Vectorbeam

Vectorbeam
TypePrivate
IndustryVector games
Founded1977; 49 years ago (1977)
Defunct1979 (1979)
SuccessorCinematronics
HeadquartersUnion City, California

Vectorbeam was an arcade game manufacturer active in the late 1970s who specialized in vector graphics-based arcade games. It was formed after splitting off from its primary competitor, Cinematronics, and disappeared after re-merging with them soon after.

Vectorbeam was founded by Larry Rosenthal based on his graduate work from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and which he patented for a custom arcade vector display. The patents were used in Cinematronics' arcade game Space War. The company officially started its own as an independent organization in 1978 in San Francisco, and later moved to Union City, California. Vectorbeam was in direct competition with other arcade game manufacturers. The company ceased operations soon after poor sales of its Barrier arcade game, and sold its assets to Cinematronics. After the company, the rights were leased to Allied Leisure for a multi-year deal for use of patients in 1980.

List of Vectorbeam games

References

  1. ↑ Vectorbeam Initiates 'Space War' Production; Plans 2 New Games For Introduction At AMOA, Page 87, Vending Times, October 1978, ARCade ARChive.
  2. ↑ Subject: Vectorbeam history, Date: Tue, 20 Oct 1998 Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine ...My name is Dan Sunday. I was a friend of Larry Rosenthal's, and when he broke from Cinematronics to start Vectorbeam I became his lead (and only) programmer. Vectorbeam lasted for one year, and was then bought by Cinematronics at which time I left. ....When Larry sold VB, for 2 million dollars....Vectorbeam only existed for 1 year: I recall Sept 1978 to Aug 1979, but may be off a month either way...For the record, the max company size was about 80 employees.... it was described in one of Larry's patents, namely: US Patent # 4,053,740 (Oct 11, 1977) for a "Video Game System"
  3. ↑ DeMaria, Rusel; Wilson, Johnny L. (2003). High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games (2 ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Osborne. p. 28. ISBN 0-07-223172-6.
  4. ↑ Speaker Session - Larry Rosenthal on YouTube, Recorded at California Extreme 2014, July 12, 2014 during the noon speaker session. (http://www.caextreme.org)
  5. ↑ "72 hours of play". Play Meter. February 1978. p. 57. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Space Wars man starts company". Play Meter. July 15, 1978. p. 67. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Vectorbeam starts up". Play Meter. October 15, 1978. p. 51. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  8. ↑ Tim Skelly's History of Cinematronics and Vectorbeam
  9. ↑ "Vectorbeam sold". Play Meter. July 15, 1979. p. 59. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  10. ↑ Tilley, Ray E. (August 1, 1980). "Allied Leisure taps execs, leases Vectorbeam rights". Play Meter. p. 1. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
  11. ↑ KLOV's Vectorbeam entry