Video game pioneer. Inventor of the modern video game console.
Born 1940, Brooklyn, New York. Lawson was the computer engineer responsible for developing the Fairchild Channel F console in the mid 70s. Why is this a big deal? Well for one, it was the first console use interchangeable gaming cartridges, separating the video game from the system. This was a revolutionary concept, especially since it predated the Atari and that system still integrated the two things. He pioneered the foundation for modern day console standards.
In march 2011, Lawson was honored as an industry pioneer by the International Game Developers Association. Tragically a month after receiving the honor he died.
It’s also cool to note that he was one out of two of the only black members in the “Computer Homebrewer Club”, the same club that produced industry greats such as Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
