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When a Game Sells the Machine: Space Invaders and the Economics of Complementary Products
In the history of modern business, a few products are remembered less for what they were and more for what they made possible. The home version of Space Invaders, released for the Atari Video Computer System in 1980, belongs to this rare group. The original arcade game had been created by the Japanese company Taito in 1978 and had already become a worldwide phenomenon. When Atari brought it into living rooms two years later, something interesting happened: people did not only
May 3013 min read


When Regulation Changes Markets: Business Lessons from the 1962 Cuban Cigar Embargo
Business history is full of moments when one legal decision changed the direction of an entire market. The 1962 Cuban embargo is one of the most useful examples for students of #business_strategy, #international_trade, and #risk_management. It shows that markets are not shaped only by consumer demand, brand reputation, price, quality, or entrepreneurship. They are also shaped by law, diplomacy, public policy, and timing. One famous story connected to this period concerns Pres
May 187 min read
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