Editing Game port (section)

===Pre-IBM game ports===
[[File:Game port to USB Adaptor.JPG|thumb|This Microsoft joystick's output was the traditional game port, but was supplied with a game-port-to-USB adapter for connection to newer systems.]]

[[Image:Gameport Splitter.jpg|thumb|A "Y-splitter" cable used to connect multiple devices to the same game port]]

At the time IBM was developing its game port, there was no industry standard for controller ports, although the [[Atari joystick port]] was close. It was introduced in 1977 with the [[Atari 2600|Atari Video Computer System]], and was later used on the [[VIC-20]] (1980), [[Commodore 64]] (1982), and Amstrad's [[PC1512]] (1986).

In contrast with the IBM design, the Atari port was primarily designed for digital inputs (including a pair of two-axis/four-contact digital joysticks, each with a single pushbutton trigger). Its only analog connections were intended for [[Paddle (game controller)|paddles]]<ref name="atari_400_800_hardware_manual">{{cite book |title=Atari Hardware Manual |url=http://www.atarimania.com/documents/atari-400-800-hardware-manual.pdf |date=1982 |publisher=Atari |pages=III.19–III.32}}</ref> -- although, as there were two analog inputs per port, each port could theoretically support a two-axis analog joystick, [[touchpad]], [[trackball]], or [[Computer mouse|mouse]]<ref name="atari_400_800_hardware_manual" /> (some of these being eventually developed for Atari systems).<ref name="atari_party_photos">[http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/atariparty/2014/photos/ "Atari Party 2014 - Photos"], archived by New Breed Software, retrieved March 26, 2023</ref><ref name="image_techy_1984_12_pop_photog">[https://books.google.com/books?id=-rbIcQgxMGAC&pg=PT34  Image Technology], By Don Leavitt, Popular Photography, Dec 1984, Page 140, ''...the Okimate 10...will also work with Atari Artist,...''</ref><ref name="magic_touch_1984_v92_sci_digest">[https://books.google.com/books?id=pqIoAAAAMAAJ Get the magic touch with the Atari Touch Table], Science Digest, Volume 92, 1984, Page 83, ''...The ATARI Touch Tablet with Atari- Artist"' software cartridge turns your TV into a magic palette of 128 dazzling colors. The Touch Tablet works a little like an electronic slate. Hook it into any ATARI Computer and what you draw on the tablet ...''</ref>

The [[Apple II]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mirrors.apple2.org.za/ground.icaen.uiowa.edu/Faqs/R023PINOUTS.TXT |title= Apple II Pinouts |date=21 August 1998 |website= Usenet newsgroup Apple II FAQs}}</ref> [[BBC Micro]],<ref>{{cite tech report |title=Connecting Joysticks To The BBC Micro |publisher=Acorn |date=1992 |url=http://www.8bs.com/submit/acornappspdf/021.pdf}}</ref> [[TRS-80 Color Computer]],<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v9n5/240_A_joystick_for_the_color_.php|title=A joystick for the color computer|last=Hodgson|first=Ian|magazine=[[Creative Computing]]|volume=9|number=5|date=May 1983|access-date=2019-12-16}}</ref> and other popular 8-bit machines all used different, incompatible, joysticks and ports. In most respects, the IBM design was similar to, or more advanced than, existing designs.