Robert Smith

And this is partly because the Magnavox Odyssey, it was called, the game that Bushnell saw under development from Magnavox, had come out.

There was a, you know, somebody tried a home video game and it had done badly.

But it turns out that's because it was a bad game and Magnavox just thought of it as a way to sell TVs.

Classic incumbent mistake, right?

They're just thinking about their old product.

Eventually, Valentine does get Atari a key break.

He sets up a meeting with Sears, which, of course, was the biggest retailer in the country at this point, as we talked about a few weeks ago.

Gets him this meeting to pitch Home Pong, right?

Pong for the home.

Valentine sent Bushnell to Sears headquarters in Chicago for a meeting, told him to wear a suit.

Or at least that's Valentine's version of the story.

Interestingly, Bushnell has a different version.

According to Bushnell, Atari cold-called Sears, got put through to a buyer who was immediately interested and came out to California right away.

And I actually love these two different stories.

I think there's like a little... Stop looking at your computer.

I'm sorry.

I'm playing punk.

Yes.

It's addictive.

Yes, go on.