Why did the Magnavox Odyssey fail?
Among the contributing factors, poor marketing played a large role. Many potential consumers were under the impression—sometimes encouraged by Magnavox salesmen—that Odyssey would only work on Magnavox television sets. With a graded price of $1,566 USD, the Magnavox Odyssey is as valuable as it is hard to find. The longevity of the Odyssey is something to behold, as some units of this 70s system actually still work.
Who created the Magnavox Odyssey?
Engineer Ralph Baer, a pioneer in the field of interactive video games, invented what became known as the Magnavox Odyssey Home Video Game System. In 2004, the video game industry accounted for more than $8 billion in sales, with sales of $15 billion projected for 2010. In 1973 Magnavox released the world’s first home video game console, the Magnavox Odyssey. It came packaged with board game paraphernalia such as cards, paper money and dice to enhance the games.