▁the ▁south ▁of ▁France ▁to ▁provide ▁European ▁input ▁to ▁Int ell iv ision ▁games ▁and ▁develop ▁games ▁for ▁the ▁Cole co V ision . ▁ ▁At ▁its ▁peak ▁Matt el ▁Electron ics ▁employed ▁ 1 8 0 0 ▁people . ▁ ▁Am id ▁the ▁fl ur ry ▁of ▁new ▁hardware ▁and ▁software ▁development , ▁there ▁was ▁trouble ▁for ▁the ▁Int ell iv ision . ▁New ▁game ▁systems ▁( C ole co V ision ▁and ▁At ari ▁ 5 2 0 0 ) ▁introduced ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁took ▁advantage ▁of ▁falling ▁RAM ▁prices ▁to ▁offer ▁graphics ▁closer ▁to ▁ar cade ▁quality . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁the ▁price ▁of ▁home ▁computers , ▁particularly ▁the ▁Com mod ore ▁ 6 4 , ▁came ▁down ▁dr ast ically ▁to ▁comp ete ▁with ▁video ▁game ▁system ▁sales . ▁ ▁The ▁market ▁became ▁flo oded ▁with ▁hardware ▁and ▁software , ▁and ▁ret ail ers ▁were ▁ill - equ ipped ▁to ▁co pe . ▁ ▁In ▁spring ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁h iring ▁at ▁Matt el ▁Electron ics ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁halt . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁Cons umer ▁Electron ics ▁Show ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁Matt el ▁Electron ics ▁had ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁show ▁off ▁all ▁their ▁new ▁products . ▁ ▁The ▁response ▁was ▁under wh el ming . ▁ ▁Am id st ▁massive ▁losses , ▁top ▁management ▁was ▁replaced . ▁ ▁On ▁July ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁Matt el ▁Electron