(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Engineer, inventor and video game pioneer Jerry Lawson passed away Saturday of unknown causes.

Lawson was among the earliest video game engineers. His first arcade title, Chicago Coins' Demolition Derby, was developed in his garage in the early 1970s.

Lawson is remembered as the inventor of Fairchild Semiconductor's home video game console, the Channel F. Released in 1976, the Channel F is the first console with programmable game cartridges; before it, home video game systems only played the games that were built into them.

Until recently, Lawson's name was not very well known, even amongst the video game community. Fortunately, Lawson was honored by the International Game Developers Association's Minority Special Interest Group at the Game Developers Conference just last month.

Additionally, six previously-unreleased games for the Atari 2600 that Lawson worked on were finally released earlier this year.

A memorial service -- likely in the San Jose area -- is planned, with details forthcoming. Those interested should keep tabs on this discussion thread by computer historian David Erhart.

Just a bit of useless fact for you

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This isnt useless, this is a guy that started game production.

He is a good man in my eyes, sad to hear he died when no one knew who he was

shame , he was the pioneer of portable video games . May he r.i.p.

When I say 'Useless' I really mean random . But Think about it Playing SNES...N64 When I was younger couldnt been done without his invention :'

Aww cartridges were the best, I remember my N64 freezing and then having to take the cartridge out and blow in it Worked every time

The guy that started the addiction for all of us!!

So many memories of Pokemon on the Game boy advance

So sad when someone who had such a large impact on the world passes away like this.

May he .

Rip!





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