Video Game History Foundation Revives Classic 'Computer Entertainer' Magazine Archive

Video Game History Foundation

The Video Game History Foundation has added another gem to its growing digital library—this time, it’s the full archive of Computer Entertainer, one of the earliest and most influential American video game magazines from the 1980s.

Now, let’s be honest—Computer Entertainer isn’t exactly a household name in 2025, especially outside the U.S., but back in the day, it was a pretty big deal. Originally launched in 1982 as The Video Game Update, this newsletter-turned-magazine came out of a mail-order video game business called Video Take-Out.

It eventually became Computer Entertainer and managed to survive all the way to 1990—something most gaming mags at the time couldn’t pull off.

According to the Video Game History Foundation (VGHF), the magazine is more than just a nostalgic throwback. It’s one of the only sources that offers reviews and U.S. release dates for legendary titles like The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Super Mario Bros. during a time when the rest of the industry was still reeling from the 1983–84 video game crash. In their words, “Most console game magazines in the US went out of business during the 1983–84 industry crash, except this one.”

Computer Entertainer

Another cool fact? The magazine was co-edited by sisters Marylou Badeaux and Celeste Dolan, which makes it likely the first console video game magazine in the U.S. run by women.

The Video Game History Foundation, founded in 2017, has been doing a lot to preserve the gaming world’s past. They’ve also pushed for legal access to out-of-print games through libraries and archives.

Source: Eurogamer