1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: In nineteen eighty two, Atari players across the country settled 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: into their shag carpeting. Homework went by the wayside, and 3 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: so did sleep. These gamers only had one thing on 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: their minds sword Quest. This wasn't just a new game. 5 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:21,080 Speaker 1: Epic and ambitious. The company promised one hundred and fifty 6 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: thousand dollars in prizes to four finalists, with the Sword 7 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: of Ultimate Sorcery going to the grand prize winner. 8 00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 2: And I could believe it. Theatrics from mom. You know, 9 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 2: she starts crying. You know, there wasn't too much work 10 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 2: at the time, and I just got this, you know, 11 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 2: three dollars and thirty five cent an hour minimum wage 12 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 2: JAB And next thing, you know, I got just pick 13 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 2: in twenty five thousand dollars prize. 14 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 1: But what started as a video game promotion would become 15 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: one of the most controversial moments in eighties pop culture, 16 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 1: with broken promises, urban myths, payoffs, and a central mystery 17 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: that's consumed fans for decades. 18 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 3: I never ended up seeing these prizes in person. 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 1: As Atari ran into financial woes. It wasn't long before 20 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: sword Quest spun out of control, which leads us to 21 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: the biggest question of all, how did all of those prizes, 22 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 1: valued at one hundred and fifty thousand dollars become something 23 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: of a lost treasure? 24 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 4: So I had heard stories about these amazing things. I 25 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:22,680 Speaker 4: saw a picture of them here and there. I can 26 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 4: honestly say that in my entire experience, in my life 27 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 4: so far, I have never actually been in the same 28 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 4: room with any of these items. 29 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 2: But he melted down part of it to pay for college. 30 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: I'm Jamie Loftus. Join us for the Legend of sword Quest, 31 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: a podcast about the fall of Atari and the disappearing 32 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: sword Quest prizes. You'll hear from the legends of Atari, 33 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: video game historians, and the sword Quest competitors. We'll follow 34 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 1: the quest for missing treasure across four decades. 35 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 3: There was a letter envelope just tucked in the side 36 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 3: of a shoebox, and I opened it and I found 37 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 3: those photos, so I knew what this was. There's no 38 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 3: obvious security, right, it's just laying on the table. 39 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:08,520 Speaker 1: Probably millions. 40 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 3: I would think somebody would pay for it. It's almost 41 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 3: like a metaphor for the industry and Atari itself in 42 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 3: a way. 43 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: Listen to the Legend of sword Quest starting September twelfth 44 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get 45 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: your podcasts.