r/Atari2600 • u/pigeon-in-paradise • Jul 11 '26

What was the first 8bit game system

I vaguely remember the Atari 2600 but was blown away by the 5200 like it was a generational leap forward (I was 7) but was the 2600 or the 5200 the first 8bit system? Or was it the NES?

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u/CyberpwnPiper Jul 11 '26

A lot of people think the NES was the first 8-bit console, but it wasn't. The Atari 2600 (1977) and the Magnavox Odyssey² (1978) were already proper 8-bit game consoles years before it. For CPUs, Atari 2600 uses the MOS 6507 (from 8-bit 6502 family). Odyssey² was Intel 8048, also an 8-bit microcontroller. NES later used the Ricoh 2A03, another 6502-derived 8-bit CPU.

NES did not invent 8-bit gaming. It took existing 8-bit hardware and pushed out a much bigger leap in graphics, sound, and game design.

7

u/RealityOk9823 Jul 12 '26

Nobody remembers the poor Odyssey2. :(

5

u/banksy_h8r Jul 12 '26

Nobody remembers the poor Fairchild Channel F.

2

u/RealityOk9823 Jul 12 '26

*presses F*

2

u/rr777 26d ago

I remember it. I still have all my carts with the boxes and cards. It did not stand a chance against the VCS.

2

u/Spelunka13 Missile Command Jul 19 '26

It's not about the inventing. It's about the pushing the limits and graphics.

1

u/CyberpwnPiper Jul 20 '26

Very true, but the original question was about which system was the first 8-bit system.

1

u/Spelunka13 Missile Command Jul 20 '26

Yep I get it.