Editing GameLine

{{Short description|Dial-up system}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2012}}

'''GameLine''' was a dialup game distribution service for the [[Atari 2600]],<ref name="Electronic Games Magazine June 1983">{{cite journal | magazine=Electronic Games Magazine |date=June 1983 | pages=32–36 | title=Games on the Phone | first=Arnie | last=Katz | url=https://archive.org/stream/electronic-games-magazine-1983-06/Electronic_Games_Issue_16_Vol_02_04_1983_Jun#page/n31/mode/2up | access-date=November 28, 2015}}</ref> developed and operated by Control Video Corporation (CVC, now AOL).<ref>{{cite web|last=Vinciguerra|first=Robert|title=A Complete History of Online Console Gaming in the United States|url=http://www.revrob.com/sci-a-tech-topmenu-52/38-a-complete-history-of-online-console-gaming-in-the-united-states|work=The Rev. Rob Times|publisher=revrob.com |access-date=October 3, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141014170527/http://www.revrob.com/sci-a-tech-topmenu-52/38-a-complete-history-of-online-console-gaming-in-the-united-states|archive-date=October 14, 2014}}</ref> Subscribers could install the proprietary modem and storage [[ROM cartridge|cartridge]] in their home game console, accessing the GameLine service to [[download]] games over a [[telephone line]]. GameLine had an exclusive selection of games, and its pioneering business model eventually gave rise to [[America Online]]. Despite being ahead of its time, it wasn't very popular, possibly due to its price of $60 for the hardware, $15 for the membership fee, and $1 per game, which you could only keep for a week.

In 1983, cable pioneer [[William von Meister]] was looking for a way to use his modem transmission technology, which was previously acquired in ill-fated attempts of sending music to [[cable companies]]. Legal issues caused cable providers to step away from the service, leaving Von Meister with a delivery tool and no content.

He then converted his variable speed adaptive modem technology to download games from central servers to individual households. This allowed users to dial a system and, for a fee, download games to their GameLine modules. The game would typically work for 5-10 plays, after which the user would have to connect to GameLine again and pay for another download.<ref name="CVC GameLink">{{cite web|title=CVC GameLink|url=http://metalmisfit.wordpress.com/tag/cvc-gameline/|publisher=The Metal Misfit|access-date=27 March 2012}}</ref>

The "Master Module" has 8 KB of RAM and a 1,200 [[Bytes per second|Bps]] modem,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=No. 9 Games by Wire |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] |issue=29|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=May 1997 |page=26}}</ref> and physically resembles an oversized silver Atari cartridge.  It has a phone jack on the side that was used to link the Master Module with the CVC computers. The module is able to transmit with pulse or tone dialing, allowing the unit to be versatile in the field.<ref name="Dean Gillett">{{cite web|title=Opinion: DLC isn’t the devil |url=http://gaminghud.com/articles/dlc-isnt-the-devil|publisher=Gaming HUD|access-date=27 March 2012|author=Dean Gillett|date=May 15, 2011}}</ref> The games available on the GameLine service were all from third-party gamemakers, the largest of which was [[Imagic]]. CVC tried, but failed to obtain licensing agreements from the largest game makers, such as [[Atari]], [[Activision]], [[Coleco]], [[Mattel]], and [[Parker Brothers]].<ref name="AtariAge">{{cite web | url   = http://www.atariage.com/2600/archives/gameline.html?SystemID=2600 | title = Remembering the Gameline | first = Dan | last = Skelton | work = [[AtariAge]] | access-date = February 18, 2012 }}</ref>

==Membership benefits==
When a user registered with the service, they were given a [[Personal Identification Number|PIN]]. This PIN was used to log into the central CVC computer and download the requested games. One of the benefits of registering was that users were given free games on their birthday.

GameLine provided players an opportunity to compete in contests with selected games, where they could upload a high score.  Prizes would be awarded to regional (and supposedly national) champions. One such regional prize was a GameLine [[windbreaker]].

Each subscriber to GameLine also received a professionally printed magazine titled ''GameLiner''. ''GameLiner'' consists of information about new games added to the service, questions and answers,  advice on better gameplay, and a list of all currently available games on GameLine.<ref name="Dean Gillett"/>

==Discontinuation==
GameLine was originally envisioned to provide not just games, but also news (NewsLine), stock quotes (StockLine), sports reporting and scores (SportLine), electronic mail (MailLine), online banking (BankLine), online forums (OpinionLine), and a wide variety of information including airline schedules, horoscopes, and classified ads (InfoLine). GameLine ceased operations before any of these expanded services were offered, though StockLine and SportsLine were reportedly near complete implementation.

Control Video Corporation was one of many smaller companies that went bust in the [[video game crash of 1983]].

==Legacy==
Even though the GameLine was discontinued, the investors and founding members of CVC went on to start a new company that would continue to use the technological infrastructure they had built. The company, named Quantum Computer Services, was created by [[Steve Case]], among others. This company created a service named [[Quantum Link]] which linked together [[Commodore 64]] and [[Commodore 128]] users offering many of the expanded services originally envisioned for GameLine. Quantum Computer Services eventually became [[America Online]] in October 1991,<ref>{{cite web|title=CVC’s GameLine Atari Cart Was A Lot Like Xbox Live – Except Back In 1983|url=http://www.ohgizmo.com/2011/07/20/cvcs-gameline-atari-cart-was-a-lot-like-xbox-live-except-back-in-1983/|publisher=OhGizmo.com|access-date=27 March 2012|author=Andrew Liszewski|date=July 20, 2011|archive-date=4 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104135710/http://www.ohgizmo.com/2011/07/20/cvcs-gameline-atari-cart-was-a-lot-like-xbox-live-except-back-in-1983/|url-status=dead}}</ref> which became extremely successful during the 1990s, and eventually took over [[Time Warner]] in 2001, but was spun off a few years later. Though the company still technically exists, support for the GameLine does not.<ref name="CVC GameLink"/>

The game titled ''Save The Whales'' was exclusive to the GameLine and although it was never released on a cartridge, a prototype was found in early 2002.

==Game list==
GameLine offered the following games:
{{columns-list|colwidth=18em|
*''[[Airlock (video game)|Airlock]]''
*''[[Alien (Atari 2600)|Alien]]''
*''[[Atlantis (video game)|Atlantis]]''
*''[[Bank Heist (Atari 2600)|Bank Heist]]''
*''Bermuda Triangle''
*''Boing''
*''Bugs''
*''Cakewalk''
*''China Syndrome''
*''Coconuts''
*''Commando Raid''
*''[[Cosmic Ark]]''
*''Cosmic Creeps''
*''Cosmic Swarm''
*''Cross Force''
*''Crypts of Chaos''
*''[[Deadly Duck]]''
*''Demolition Herby''
*''[[Demon Attack]]''
*''[[Dragonfire (video game)|Dragonfire]]''
*''[[The Earth Dies Screaming (video game)|The Earth Dies Screaming]]''
*''[[Eggomania]]''
*''Encounter at L-5''
*''[[Entombed (Atari 2600)|Entombed]]''
*''Fantastic Voyage''
*''[[Fast Food (1982 video game)|Fast Food]]''
*''[[Fire Fighter (video game)|Fire Fighter]]''
*''Flash Gordon''
*''[[Frankenstein's Monster (video game)|Frankenstein's Monster]]''
*''Gangster Alley''
*''[[Gopher (video game)|Gopher]]''
*''Guardian''
*''Infiltrate''
*''[[Jawbreaker (video game)|Jawbreaker]]''
*''[[King Kong (Atari 2600)|King Kong]]''
*''[[Lost Luggage (video game)|Lost Luggage]]''
*''M. A. D.''
*''Marauder''
*''[[M*A*S*H (video game)|M*A*S*H]]''
*''Megaforce''
*''[[Mines of Minos]]''
*''Moonsweeper''
*''[[Name This Game]]''
*''Nexar''
*''Nightmare''
*''No Escape''
*''Picnic''
*''Piece O' Cake''
*''Planet Patrol''
*''[[Polaris (1980 video game)|Polaris]]''
*''[[Porky's (video game)|Porky's]]''
*''Raft Rider''
*''Ram It''
*''[[Revenge of the Beefsteak Tomatoes]]''
*''[[Riddle of the Sphinx (Atari 2600)|Riddle of the Sphinx]]''
*''Room of Doom''
*''Save the Whales''
*''Shark Attack''
*''Shootin' Gallery''
*''Sneak &amp; Peek''
*''Solar Storm''
*''[[Space Cavern]]''
*''[[Space Jockey (video game)|Space Jockey]]''
*''Spacemaster X-7''
*''Squeeze Box''
*''[[Sssnake]]''
*''[[Stargunner (Atari 2600)|Stargunner]]''
*''[[Star Voyager (Atari 2600)|Star Voyager]]''
*''Tape Worm''
*''[[Threshold (video game)|Threshold]]''
*''[[Towering Inferno (video game)|Towering Inferno]]''
*''Trick Shot''
*''Turmoil''
*''Warplock''
*''[[Word Zapper]]''
*''[[Worm War I]]''
}}

== See also ==
* [[Intellivision]]'s [[PlayCable]]
* [[Sega Genesis]]'s [[Sega Channel]]
* [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Famicom]]'s [[Satellaview]], and [[Nintendo Power (cartridge)|Nintendo Power cartridges]] 
* [[XBAND]], a third party online game network and service for the Super NES and Sega Genesis created and run by Catapult
* [[Nintendo Entertainment System]]'s [[Famicom Modem]] 
* [[Teleplay Modem]], a third party modem made for the NES, Super NES, and Sega Genesis

==References==
{{Reflist| 30em | refs=
&lt;ref name="AtariAge">{{cite web
 | url   = http://www.atariage.com/2600/archives/gameline.html?SystemID=2600
 | title = Remembering the Gameline
 | first = Dan
 | last  = Skelton
 | work  = [[AtariAge]]
 | access-date = February 18, 2012 }}
&lt;/ref>
}}

==External links==
*[http://www.videogamedudes.com/cyberswapmeet/atari_gameline/photos/photo5.jpg photo of GameLine with phone jack]
*[http://netti.nic.fi/~pelle/pkp/old8cvc.jpg a picture of a GameLine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051206142221/http://netti.nic.fi/~pelle/pkp/old8cvc.jpg |date=2005-12-06 }}
*[http://www.atariage.com/2600/archives/gameline.html?SystemID=2600 A GameLine subscriber describes the service]
*[http://www.atarimagazines.com/v2n4/dialagame.html July 1983 article in Antic magazine about GameLine.]
*[http://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/savethewhales/savethewhales.htm A description of the GameLine exclusive game 'Save the Whales']
* [https://archive.org/details/gameline-reseller-brochure Scans of a 1983 advertising brochure for resellers], at the [[Internet Archive]]. 

{{Atari 2600}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gameline}}
[[Category:Atari 2600]]
[[Category:Online video game services]]
[[Category:Pre–World Wide Web online services]]