Play Value — Season 1, Episode 6: The Dirty Dozen: 12 Failed Consoles — Part One

Episode synopsis

The trashcans of the past are stuffed with consoles that didn't catch on. From the Atari 5200 and the ill fated Nintendo Virtual Boy, to the Atari Jaguar and the poorly timed Sega CD, the trashcans of the past were stuffed with consoles that simply failed to catch on. This episode examines why some of them didn't become the next big thing.

About Play Value

This series traces the sweeping history of video games—from the golden age of arcades to the home‑console revolution that reshaped the industry. Through fast‑paced commentary and archival insight, it explores how hits like Space Invaders, Pac‑Man, and Donkey Kong fueled an arcade boom, why the market collapsed in the early 1980s, and how Nintendo revived gaming with the NES. The story expands into the fierce rivalry between Atari and Nintendo, the global battle for Tetris rights, and the constant cycle of innovation that defined consoles from the 1970s through the 2000s. Blending humor with industry analysis, the episode shows how creativity, competition, and a few spectacular missteps shaped modern gaming.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1You Can Keep Your Quarters: The Death of Arcades
• E2Up from the Ashes: The Rise of Nintendo
• E3Ashes to Ashes: The Fall of Atari
• E4Splitting the Iron Curtain: A Brief History of Tetris
• E5Atari-gate!: The Theft of Nintendo's Code
• E7The Dirty Dozen: 12 Failed Consoles — Part Two
• E8The Fight of the Century: Sega vs. Nintendo
• E9I am Outraged!: Controversy in Gaming
• E10Two Gorillas and a Leather Company: ColecoVision
• E11You Don't Know Jack: Introducing the Commodore 64
• E12From Score to Story and Back: Return of the Arcade!
• E13We Have Awakened a Sleeping Giant!: Nintendo Angers Sony