world. The Video Game History Foundation acquired the magazine’s complete collection from Badeaux last year and began the digitization process.

While the initial scans were low-quality, the magazine was later rescanned in high resolution using backup copies from Dolan’s personal collection. Missing issues were completed by gaming historian Leonard Herman. The foundation also acquired all copyrights to the magazine, ensuring legal access.

Today, the entirety of Computer Entertainer is freely available to read, search, and download from the organization’s digital archive. This content, available under a Creative Commons license, is a valuable resource for anyone interested in contributing to gaming history. You can access the magazine via this link.

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