In 1976, the video game industry recovered from the 1974 crash and experienced substantial growth, with arcade video games largely displacing electro-mechanical games (EM games) in the United States ,[1] though EM games remained bigger in Japan . The year saw the release of new arcade video games such as Sega 's Road Race and Heavyweight Champ .
The year's highest-grossing electronic game was Nintendo 's electro‑mechanical (EM) arcade medal game EVR Race , despite only releasing in Japan. The year's highest-grossing video game worldwide was Taito 's arcade racing title Speed Race , released as Wheels in North America , while the best-selling home system was the Coleco Telstar console .
Financial performance [ ]
The following table lists the annual sales and revenue generated by the electronic games industry this year, including video games and electro‑mechanical games . See sections below for breakdown of revenue estimates.
Industry
Products
Market
Unit sales
Annual revenue (est. )
Ref
Nominal
Inflation
Electronic games
United States
4,414,000+
$668,300,000
$3,600,000,000
Japan
40,000+
$653,000,000
$3,500,000,000
Arcade
Arcade games
Worldwide
54,000+
$1,087,300,000
$5,800,000,000
Arcade
Arcade games
Japan
—
$650,000,000
$3,500,000,000
[2]
United States
54,000+
$437,300,000
$2,300,000,000
[3] [4]
Arcade
Electro‑mechanical games
Worldwide
$572,300,000
$3,100,000,000
Arcade
Electro‑mechanical games
Japan
—
$500,000,000
$2,700,000,000
[5]
United States
—
$72,300,000
$360,000,000
[6] [4]
Video games
Worldwide
4,854,000+
$874,000,000
$4,700,000,000
Arcade
Arcade video games
United States
54,000
$460,000,000
$2,500,000,000
[4] [7]
Japan
—
$170,000,000
$910,000,000
[5]
Worldwide
54,000+
$630,000,000
$3,400,000,000
Console
Video game consoles
United States
4,050,000
$225,000,000
$1,200,000,000
[4]
Worldwide
4,490,000
$238,000,000
$1,300,000,000
Dedicated consoles
United States
3,950,000
$125,000,000
$670,000,000
[4]
Canada
400,000
$10,000,000
$54,000,000
[8]
Japan
40,000
$3,000,000
$16,000,000
[9] [10]
Worldwide
4,390,000
$138,000,000
$740,000,000
Cartridge consoles
United States
100,000
$9,000,000
$48,000,000
[4]
Video game cartridges
United States
310,000
$6,000,000
$32,000,000
[7] [11]
Console games
United States
4,360,000
$231,000,000
$1,200,000,000
Worldwide
4,800,000
$244,000,000
$1,300,000,000
Video games
United States
4,414,000
$691,000,000
$3,700,000,000
Japan
40,000+
$173,000,000
$900,000,000
Electronic games
Worldwide
4,854,000+
$1,331,300,000
$7,100,000,000
Highest-grossing games [ ]
The following titles were the highest-grossing electronic games worldwide in 1976, including both video games (VG) and electro-mechanical games (EM games) across arcades and homes. See sections below for breakdown of revenue estimates.
Rank
Title
Company
Worldwide revenue (est. )
Genre
Type
Platform
Nominal
Inflation
1
EVR Race
Nintendo
$100,000,000
$540,000,000
Medal
EM
Arcade
2
F-1 [n 1]
Namco
$83,000,000
$440,000,000
Racing
3
Speed Race (Wheels )
Taito
$78,000,000
$420,000,000
Racing
VG
4
Sea Wolf
Midway
$63,000,000
$230,000,000
Shooter
5
Breakout
Atari
$48,000,000
$260,000,000
Block
6
Western Gun
Taito
$53,000,000
$280,000,000
Shooter
7
Ball Park (Tornado Baseball )
Taito
$40,000,000
$210,000,000
Sports
VG
Wizard
Bally
$40,000,000
$160,000,000
Pinball
EM
9
Black Jack
Sega
$31,000,000
$170,000,000
Medal
EM
10
Heavyweight Champ
Sega
$30,000,000
$160,000,000
Boxing
VG
11
Indy 800
Atari
$30,000,000
$160,000,000
Racing
12
Harness Race
Sega
$25,000,000
$130,000,000
Medal
EM
13
Mogura Taiji (Whac-A-Mole )
TOGO
$23,000,000
$120,000,000
Mole
14
APF TV Fun Model 401
APF
$18,000,000
$96,000,000
Pong
VG
Console
APF TV Fun Model 402
APF
$18,000,000
$96,000,000
Action
16
Hockey
Fairchild
$17,000,000
$91,000,000
Pong
VG
Channel F
Tennis
18
Group Skill Diga
Sega
$16,000,000
$86,000,000
Crane
EM
Arcade
EVR Basketball
Nintendo
$16,000,000
$86,000,000
Medal
20
Coleco Telstar
Coleco
$15,000,000
$80,000,000
Pong
VG
Console
Indy 4
Atari
$15,000,000
$80,000,000
Racing
VG
Arcade
Highest-grossing arcade games [ ]
The following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games worldwide in 1976, including both video games and electro-mechanical games . See sections below for breakdown of revenue estimates.
Rank
Title
Company
Worldwide revenue (est. )
Genre
Type
Generation
Nominal
Inflation
1
EVR Race
Nintendo
$100,000,000
$540,000,000
Medal
Electro-mechanical
2
F-1
Namco
$83,000,000
$440,000,000
Racing
3
Speed Race (Wheels )
Taito
$78,000,000
$420,000,000
Racing
Video
Discrete
4
Sea Wolf
Midway
$63,000,000
$230,000,000
Shooter
Video
8-bit
5
Breakout
Atari
$48,000,000
$260,000,000
Block
Video
Discrete
6
Western Gun
Taito
$53,000,000
$280,000,000
Shooter
Video
8-bit
7
Ball Park (Tornado Baseball )
Taito
$40,000,000
$210,000,000
Sports
Video
8-bit
Wizard
Bally
$40,000,000
$160,000,000
Pinball
Electro-mechanical
9
Black Jack
Sega
$31,000,000
$170,000,000
Medal
Electro-mechanical
10
Heavyweight Champ
Sega
$30,000,000
$160,000,000
Boxing
Video
Discrete
11
Indy 800
Atari
$30,000,000
$160,000,000
Racing
12
Harness Race
Sega
$25,000,000
$130,000,000
Medal
Electro-mechanical
13
Mogura Taiji (Whac-A-Mole )
TOGO
$23,000,000
$120,000,000
Mole
14
Group Skill Diga
Sega
$16,000,000
$86,000,000
Crane
EVR Basketball
Nintendo
$16,000,000
$86,000,000
Medal
16
Indy 4
Atari
$15,000,000
$80,000,000
Racing
Video
Discrete
17
BiPlane
Fun Games
$15,000,000
$80,000,000
Shooter
18
Captain Fantastic
Bally
$15,000,000
$80,000,000
Pinball
Electro-mechanical
19
Daytona 500 (Super Road 7 )
Taito
$15,000,000
$80,000,000
Racing
Electro-mechanical
20
Demolition Derby
Chicago Coin
$15,000,000
$80,000,000
Racing
VG
Discrete
Japan [ ]
In Japan , the top three largest arcade companies were Sega , then Taito , and then Namco .[13] Game Machine magazine published the first annual arcade game earnings chart for 1976 in their February 1977 issue, listing both video games (VG) and electro-mechanical games (EM games). The following titles were the highest-grossing arcade games of 1976.[14] [15]
Rank
Title
Company
Points[14]
Gross revenue (est. )
Genre
Type
Nominal[n 2]
Inflation
1
EVR Race
Nintendo
86
$100,000,000
$540,000,000
Medal
EM
2
F-1
Namco
64
$83,000,000
$440,000,000
Racing
3
Ball Park
Taito
34
$40,000,000
$210,000,000
Sports
VG
4
Speed Race DX
Taito
26
$34,000,000
$180,000,000
Racing
5
Black Jack
Sega
24
$31,000,000
$170,000,000
Medal
EM
6
Heavyweight Champ
Sega
20
$30,000,000
$160,000,000
Boxing
VG
7
Harness Race
Sega
19
$25,000,000
$130,000,000
Medal
EM
8
Mogura Taiji
TOGO
18
$23,000,000
$120,000,000
Whac-A-Mole
9
Breakout
Namco
14
$18,000,000
$96,000,000
Block kuzushi
VG
10
Group Skill Diga
Sega
12
$16,000,000
$86,000,000
Crane
EM
EVR Basketball
Nintendo
12
$16,000,000
$86,000,000
Medal
12
Sky Hawk
Nintendo
11
$14,000,000
$75,000,000
FPS
13
Sea Wolf
Taito
10
$13,000,000
$70,000,000
Shooter
VG
14
Mini Laser Clay
Nintendo
6
$8,000,000
$43,000,000
FPS
EM
Wild Gunman
Nintendo
6
$8,000,000
$43,000,000
Big & Small
Universal
6
$8,000,000
$43,000,000
Medal
17
The Great Racer F-1
Esco
5
$6,500,000
$35,000,000
Medal
EM
LeMans
Namco
5
$6,500,000
$35,000,000
Racing
VG
19
Zero Fighter Kamikaze
Fuji Shogi
4
$5,200,000
$28,000,000
Shooter
VG
400 Miles
Taito
4
$5,200,000
$28,000,000
Racing
EM
Super Star
Universal
4
$5,200,000
$28,000,000
Medal
22
Speed Race Twin
Taito
3
$4,000,000
$21,000,000
Racing
VG
Sparkling Corner
Sega
3
$4,000,000
$21,000,000
VTR Race [n 3]
Fuji [n 4]
3
$4,000,000
$21,000,000
Medal
EM
25
Indy 800
Namco
2
$3,000,000
$16,000,000
Racing
VG
Night Driver
Namco
2
$3,000,000
$16,000,000
Rock'n Bark
Sega
2
$3,000,000
$16,000,000
FPS
Western Gun
Taito
2
$3,000,000
$16,000,000
Shooter
Galaxy Falls [n 5]
Taito
2
$3,000,000
$16,000,000
Medal
EM
Uchū Capsule 6 [n 6]
Fuji
2
$3,000,000
$16,000,000
31
Attack
Taito
1
$1,300,000
$7,000,000
FPS
VG
Pong-Tron
Sega
1
$1,300,000
$7,000,000
Sports
Road Race
Sega
1
$1,300,000
$7,000,000
Racing
Sprint 2
Namco
1
$1,300,000
$7,000,000
Faro
Sega
1
$1,300,000
$7,000,000
Medal
EM
TV 21
Jatre
1
$1,300,000
$7,000,000
Arcade market
516
$650,000,000 [2]
$3,500,000,000
Electro‑mechanical
385
$500,000,000
$2,700,000,000
EM
Video games
131
$170,000,000
$910,000,000
VG
United States [ ]
In the United States , the following titles were the year's highest-grossing arcade games, including both video games (VG) and electro-mechanical games (EM games).[16] [17] [18]
Rank
Title[16] [7]
Company
Release
Cabinet sales[17]
Gross revenue (est. )[19]
Genre
Type
Annual
Cume
Gross
Ref
1
Sea Wolf
Midway
1976-04[20]
10,000
10,000[21]
$50,000,000
[22]
Shooter
VG
2
Gun Fight
Taito
1975-10 [23]
600[24]
8,600[25]
$50,000,000
[26] [27]
3
Wizard
Bally
1975-05[28]
—
10,005[29]
$40,000,000
Pinball
EM
4
Wheels
Taito
1975-03[20]
212[16]
10,212
$40,000,000
[30] [27]
Racing
VG
5
Indy 800
Atari
1975-04[31]
237[16]
437
$30,000,000
6
Breakout
Atari
1976-04[31]
9,100[16]
10,000[32]
$30,000,000
[31]
Block
7
Indy 4
Atari
1975-05[31]
—
—
$15,000,000
Racing
8
BiPlane
Fun Games
1975-12
—
—
$15,000,000
Shooter
9
Captain Fantastic
Bally
1976-06[33]
—
—
$15,000,000
Pinball
EM
10
Daytona 500
Taito
1976-05[34]
—
—
$15,000,000
Racing
11
Demolition Derby
Exidy
1975-12[35]
2,700
3,100
$15,000,000
[36] [27]
Racing
VG
12
Trivia
Ramtek
1975-11[37]
1,000
1,100
$10,000,000
[38]
Quiz
13
Bombs Away
Meadows
1975-01[39]
—
—
$10,000,000
Shooter
Death Race
Exidy
1976-04[40]
—
—
$10,000,000
Racing
15
Flim-Flam
Meadows
1974-03[41]
200
11,200
$10,000,000
[42]
Pong
16
Bullet Mark
Sega
1975-11[43]
200
210
$10,000,000
FPS
17
Avenger
Electra
1975-11[40]
200
1,200
$10,000,000
[44] [27]
Shooter
18
Video Action
URL
1975-01[45]
—
3,000[46]
$7,000,000
Pong
Home market [ ]
Best-selling home systems [ ]
Rank
System
Company
Sales
Gross revenue
Type
Generation
Ref
Nominal
Inflation
1
Coleco Telstar
Coleco
300,000
$15,000,000
$80,000,000
Console
First
[47]
2
TV Fun Model 401
APF
200,000
$18,000,000
$96,000,000
TV Fun Model 402
APF
200,000
$18,000,000
$96,000,000
4
Fairchild Channel F
Fairchild
100,000
$9,000,000
$48,000,000
Console
Second
[4]
5
Electrotennis
Epoch
40,000
$3,000,000
$16,000,000
Console
First
[47]
6
Name Of The Game
Allied
16,000
$1,100,000
$5,900,000
7
Altair 8800
MITS
6,000
$2,400,000
$13,000,000
Computer
8-bit
[48]
Annual sales
4,136,000
$243,000,000
$1,300,000,000
[4] [49]
Consoles
4,090,000
$225,000,000
$1,100,000,000
[4] [9]
Computers
46,000
$18,000,000
$100,000,000
[48] [50]
Best-selling home video games [ ]
Rank
Title
Company
Sales
Gross revenue
Platform
Ref
Nominal
Inflation
1
Coleco Telstar
Coleco
300,000
$15,000,000
$80,000,000
Dedicated console
[47]
2
APF TV Fun Model 401
APF
200,000
$18,000,000
$96,000,000
APF TV Fun Model 402
APF
200,000
$18,000,000
$96,000,000
4
Hockey
Fairchild
100,000
$9,000,000
$48,000,000
Fairchild Channel F
[4]
Tennis
Fairchild
100,000
6
TV Tennis Electrotennis
Epoch
40,000
$3,000,000
$16,000,000
Dedicated console
[47]
7
Name Of The Game
Allied
16,000
$1,100,000
$5,900,000
Notes [ ]
↑ Released in June 1976.[12]
↑ 516 points[14] equivalent to ¥191.5 billion [2] = ¥370 million ($1.3 million) per point (est. )
↑ VTR レース , VTR Rēsu
↑ 富士電子工業 , Fuji Denshi Kōgyō
↑ ギャラクシーフォールス , Gyarakushī Fōrusu
↑ 宇宙カプセル6 , Uchū Kapuseru 6
References [ ]
↑ The Coin-Op Amusement Industry Year-By-Year: 1978
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 情報メディア白書 [Information Media White Paper] . Dentsu Institute . 2010. p. 293. https://books.google.com/books?id=fSFNAQAAIAAJ . "産業興行収入市場規模営業収入営業収入全体ビデオゲームアーケードゲーム中短波 FM (Box office revenue, Market size, Operating revenue, Total operating revenue, Video games, Arcade games, Medium and shortwave FM) ... 1971 793 430 17 1,010 2,893 12,649 1972 770 482 1,100 3,333 14,828 1973 927 580 235 24 1,187 4,018 17,344 1974 1,171 628 46 1,258 4,442 19,171 1975 1,308 683 52 1,314 4,856 21,555 1976 1,457 790 65 1,915 5,809 25,714 1977 1,524 892 83 2,091 6,512 34,784 1978 1,605 1,006 97 2,141 7,362 37,058 1979 1,582 1,164 115 2,191 8,326 39,255 1980 1,659 1,263 131 2,714 8,687 41,008 1981 1,633 1,347 143 2,816 9,284 42,625 1982 1,695 2,780 4,500 1,391 180 2,877 9,967 44,611 1983 1,863 3,860 4,570 1,450 237 2,926 10,713 46,915"
↑ See United States section
↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Video Game Sales: 1972-1999 . Gaming Alexandria (June 7, 2021).
↑ 5.0 5.1 See Japan section
↑ Annual Survey of Manufactures: 1975-1976 . U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. May 1979. p. 2-30. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=l1DUjcEedFkC&pg=SA2-PA30 .
↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "The Replay Years: Enter 1976" . RePlay 11 (2): 134-172 (150). November 1985. https://retrocdn.net/images/a/a1/RePlay_US_Volume_11_No._02.pdf#page=150 .
↑ "Home video games still hot selling item" . The Leader-Post : p. 25. 10 January 1977. https://books.google.com/books?id=nkpVAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA25&article_id=2981,1792627 .
↑ 9.0 9.1 See Epoch Electrotennis in Best-selling home systems section
↑ Home Electronic Games & Computers . 1979. p. 45. https://books.google.com/books?id=KnREAAAAIAAJ . "Japan *Home video games retail sales mil units 1977 1.1 1978 1.5 Japan *Home video games sales mil US$ 1976 2.1 1977 12.8 1978 28.4"
↑ Fairchild Channel F Commercial (1976).
↑ https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-3-number-1-january-1977/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%203%2C%20Number%201%20-%20January%201977/page/n47
↑ https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-3-number-1-january-1977/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%203%2C%20Number%201%20-%20January%201977/page/n46
↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "本紙アンケー 〜 ト調査の結果" . Game Machine (Amusement Press, Inc. ) (65): 2–3. 1 February 1977. https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19770201p.pdf#page=2 .
↑ "調査対象5年間のベスト1" . Game Machine (Amusement Press, Inc. ) (159): 1. 15 February 1981. https://onitama.tv/gamemachine/pdf/19810215p.pdf .
↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 "Profit Chart" . RePlay . October 1976. https://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.com/2014/03/more-bronze-age-video-game-popularity.html .
↑ 17.0 17.1 Baer, Ralph H. (2005). Videogames: In the Beginning . Rolenta Press. pp. 10–3. ISBN 978-0-9643848-1-1 . https://archive.org/details/VideogamesInTheBeginningRalphH.Baer/page/n31/mode/2up .
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1977/CB-1977-10-01.pdf#page=65
↑ The Coin-Op Industry Year by Year: 1976-1977
↑ 20.0 20.1 Akagi, Masumi (1971-2005). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編 (Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition) . Japan: Amusement News Agency (published 13 October 2006). p. 124. ISBN 978-4990251215 . https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n125 .
↑ Steven L. Kent (2000), The first quarter: a 25-year history of video games , BWD Press, p. 83, ISBN 0-9704755-0-0 , https://books.google.com/books?id=ny-CAAAAMAAJ , retrieved 2011-04-09 , "Sea Wolf, which was another creation of Dave Nutting, did solid business, selling more than 10,000 machines. (A later color version sold an additional 4000 units.)"
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1977/CB-1977-06-04.pdf#page=43
↑ "Over 4100 Attend MOA Expo ’75; Record 226 Booths, 94 Exhibitors" . Cash Box : 45-8. November 1, 1975. https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1975/CB-1975-11-01.pdf#page=45 .
↑ 1975
↑ Smith, Alexander (19 November 2019). They Create Worlds: The Story of the People and Companies That Shaped the Video Game Industry, Vol. I: 1971-1982 . CRC Press. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-429-75261-2 . https://books.google.com/books?id=Cxy_DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT262 .
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1977/CB-1977-04-02.pdf#page=55
↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 "What's new in games" . The Pizza Times 2 (1): p. 3. May 1980. https://showbizpizza.com/info/documents/ptt/ptt_pizzatimes-1980.pdf#page=3 .
↑ https://pinside.com/pinball/machine/wizard
↑ https://pinside.com/pinball/machine/wizard
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-11-13.pdf#page=85
↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 Production Numbers . Atari Games (1999). Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved on 19 March 2012.
↑ Goldberg, Marty (2012). Atari Inc. Business Is Fun . Carmel, NY: Syzygy Co.. p. 218. ISBN 978-0-9855974-0-5 . https://archive.org/details/atariincbusiness0000gold/page/218 .
↑ https://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=438
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-05-15.pdf#page=45
↑ "California Clippings" . Cash Box : 36. December 20, 1975. https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1975/CB-1975-12-20.pdf#page=36 .
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-11-06.pdf#page=53
↑ Akagi, Masumi (1971-2005). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編 (Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition) . Japan: Amusement News Agency (published 13 October 2006). pp. 128-9. ISBN 978-4990251215 . https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n129/mode/2up .
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-12-18.pdf#page=44
↑ Akagi, Masumi (1971-2005). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編 (Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition) . Japan: Amusement News Agency (published 13 October 2006). pp. 122-3. ISBN 978-4990251215 . https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n123/mode/2up .
↑ 40.0 40.1 Akagi, Masumi (1971-2005). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編 (Arcade TV Game List: Domestic • Overseas Edition) . Japan: Amusement News Agency (published 13 October 2006). pp. 116-7. ISBN 978-4990251215 . https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n117/mode/2up .
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1974/CB-1974-03-09.pdf#page=56
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1976/Cash-Box-1976-09-04.pdf#page=50
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1975/CB-1975-11-29.pdf#page=50
↑ https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/70s/1978/CB-1978-06-24.pdf#page=48
↑ https://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.com/2013/11/urls-video-action-first-us-consumer.html
↑ https://allincolorforaquarter.blogspot.com/2013/11/urls-video-action-first-us-consumer.html
↑ 47.0 47.1 47.2 47.3 First generation of video games
↑ 48.0 48.1 Reimer, Jeremy (2005-12-15). Total share: 30 years of personal computer market share figures (en-us) . Ars Technica .
↑ TV Games Probed (1976 on the Internet Archive ), Reading Eagle (December 21, 1976)
↑ MITS (August 1975). "Worlds Most Inexpensive BASIC language system". Popular Electronics (Ziff Davis) 8 (2): 1.
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