▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁David ▁Rol fe ▁of ▁A Ph ▁developed ▁the ▁executive ▁control ▁software ▁( Exec ) ▁and , ▁with ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁Cal tech ▁summer ▁student ▁h ires , ▁program med ▁the ▁first ▁games . ▁ ▁Graphics ▁were ▁designed ▁by ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁artists ▁at ▁Matt el ▁led ▁by ▁Dave ▁James . ▁ ▁The ▁Int ell iv ision ▁was ▁test ▁market ed ▁in ▁F res no , ▁California ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁four ▁games ▁available . ▁It ▁was ▁released ▁nation wide ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁with ▁a ▁price ▁tag ▁of ▁US $ 2 9 9 , ▁a ▁pack - in ▁game ▁( L as ▁Veg as ▁P oker ▁& ▁Black jack ), ▁and ▁a ▁library ▁of ▁ten ▁cart rid ges . ▁Matt el ▁Electron ics ▁would ▁become ▁a ▁subs idi ary ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁Though ▁the ▁Int ell iv ision ▁was ▁not ▁the ▁first ▁system ▁to ▁challenge ▁Warner ▁Communic ations ' s ▁At ari , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁pose ▁a ▁serious ▁threat ▁to ▁the ▁market ▁leader . ▁A ▁series ▁of ▁advert is ements ▁featuring ▁George ▁Pl im pton ▁were ▁produced ▁that ▁demonstrated ▁the ▁superior ity ▁of ▁the ▁Int ell iv ision ' s ▁graphics ▁and ▁sound ▁to ▁those ▁of ▁the ▁At ari ▁ 2 6 0 0 , ▁using ▁side - by - side ▁game ▁compar isons . ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁s log ans ▁of ▁the ▁television ▁advert is ements ▁stated ▁that ▁Int