Bob Whitehead

Bob Whitehead
Whitehead, Robert A.
Bob Whitehead
Born	November 1, 1953
Occupation	Founder Activision, Founder Accolade, Software Developer

Career

Early Life and Entry into Gaming

Robert A. "Bob" Whitehead was born on November 1, 1953. He earned a B.S. in Mathematics from San Jose State University, which laid a strong analytical foundation for his future in game design. In January 1977, he began his career at Atari, joining the small but influential team responsible for developing the Atari 2600 console.

At Atari: Pushing Hardware Limits

At Atari, Whitehead quickly made his mark by creating titles such as Blackjack and Star Ship, both launch titles for the new VCS system. He became known for tackling seemingly impossible challenges, including developing Video Chess, a feat many programmers considered out of reach for the limited hardware.

Whitehead also pioneered the “venetian blinds” animation technique, a clever method that reused sprite data across scanlines to give the illusion of more on-screen objects than the hardware could natively handle.

Founding Activision and Shaping the Industry (1979–1984)

By 1979, Whitehead and his peers— David Crane, Larry Kaplan, and Alan Miller— accounted for about 60% of Atari VCS cartridge sales, yet received no creative credit or royalties. In a bold move, they left Atari in October 1979 and co-founded Activision, the world’s first third-party video game developer, alongside business strategist Jim Levy.

At Activision, Whitehead helped develop their custom VCS development system, which included an integrated debugger and assembler hosted on a minicomputer— an innovative foundation for their game development pipeline . As a designer and programmer, he created a string of hit titles, including:

Boxing (1980)– one of Activision’s earliest games.
Skiing, Stampede, Chopper Command, Sky Jinks, and Private Eye, which pushed both gameplay innovation and visual flair.

These games solidified Activision's reputation for high-quality content—and for crediting creators, with developer names and screenshots featured prominently on boxes.

Founding Accolade (1984)

By 1984, as Activision navigated shifting markets and declining stock values, Whitehead and Alan Miller again struck out on their own— this time to found Accolade, focusing on home computers like the Commodore 64 and IBM PC, and leveraging lower-cost floppy disks over cartridges.

Accolade produced memorable titles such as HardBall! and 4th & Inches, further solidifying Whitehead's legacy as a versatile developer across platforms. However, he chose to exit the game industry entirely by the late 1980s, opting to devote time to family, faith, and community service rather than continue in corporate gaming.

Legacy and Enduring Influence

Though Bob Whitehead stepped away from gaming early, his influence is lasting. His programming innovations—like venetian blinds— are still widely taught and appreciated. His VCS titles remain celebrated in retro gaming circles, and like his fellow “Gang of Four” colleagues, he reshaped developer rights and recognition in the emerging game industry.

Career Highlights

1977: Joined Atari as one of its first VCS developers
1977–1979: Delivered pioneering Atari 2600 titles and gameplay techniques
1979–1984: Co-founded Activision; developed hits like Boxing, Chopper Command, Private Eye
1984: Co-founded Accolade to target home computers
Mid‑1980s: Retired from game development to focus on personal life and community

Conclusion Bob Whitehead stands out as a technical and creative pioneer— a master of code, a builder of development tools, and a champion of game creators' recognition. While he turned away from the industry by the decade's end, his early work helped define what video games could be— and how developers should be respected.

List of major works

External links

Wikipedia
Mobygames
LinkedIn
Software People, Page 51