1979 in video games

	… 1969; 1970; 1971; 1972; 1973; 1974; 1975; ; 1976; 1977; 1978; 1979; 1980; 1981; 1982; ; 1983; 1984; 1985; 1986; 1987; 1988; 1989 …;
	Art; Archaeology; Architecture; Literature; Music; Philosophy; Science; +...

1979 has seen many sequels and prequels in video games and several new titles such as Galaxian, Warrior and Asteroids.

Events

New companies: Activision, Edu-Ware, Infocom, Strategic Simulations, Capcom
The US market for arcade games earns a revenue of $1.5 billion^[1] (equivalent to $6.3 billion in 2024).

April, Sega's dot-eating driving game, Head On, is released. It becomes a popular concept to clone, especially for home systems.
October, Namco releases fixed shooter Galaxian in full color.
August, Atari releases Lunar Lander, the first arcade version of a game concept created on minicomputers ten years earlier.
November, Atari releases the vector graphics-based Asteroids, which becomes Atari's second best selling game of all time and displaces Space Invaders as the most popular game in the US.
November, Vectorbeam releases Tail Gunner, a space shooter with a first-person perspective.
December, Nintendo releases Radar Scope, featuring a pseudo-3D, third-person perspective. Later, 2000 out of 3000 manufactured machines are converted to Donkey Kong.
Cinematronics releases Warrior, one of the first fighting games without a boxing theme.
Sega releases the vertically scrolling Monaco GP, featuring full color and day/night driving. It is one of Sega's last discrete logic (no CPU) hardware designs.

August, Automated Simulations releases Temple of Apshai, one of the first graphical role-playing games for home computers.^[2] It remains the best-selling computer RPG through to 1982.^[3]
October, subLOGIC releases Flight Simulator for the Apple II.
Richard Garriott creates Akalabeth, a computer role-playing game for the Apple II. It launches Garriott's career and is a precursor to his highly successful Ultima series.
Richard Bartle and Roy Trubshaw create what is commonly recognized as the first playable MUD.^[4]
Atari, Inc.'s 8K Star Raiders cartridge is released and becomes a system seller for the new Atari 400/800 computer line.

December, Atari Adventure for the Atari 2600. It is the first action-adventure game and has one of the first known Easter eggs.

June, Texas Instruments releases the TI-99/4, the first home computer with a 16-bit processor.
September, NEC releases the PC-8001, the first in the PC-8000 Series of home computers.
November, Atari, Inc. releases the first two models in the Atari 8-bit family: the Atari 400 and Atari 800 home computers. They feature custom graphics and sound coprocessors, including hardware sprites.