Where are the Copies of E.T. Buried?
The legend of the buried Atari games has been a topic of fascination for many years. The story goes that Atari, the legendary video game company, buried millions of unsold copies of the game E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in a New Mexico landfill in 1983. But is this story true? And if so, where exactly are these buried games?
The Story Behind the Burial
In 1982, Atari released E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, a game based on the popular movie of the same name. The game was a commercial failure, and Atari was left with a massive surplus of unsold copies. The company was struggling financially, and the game’s poor reception was a major blow. In an effort to clear out inventory and avoid bankruptcy, Atari decided to bury the games in a New Mexico landfill.
The Dig
In 2014, a team of archaeologists and filmmakers from the documentary series "Excavating the Atari E.T. Game" embarked on a mission to find the buried games. Led by filmmaker Zak Penn, the team spent several weeks digging through the Alamogordo landfill, where the games were allegedly buried. After excavating over 1,000 tons of trash, they finally found the first game cartridge in July 2014.
What was Found
The team found a total of 1,300 game cartridges, including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, as well as other Atari games such as Asteroids and Centipede. The games were buried in a layer of trash, approximately 10 feet deep, and were remarkably well-preserved. The team also found a number of other artifacts, including old computers, monitors, and other Atari equipment.
The Significance of the Find
The discovery of the buried games has significant implications for the gaming industry and for collectors of vintage games. For many years, the story of the buried games has been a topic of speculation and debate, with some claiming that the games were never actually buried. The discovery of the games proves that the story is true, and provides a unique glimpse into the history of the gaming industry.
The Future of the Games
The future of the buried games is still uncertain. The team that excavated the games has not yet decided what to do with them, and the games are currently being stored in a warehouse in Alamogordo. Some collectors have expressed interest in purchasing the games, while others have suggested that they be preserved in a museum or archive.
Conclusion
The discovery of the buried Atari games is a significant event in the history of the gaming industry. The story of the games’ burial has been a topic of fascination for many years, and the discovery of the games provides a unique glimpse into the history of the industry. Whether the games will be preserved for future generations or sold to collectors remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – the legend of the buried Atari games will continue to captivate gamers and historians alike for years to come.
Appendix
- The Atari E.T. Game Cartridges
- 1,300 game cartridges were found, including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Asteroids, and Centipede
- The games were buried in a layer of trash, approximately 10 feet deep
- The games were remarkably well-preserved, considering they were buried for over 30 years
- The Significance of the Find
- The discovery of the buried games proves that the story of the games’ burial is true
- The games provide a unique glimpse into the history of the gaming industry
- The discovery of the games has significant implications for collectors of vintage games
- The Future of the Games
- The team that excavated the games has not yet decided what to do with them
- Some collectors have expressed interest in purchasing the games
- Others have suggested that the games be preserved in a museum or archive