In September 1983, Atari disposed of truckloads of video-game cartridges and computer equipment at a landfill in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Among the discarded material were cartridges of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , the Atari 2600 game that later became closely tied to the company’s struggles. More than three decades later, an excavation at the site recovered about 1,300 cartridges, turning a long-running industry story into physical evidence. Some of the recovered games were subsequently auctioned for hundreds of dollars, while E.T. cartridges fetched more than $1,500.
A report published on September 28, 1983, said Atari had dumped 14 truckloads of video-game and computer equipment at the New Mexico landfill. The material was reportedly transported from the company’s El Paso, Texas, operation. At the time, an Atari spokesperson said the items were defective components being discarded.
