Fairchild Videocart-5 Game, "Space War," 1977

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Artifact Overview

The Fairchild Channel F Video Entertainment System is the first home video game console to include interchangeable cartridges. Jerry Lawson, Fairchild's head of engineering and hardware, co-invented the cartridge, which continues to be adapted into systems today. Lawson was one of the first Black engineers to work in Silicon Valley and was an early member of the Homebrew Computer Club.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Video game

Date Made

1977

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2020.77.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Plastic
Paper (Fiber product)
Cardboard

Color

Multicolored

Dimensions

Height: 5.625 in (Packaging)
Width: 4.125 in (Packaging)
Length: 0.875 in (Packaging)

Inscriptions

on top of cartridge: 5 / FAIRCHILD / VIDEOCART-5 / Space War / ENCODED PROGRAM (C) FAIRCHILD 1977 on front of cartridge: FAIRCHILD VIDEOCART-5 Space War / VIDEOCART is a trademark of Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation. Made in Singapore. on bottom of cartridge: A Product of / ZIRCON INTERNATIONAL INC. / 475 Vandell way / Campbell, CA 95008 on front of packaging: 5 / Space War / FAIRCHILD / VIDEOCART-5 / Exclusively for use with / the Fairchild Video / Entertainment System. / VIDEOCART is a trademark of / Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation on proper left side of packaging: FAIRCHILD VIDEOCART-5 / Printed in U.S.A. on back of packaging: VIDEOCART-5 / This preprogrammed cartridge plugs into the console of the / Fairchild Video Entertainment System for more TV fun. Teleport / yourself and a friend to an interstellar battleground with this / "faster-than-the-speed-of-light" game. / Space War: / Subspace distress call. Alien / laser attack has drained your / protective electro-magnetic / force field! / Can you get back to the star- / base to recharge...before he / blasts you out of the galaxy? / Game play in color only on color televisions. / Ask your dealer to see the other Videocart(TM) cartridges available / for play on your Fairchild Video Entertainment System. Build a / library of video game fun. on proper right side of packaging: FAIRCHILD VIDEOCART-5 / Exclusively for use with / the Fairchild Video / Entertainment System. / Space War on top of packaging: FAIRCHILD / Space War / Contents: / 1 Videocart(TM) Cartridge / 1 Instruction Booklet / VIDEOCART-5 / Manufactured by / Fairchild Consumer Products Division / 4001 Miranda Avenue / Palo Alto, CA 94304 / Made in Singapore / Printed in U.S.A. on bottom of packaging: FAIRCHILD Space War / VIDEOCART-5
Fairchild Videocart-5 Game, "Space War," 1977