Unlocking Gaming History: Al Alcorn's Legendary Artifacts Head to Auction

Al Alcorn, the mastermind behind the iconic Pong and former chief engineer at Atari during its nascent years, has unveiled a treasure trove of gaming relics from his personal collection, now available for auction.

Among the remarkable items up for grabs is the unreleased Atari Cosmos, a tabletop electronic game system designed in 1980. This groundbreaking device was set to revolutionize gaming with its innovative holographic cartridges overlaying against an LED array display. The Cosmos boasted nine built-in games, including classics like Asteroids, Space Invaders, and Superman. Despite its unrealized potential, the low-cost holography technology developed for the Cosmos found practical applications in high-security financial systems, thanks to Atari's pioneering efforts.

Displayed as part of RR Auction's "Steve Jobs and the Apple Computer Revolution" event, Alcorn's Space Race arcade game steals the spotlight. Crafted in 1973 by Ted Dabney, Nolan Bushnell, and Allan Alcorn himself, Space Race marked Atari's debut of joystick-controlled gaming. Players navigated spaceships, dodging comets and meteors in a thrilling two-player showdown. Though the game is now non-functional, its original cabinet, adorned with a distinctive silver control panel housing dual joysticks, stands as a testament to gaming history.

Accompanying the Space Race cabinet are meticulously preserved schematics dating back to 1973 and 1974, shedding light on the game's technical intricacies. Despite minor wear and tear, including scattered dings and scuffs, this relic offers a rare glimpse into the early days of arcade gaming.