The man behind the home video game cartridge, Jerry Lawson breathed his last on Saturday, at age 71. Engineer, inventor and video game pioneer Lawson was among the earliest video game engineers. His first arcade Chicago Coins’ Demolition Derby, was developed in his garage in the early 1970s. He is also remembered as the inventor of Fairchild Semiconductor’s home video game console, the Channel F. Released in 1976, the Channel F is the first console with programmable game cartridges; before it, home video game systems only played the games that were built into them.

While he managed to stay away from the limelight for most of his achievements, Lawson was honored by the International Game Developers Association’s Minority Special Interest Group at the Game Developers Conference just last month. Six previously-unreleased games for the Atari 2600 were also released earlier this year. A memorial service is planned in the San Jose area. Here is to the man who brought gaming home. May his soul rest in peace.
[1up]