Page 36 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #3

get a bit sticky.
About this time,
Atari was having
difficulty maintain-
ing its niche in the
videogame market.
In essence “The
Crash” was begin-
ning. As a cost cut-
ting measure, Atari
released Water-
world as an Atari
Club exclusive.
That is, you could SwordQuest: Earthworld
only obtain it if you
were a member.
Very few of the
games sold and
since Atari was
bleeding red finan-
cially, they just de-
cided to scrap the
entire tournament.
So, the Waterworld
contest never took
place.
The Waterworld
finalists were given SwordQuest: Fireworld SwordQuest: Waterworld
$2,000 for their
troubles and Steven Bell and Michael
Rideout were each given $15,000 to
call it quits.
This leaves two out of five prizes
claimed. So, where are they, you ask?
Earthworld winner, Steven Bell, appar-
ently needed the cash and had his Tal-
isman melted down, but kept a gold
cross which was attached to it. Fire-
world winner, Michael Rideout, still has
his Chalice and keeps it stored in a
safety deposit box. Where the other
three prizes are remains a mystery.
The popular rumor places them in the
possession of Atari CEO at the time,
Jack Tramiel. I’m sure they are quite
the conversation pieces and the jewel-
encrusted sword is quite the babe mag-
net.
The SwordQuest debacle is a prime
example of good intentions, great mar-
keting, and horrendous follow through.
But I think the time has finally arrived.
Now that Hasbro owns the rights to
Atari, I’d love to see them finish what
was started. The technology exists to
create bland rooms and a boring game
in realistic 3D! At the very least, let me
be there when the guy from marketing
proposes the idea to the Hasbro Suits.
I just might recommend he not begin
his pitch with, “Gentlemen...start
your joysticks!”

Ed note: An interview with Fire-
world winner, Michael Rideout,
can be found online at:
www.atarihq.com/2678/swordqst.html

Classic Gamer Magazine Spring 2000 36