Why Commodore released a cheaper, less powerful computer while rivals were upgrading.

The Commodore 16 arrived during a period of fierce competition, yet it took a different path by cutting costs instead of increasing memory. This video explores the reality of developing for a machine that lagged behind its peers.

While other manufacturers were busy adding RAM to their systems, Commodore took the opposite approach with the C16. By slashing production costs, they created a machine that challenged software developers to work within tighter limitations.

Despite these hardware constraints, the marketing team continued to push the machine to consumers. The video features a look at the Commodore collection held at The Centre for Computing History, providing context on the era's hardware landscape.

Source: Commodore 16 & The Worst Video Game? - Computerphile