Editing MSX (section)

{{short description|Family of standardized home computer architectures released between 1983 and 1992}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{infobox computer
| name = MSX
| logo = [[File:MSX-Logo.svg|frameless]]
| photo = [[File:Sony HitBit HB-10P (White Background).jpg|frameless]]
| caption = Sony MSX, Model HitBit 10-P
| developer = [[ASCII Corporation]]
| manufacturer = [[National (brand)|National]], [[Sony]], [[Pioneer Corporation|Pioneer]], [[Panasonic]], [[Samsung]], [[Sharp Corporation|Sharp]], [[Philips]], [[Canon Inc.|Canon]], [[Yamaha Corporation|Yamaha]], [[Toshiba]], [[Mitsubishi]], [[Sanyo]], [[JVC]], [[Fujitsu]], [[Spectravideo]], [[GoldStar]], [[Hitachi]], [[Kyocera]], [[Yashica]], [[Daewoo]], [[Dragon MSX]], [[Casio]]
| type = [[Home computer]]
| releasedate = October 21, 1983 (MSX)
| discontinued = 1993 (MSX turboR)
| processor = {{ubl|[[Zilog Z80]] or equivalent (MSX1, MSX2, MSX2+)|[[R800]] (Turbo R)}}
| memory = {{ubl|8–64 KB maximum (MSX1)|64-512 [[Kilobyte|KB]], expandable to up to 4 MB via [[Memory management unit|memory mapper]] cartridge (MSX2 and higher)}}
| graphics = {{ubl|[[TMS9918]] or equivalent (MSX1)|[[Yamaha V9938]] (MSX2)|[[Yamaha V9958]] (MSX2+ and Turbo R)}}
| OS = [[MSX BASIC]], [[MSX-DOS]]
}}

'''MSX''' is a standardized [[home computer]] architecture, announced by [[ASCII Corporation]] on June 16, 1983.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Laing |first=Gordon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=967VdXdc5w4C&q=msx+announced&pg=RA1-PT101 |title=Digital Retro: The Evolution and Design of the Personal Computer |publisher=Ilex Press |year=2004 |isbn=9781904705390 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |year=1983 |title=ASCII Express: 新しいホームパーソナルコンピュータ仕様 MSX |journal=[[ASCII (magazine)|ASCII]] |language=ja |publisher=[[ASCII (company)|ASCII]] |volume=7 |issue=8 |issn=0287-9506}}</ref> It was initially conceived by [[Microsoft]] as a product for the Eastern sector, and jointly marketed by [[Kazuhiko Nishi]], the director at ASCII Corporation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wood |first=Robert |year=1983 |title=Japanese Seek to Dominate Home Market |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6C8EAAAAMBAJ&q=history%20vice%20president%20microsoft%20nishi&pg=PA158 |url-status=live |journal=[[InfoWorld]] |volume=5 |issue=49 |pages=158 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407080143/https://books.google.com/books?id=6C8EAAAAMBAJ&q=history%20vice%20president%20microsoft%20nishi&pg=PA158 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |access-date=2019-09-16 |via=[[Google Books]]}}</ref> Microsoft and Nishi conceived the project as an attempt to create unified standards among various home computing system manufacturers of the period, in the same fashion as the [[VHS]] standard for home [[video tape]] machines.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 27, 2013 |title=MSX: The Japanese Are Coming! the Japanese Are Coming! |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/27/feature_30_years_of_msx/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112095711/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/06/27/feature_30_years_of_msx/ |archive-date=January 12, 2020 |access-date=November 17, 2018 |work=[[The Register]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kazuhiko Nishi |url=http://www.enotes.com/topic/Kazuhiko_Nishi |website=eNotes.com}}</ref> The first MSX computer sold to the public was a Mitsubishi ML-8000, released on October 21, 1983, thus marking its official release date.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The First MSX |url=https://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/002/618/2618888/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025082442/https://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/002/618/2618888/ |archive-date=October 25, 2022 |website=ascii.jp}}</ref>

MSX systems were popular in [[Japan]] and several other countries. There are differing accounts of MSX sales. One source claims 9 million MSX units were sold worldwide, including {{nowrap|7 million}} in Japan alone,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Loguidice |first=Bill |date=14 April 2017 |title=The Bright Life of the MSX, Japan's Underdog PC |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-bright-life-of-the-msx-japans-underdog-pc/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211127040134/https://www.pcgamer.com/the-bright-life-of-the-msx-japans-underdog-pc/ |archive-date=November 27, 2021 |access-date=27 November 2021 |work=[[PC Gamer]] |language=en}}</ref> whereas ASCII Corporation founder [[Kazuhiko Nishi]] claims that 3 million were sold in Japan, and 1 million overseas.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-12-26 |title=【伝説のパソコンMSX】仕掛け人がついに明かす「失敗の本質」 |url=https://diamond.jp/articles/-/253320 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230719105218/https://diamond.jp/articles/-/253320 |archive-date=July 19, 2023 |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=ダイヤモンド・オンライン |language=ja}}</ref> Despite Microsoft's involvement, few MSX-based machines were released in the United States.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Root |first1=Howard |last2=Williams |first2=Brian |date=August 1984 |title=Faceoff: Will MSX Be a Success in the United States |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n8/198_Faceoff_will_MSX_be_a_su.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207072706/https://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n8/198_Faceoff_will_MSX_be_a_su.php |archive-date=February 7, 2019 |access-date=August 25, 2011 |magazine=Creative Computing |page=198 |volume=10 |number=8}}</ref>

The meaning of the acronym MSX remains a matter of debate. In 2001, Kazuhiko Nishi recalled that many assumed that it was derived from "Microsoft Extended", referring to the built-in Microsoft Extended [[BASIC]] ([[MSX BASIC]]). Others believed that it stood for "Matsushita-Sony". Nishi said that the team's original definition was "Machines with Software eXchangeability",<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T4xvM3Abp4?t=880 |title=MSX Fair Tilburg 2001 – by Totally Chaos |date=21 April 2001 |type=video |time=14:40 |access-date=2019-02-01 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/0T4xvM3Abp4 |archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live |people=[[Kazuhiko Nishi|Nishi, Kazuhiko]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> although in 1985 he said it was named after the [[MX missile]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Watt |first=Peggy |date=4 February 1985 |title=Japan's MSX Poised for the US |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6y4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA19 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407080143/https://books.google.com/books?id=6y4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA19 |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |access-date=October 3, 2020 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |pages=19–20 |via=[[Google Books]] |volume=7 |issue=5}}</ref> According to his book in 2020, he considered the name of the new standard should consist of three letters, like ''VHS''. He felt "MSX" was fit because it means "the next of Microsoft", and it also contains the first letters of Matsushita ([[Panasonic]]) and Sony.<ref name="Nishi_2020">{{Cite web |last=Nishi |first=Kazuhiko |date=2020-12-05 |title=ついに明かされる！ 伝説のパソコン「MSX」誕生の驚くべき"舞台裏" |url=https://diamond.jp/articles/-/253318 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121025854/https://diamond.jp/articles/-/253318 |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |access-date=2021-02-22 |website=Diamond Online |language=ja}}</ref>

Before the success of [[Nintendo]]'s [[Nintendo Entertainment System|Family Computer]], the MSX was the platform that major Japanese game studios such as [[Konami]] and [[Hudson Soft]] developed for. The first two games in the [[Metal Gear|''Metal Gear'' series]] were originally released for MSX hardware.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kojima Productions |url=http://www.konami.jp/kojima_pro/english/history.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026010925/http://www.konami.jp/kojima_pro/english/history.html |archive-date=October 26, 2007 |access-date=2011-06-22 |website=Konami.jp}}</ref>