# Atari & Chuck E. Cheese's: Nolan Bushnell

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2017-02-27
- Length: 49m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-27-atari-chuck-e-cheeses-nolan-bushnell

## Summary

Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's, recounts building Atari from a garage startup to a public company before selling it to Warner Communications. He details the creation of the Atari home console, the pivotal Sears order that forced rapid scaling, and the cultural clash that led to his ousting. Bushnell then explains his pivot to the family entertainment center industry, founding Chuck E. Cheese's with an animated rat mascot, and the lessons learned regarding franchise expansion and novelty-driven demand.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-27-atari-chuck-e-cheeses-nolan-bushnell#t=0) Introduction: Nolan Bushnell and the Origins of Atari
- [2:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-27-atari-chuck-e-cheeses-nolan-bushnell#t=139) From Carnivals to Spacewar: The Birth of Atari
- [10:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-27-atari-chuck-e-cheeses-nolan-bushnell#t=604) Pong: Design, Manufacturing, and the Sears Order
- [17:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-27-atari-chuck-e-cheeses-nolan-bushnell#t=1038) Scaling Production and the Home Console Pivot
- [25:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-27-atari-chuck-e-cheeses-nolan-bushnell#t=1537) Atari's Culture, Steve Jobs, and the Warner Sale
- [35:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-27-atari-chuck-e-cheeses-nolan-bushnell#t=2109) Founding Chuck E. Cheese's: Concept and Mascot
- [40:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-02-27-atari-chuck-e-cheeses-nolan-bushnell#t=2414) Franchising, Overbuilding, and Lessons Learned

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, companies scaling up, large enterprises, early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Atari (company)
- Chuck E. Cheese's (company)
- Pong (product)
- Sears (company)
- Warner Communications (company)
- Nutting Associates (company)
- Bally (company)
- Ampex (company)
- Spacewar (product)
- Steve Jobs (other)
- Steve Wozniak (other)
- Al Alcorn (other)
- Ted Dabney (other)
- Brain Rush (company)

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- [Arduino's Invisible Touch with Massimo Banzi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-06-17-arduinos-invisible-touch-with-massimo-banzi) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Chuck Peddle (Repeat, in memoriam)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2019-12-30-an-interview-with-chuck-peddle-repeat-in-memoriam) (The Amp Hour)
- [Founder Feature: Sean Knecht of Tantos!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-05-08-founder-feature-sean-knecht-of-tantos) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Stan Bentley | Starting an Engineering Business, Day Care, & Powdercoating](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2022-09-16-stan-bentley-starting-an-engineering-business-day-care-powdercoating) (Being an Engineer)

## Citing this page

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