What is 8-bit generation

8bit Generation is a labor of love, from people who love the 8bit era, for people who are passionate or simply curious about it

8bit is a generation of machines, both computers and videogames, based on 8bit microprocessors starting from the early 70’s all the way to the end of the 80’s, often defined by blocky graphics, few colors, simple sounds and weird case designs

8bit is a generation of young entrepreneurs, engineers, visionaries, dreamers, geniuses who wanted to change their lives and ended up changing the world we live in, giving birth to one of the most important revolution in the history of mankind

8bit is a generation of kids in their teens that came to be exposed to the influence of those wonderfully primitive machines and learned firsthand what a computer is, how it works and how can change your life….and never forgot

In June 2010 we started researching and collecting first-hand accounts from the key people of that era. That job was a fascinating adventure and a nightmare process: we nearly went broke a couple of times, but never gave up.

In September of 2014 we attended XOXO Festival in Portland Oregon and show some footage to a large audience to great acclaim: we learned that Jack Tramiel and Commodore are held as crucial in the entire digital revolution. We knew it, but we learned that the audience too is willing to hear THIS story at last.

In February 2016 we released the first episode “Growing The 8 Bit Generation – The Commodore Wars”, focused on the home computer explosion and Commodore role in the personal computer revolution. The movie featured previously unreleased interviews with Jack and Leonard Tramiel, Chuck Peddle, Al Charpentier, Bil Herd, Michael Tomczyk, Dave Rolfe, Richard Garriot, Jeff Minter, Andy Finkel as well as Steve Wozniak, Nigel Searle, John Grant, Nolan Bushnell, Al Alcorn, Joe Decuir among others.

chm-logo

Mar 30, 2016: at the Computer History Museum the first screening of “Growing the 8bit Generation”. With John Hollar, Bil Herd, Leonard Tramiel, Chuck Peddle and Al Alcorn. Read what happened!

In June 2016 we succesfully funded on Kickstarter the second documentary: “Easy to Learn, Hard to Master – The Fate of Atari

One year later, on 23 June 2017, screening at the Computer History Museum.

15 August 2017: “Easy to Learn, Hard to Master – The Fate of Atari” is available worldwide on iTunes and Amazon.

18 Febrary 2021: Tomaso Walliser, one of the mind behind this project, passed away after an entire life spent with his chronicle disease.

2022 It’s my turn: i will try to revive this project and complete some of the works we were working together.