Game cartridges are a staple for the gaming industry as it powers the games we grew up loving. If you have ever blown into a cartridge (still not 100% sure if it works) or played any game using one, then you can thank Jerry Lawson for this creation.
Gerald “Jerry” Lawson was a self-taught engineer who grew up in Queens, New York. He got his start as kid by operating his own ham radio and then developed as teen by repairing his neighbors’ television sets to make some money.
As the head of engineering and marketing for Fairchild Semiconductor’s gaming sector in the mid 1970’s, Jerry created the first system with interchangeable game cartridges, the Fairchild Channel F. Even though the system never got to soar in popularity like Nintendo, Sega or Atari, it was still a significant part in gaming history. Prior to this creation, games were developed into their hardware meaning… no way of swapping games. You get what you get.
Following his tenure at Fairchild, he left and started his own game development company, Videosoft. At Videosoft, Lawson produced cartridges for the Atari 2600 which made Fairchild Channel F obsolete. Videosoft lasted for 5 years prior to closing and Lawson took on work as a consultant.
Jerry Lawson passed away in 2011 due to complications with diabetes and has left such a strong mark in the gaming industry. Thank you, Jerry for your wonderful contribution in gaming!
