Chronology
of the Commodore 64 Microcomputer
1982
- January
- Commodore Business Machines announces the Commodore 64
microcomputer,
showing a prototype at the Winter CES. It features a 6510 processor, 64
KB RAM, 20 KB ROM with Microsoft BASIC, custom SID sound chip, 8
sprites,
16-color graphics, 40-column screen, for US$600) for US$595. It is the
first personal computer with an integrated sound synthesizer chip. [2]
[6.81] [9.64] [19.235] [26.6] (Summer [21.17]) (June [14.61])
- June 6
- At the Summer CES, Commodore Business Machines again shows the
Commodore
64. [19.238]
- September
- Commodore Business Machines begins shipping the Commodore 64.
Suggested
retail price is US$595. [19.238,268]
1983
- January
- At the Winter CES, Commodore Business Machines debuts the
Commodore
SX-100, a portable version of the Commodore 64, with bundled B/W
screen,
for US$995. Price with color screen and two drives is US$1295. [21.17]
- Commodore Business Machines introduces the SX-64, the first
color portable
computer. Weight is 10.5 kg. It incorporates a 5-inch color monitor and
one or two 5.25 inch floppy drive. Price is US$1600. [6.81] [13.16]
[15.496]
[19.255]
- Commodore Business Machines begins selling the Commodore 64
through
mass merchants, which drops the retail price to US$400. [19.268]
- April
- Commodore Business Machines offers a US$100 rebate on the
purchase
of a Commodore 64 on receipt of any computer or videogame unit.
[19.269]
- May
- Commodore Business Machines ships the Commodore Executive 64.
It features
64 KB RAM, detachable keyboard, 5-inch color monitor, 170 KB floppy
drive,
for US$1000. [17.192]
- June
- At the Summer CES, Commodore Business Machines shows the
Executive
64, formerly the Commodore SX-100. It has a 6-inch color monitor and is
priced at US$995. [21.17] [28.232]
- Commodore Business Machines drops the dealer price of the
Commodore
64 to US$200, allowing the retail price to drop to US$200-230. [19.269]
- (month unknown)
- Commodore Business Machines releases the 1541 Disk Drive.
[21.17]
- October
- Electronic Arts releases the Archon game for the Commodore 64.
[37.111]
- Electronic Arts releases the M.U.L.E. game for the Commodore
64. [37.111]
- Electronic Arts releases The Pinball Construction Set software
for
the Commodore 64. [37.111]
- (month unknown)
- Inkwell Systems releases the Flexidraw 2.1 drawing software for
the
Commodore 64. It includes the 170-C light-pen. Price is US$150. [51.53]
1984
- January 7
- At the Winter CES, Commodore Business Machines shows the SX-64,
formerly
called Executive 64. It now includes a 5-inch monitor, and one 170 KB 5
1/4 disk drive, for US$995. [21.18]
- February
- Electronic Arts releases the Seven Cities of Gold game for the
Commodore
64. [37.108,112]
- (month unknown)
- Computer Software Associates introduces the 64 Doctor
diagnostic software
for the Commodore 64. [32.15]
- May
- Activision releases the Pitfall game for the Commodore 64.
[8.74]
- Activision releases the Beamrider game for the Commodore 64.
[8.74]
- June
- Activision releases The Activision Decathlon game for the
Commodore
64. [8.74]
- Activision releases the Pitfall! game for the Commodore 64.
[8.74]
- Activision releases the H.E.R.O. game for the Commodore 64.
[8.74]
- Activision releases the Toy Bizarre game for the Commodore 64.
[8.74]
- (month unknown)
- Skyles Electric Works releases the 1541 Flash! ROM chips,
replacing
the C-64 Kernal ROM and 1541 DOS ROM, speeding up loading. [55.61]
- Activision introduces the Ghostbusters game for personal
computers.
Price for Commodore 64 is US$34.95. The game is based on the movie of
the
same name. [8.52] [50.60]
- Electronic Arts releases the Dr. J and Larry Bird Go One-on-One
game
for the Commodore 64. [37.112]
- subLogic releases Flight Simulator for the Commodore 64.
[25.22]
- Commodore Business Machines announces the Educator 64, using
old PET
cases with Commodore 64 computers inside. [21.18]
- Artificial Intelligence Research Group releases the Eliza
psychotherapy
game for the Commodore 64. It is the same as the original program
created
in 1965 by Dr. Joseph Weizenbaum. [49.92]
- Activision releases the Zenji maze game for the Commodore 64.
Price
is US$31.95. [49.94] [50.60]
- The Avalon Hill Game Company releases the London Blitz bomb
disposal
simulation game for the Commodore 64. [49.96]
- Epyx releases the Breakdance game for the Commodore 64. Price
is about
US$30. [49.94]
- Indus Systems introduces the Indus GT disk drive for the
Commodore
64. It is 1541-compatible, but four time faster loading. Price is
US$399.
[49.123]
- Strategic Simulations releases the Rails West! railroad
development
game for the Commodore 64. Price is US$39.95. [49.124]
- Strategic Simulations releases the Broadsides naval battle game
for
the Commodore 64. Price is US$39.95. [49.124]
- Strategic Simulations releases the President Elect game for the
Commodore
64. Price is US$39.95 [49.124]
- Strategic Simulations releases the Computer Quarterback game
for the
Commodore 64. Price is US$39.95. [49.124]
- Strategic Simulations releases the Breakthrough in the Ardennes
German
World War II simulation game for the Commodore 64. Price is US$59.95.
[49.124]
- MicroProse Software releases the Mig Alley Ace combat/flight
simulator
game for the Commodore 64. Price is US$34.95. [49.125]
- ExTek introduces the CompuTrivia game for the Commodore 64.
Price is
US$34.95. [3.116]
- Uptown Software releases the Uptown Trivia game for the
Commodore 64.
Price is US$49.95. [3.116]
- Trivial Compute releases the Trivial Compute game for the
Commodore
64. Price is US$34.95. [3.116]
- Professional Software releases the Trivia Fever game for
Commodore
64. Price is US$34.95. [3.116]
- Screenplay releases the Trivia Arcade game for the Commodore
64. Price
is US$34.95. [3.116]
- Creative Software releases the Roll Call USA game for the
Commodore
64. Price is US$14.95. [3.116]
- Suncom releases PQ The Party Quiz Game. Price is US$69.95 for
the Commodore
64. [3.116]
- Epyx releases the Fax game for the Commodore 64. Price is
US$29.95.
[3.116]
- Daystar Learning introduces the Factactics game for the,
Commodore
64. Price is US$29.95. [3.116]
- Random House releases the Snoopy's Skywriter Scrambler word
game for
the Commodore 64. Price is US$39.95. [3.108]
1985
- January
- At the Winter CES, Commodore Business Machines unveils the
Commodore
128 Personal Computer. It functions as three computers in one: a
complete
Commodore 64, a CP/M mode, and a new 128 KB mode. [1] [11.6] [12.14]
[21.18]
- (month unknown)
- Mimic Systems announces the Spartan, a hardware attachment for
the
Commodore 64 that adds an Apple IIe-compatible system to it. [12.16]
- Big Five Software introduces the Bounty Bob Strikes Back game.
Price
for the Commodore 64 is US$39.95. [50.61]
- Batteries Included releases the Calkit spreadsheet program for
the
Commodore 64. Price is US$49.95. [52.56]
- Juki releases the Juki 6000 printer. It features daisy-wheel
print
head, 10-cps bi-directional printing, Centronics parallel or serial
port,
optional attachment for the Commodore 64. Price is US$295. [50.76]
- Cardco releases the Mod-1 300-bps modem for the Commodore 64.
[50.76]
- May
- Epyx releases Summer Games II for the Commodore 64. [25.20]
- (month unknown)
- Electronic Arts releases The Bard's Tale I graphics/text
fantasy role-playing
game for the Commodore 64. [54.56]
- Broderbund releases Karateka for the Commodore 64. [25.19]
- Activision releases Hacker for the Commodore 64. [25.19]
- Firebird introduces Elite for the Commodore 64 to the American
market.
[27.36]
- Electronic Arts releases the Skyfox flight simulator game for
the Commodore
64. [37.112]
- October
- Electronic Arts releases the Touchdown Football game for the
Commodore
64. [37.112]
- (month unknown)
- Commodore stops production of the Commodore 64 several times
during
the year, restarting each time based on public demand. [20.21] [22.23]
