In 1983, Atari buried millions of unsold cartridges in an Alamogordo, New Mexico landfill. This urban legend was finally confirmed during a 2014 excavation.

In the 1970s, video games were viewed as arcade toys. Designers used wood grain so the console would look like high-end living room electronics such as stereos.

Creator Warren Robinett hid his name in a secret room because Atari refused to credit developers, creating the first well-known video game Easter egg.

Atari treated developers as anonymous corporate assets to prevent rivals from poaching them. Four top programmers left in 1979 to establish the first third-party developer.