The Great Video Game Burial: How Millions of Atari's 'E.T.' Cartridges Ended Up Under the New Mexico Desert
In 1983, Atari buried millions of unsold video games, including the infamous 'E.T.', in a New Mexico desert. For 30 years, it was a myth. Here's the true story of the great video game burial.
How does a company's worst failure become a 30-year-long legend? The story sounded too perfect to be true: a gaming giant, humiliated by what's often called the worst video game ever made, buries millions of unsold copies in the desert. For decades, it was gaming's greatest urban myth. But it really happened.
The Crash and The Cartridges
Back in 1983, gaming pioneer Atari was facing a crisis. Its highly anticipated movie tie-in game, 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial', was a commercial and critical disaster. According to reports like one from Boing Boing, the company decided to take drastic measures to deal with the millions of unsold cartridges. They trucked the inventory to a landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico, crushed them, and poured a layer of concrete over the top.
A 30-Year Urban Legend
The event was never officially confirmed, and for over 30 years, the 'Atari Game Burial' remained a mystery. Gamers and tech historians debated whether it was an exaggerated rumor or a real, physical symbol of the industry's infamous crash. The story became a cautionary tale about corporate hubris and spectacular failure.
Vindication in 2014
The debate finally ended in 2014. A documentary film crew secured permission to excavate the landfill site to uncover the truth. As diggers broke through the earth, they unearthed crushed game boxes and cartridges of E.T., confirming the legend was fact. The Atari burial was officially cemented in the annals of tech history.
This content is AI-generated based on source articles. While we strive for accuracy, errors may occur. We recommend verifying with the original source.
Related Articles
Millie Bobby Brown's 'snow bunny' look for her brand Florence by Mills earned over 1.1M likes but sparked a fierce online debate over its style and her brand's direction.
A 14-year-old Florida girl, Jasmine Ramirez, is recovering after a successful 17-hour surgery to amputate her 174-pound leg. Her story of resilience has inspired global support.
A man shares the story of confronting his toxic mother-in-law at Christmas dinner after she maliciously made his grieving daughter cry over their dead dog.
From Julia Fox's surrealist cones to Kim Kardashian's bizarre mask, 2025 was a chaotic year for celebrity fashion. We look back at the 30 most talked-about outfits that sparked debate and became instant memes.
Millie Bobby Brown's 'snow bunny' look for her brand Florence by Mills earned over 1.1M likes but sparked a fierce online debate over its style and her brand's direction.
A 14-year-old Florida girl, Jasmine Ramirez, is recovering after a successful 17-hour surgery to amputate her 174-pound leg. Her story of resilience has inspired global support.
A man shares the story of confronting his toxic mother-in-law at Christmas dinner after she maliciously made his grieving daughter cry over their dead dog.
From Julia Fox's surrealist cones to Kim Kardashian's bizarre mask, 2025 was a chaotic year for celebrity fashion. We look back at the 30 most talked-about outfits that sparked debate and became instant memes.