1981 in computing, games and technology

52 milestones from 1981: 14 computers and hardware, 6 peripherals, 3 software, 5 games, 11 games, 1 books, 1 movies, 7 events, 3 legal milestones, 1 world events.

Open 1981 in the interactive timeline The 1980s

Computers and hardware

• VTech CreatiVision
• Entex Select-A-Game
• TI-99/4A
• Sharp PC-1500
• Sinclair ZX81
• Xerox 8010 Star
• Osborne 1
• Commodore VIC-20
• Cassette Vision
• IBM 5151 Monochrome Display
• IBM PC (5150)
• Sony Mavica prototype
• NEC PC-8801
• BBC Micro

Peripherals

• IBM Color/Graphics Adapter (CGA)
• IBM Monochrome Display Adapter (MDA)
• IBM Model F Keyboard
• Hayes Smartmodem
• IBM Game Control Adapter
• Apple ProFile

Software

• VisiCalc (IBM PC)
• Bank Street Writer
• PC DOS 1.0

Games

• Defender
• Donkey Kong
• Frogger
• Galaga
• Zaxxon

Games

• Ulysses and the Golden Fleece
• Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz
• Centipede
• Scramble
• Ultima
• Wizard of Wor
• Cranston Manor
• Kaboom!
• Castle Wolfenstein
• Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord
• Tempest

Books

• The Soul of a New Machine

Movies

• Raiders of the Lost Ark

Events

• Imagic founded
• Creative Technology founded in Singapore
• Microsoft buys 86-DOS from Seattle Computer Products
• Byte magazine devotes an issue to Smalltalk-80
• Electronic Games magazine first issue
• Computer and Video Games magazine launches
• Twin Galaxies arcade opens in Ottumwa, Iowa

Legal milestones

• President Reagan wounded in an assassination attempt
• First Space Shuttle launch (Columbia)
• MTV launches

World events

• Royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana