A bizarre Commodore 64 peripheral, a mime, and some pretty bad ads
This article explores the history of the 'Spartan,' a failed 1980s Commodore 64 peripheral that became a cult collector's item in 2024. It highlights the absurdity of the product's marketing, which featured a mime, and its eventual obsolescence upon release.
Why it matters
It serves as a case study in poor product-market fit and the unpredictable nature of retro-tech valuation.
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“Sir, we don’t have a prototype or a price for the Spartan ad.”
Mimic Systems Inc. wouldn’t ship its first product until nearly two years after it began appearing, every month, in almost every Commodore 64 magazine. And when enthusiasts finally got their hands on the Spartan in 1986, its specs felt as old as that mime’s haunting face.
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