Nutting Associates
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Arcade game manufacturing |
| Founded | February 1967 |
| Founder | William Gilbert Nutting |
| Defunct | 1977 |
| Fate | Acquired by William "Si" Redd, integrated into Sircoma |
| Headquarters | Mountain View , United States |
| Products | Arcade games |
Nutting Associates was a company specializing in arcade game manufacturing, headquartered in Mountain View, California. The business was incorporated in February 1967 by William Gilbert Nutting. In 1977, ownership transferred to William "Si" Redd, and the company was eventually integrated into Sircoma.
History
Initially working as a buyer at a department store in San Francisco, Bill Nutting collaborated with Edex Teaching Systems, the creators of the coin-operated trivia game Knowledge Computer launched in 1964. Following Edex's acquisition by Raytheon in 1965, Nutting acquired the rights and established Nutting Associates in 1966 to promote the Knowledge Computer alongside its revamped iteration, Computer Quiz (1967), developed by Richard Ball. By 1968, the game had been upgraded to a solid-state format.
In 1971, Nolan Bushnell persuaded Nutting Associates to produce the arcade game Computer Space, resulting in approximately 1,500 units manufactured. Bushnell aimed to secure a larger share of the company to advance game development but departed after founding Atari Inc. with Ted Dabney.
Nutting Associates maintained video game production until its acquisition by "Si" Redd in 1977. Subsequently, a new corporation under the same name was formed in Nevada before being absorbed into Sircoma, known for manufacturing video poker machines.
Bill Nutting’s brother, Dave Nutting, also made significant contributions to the gaming sector by creating Dave Nutting Associates, a consulting firm that developed numerous titles for Midway throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.