Microsoft Begins Digging Up E.T.

Last summer, it was announced that Microsoft was scheduled to dig up the famed Atari cartridge dump of 1983 for a documentary on the subject to be brought to Xbox Live, now the ground has finally been broken. The dump is alleged to primarily contain what is said to be one of the worst video games of all time. The legend of the pit has long been whispered in the darkest corners of gaming history, drawing attention (and fan funding another movie on track to be released later this year) from the Angry Video Game Nerd.

If you’re not familiar with the tale, there was actually quite a buzz around the debut of the Atari 2600 game in the holiday season of 1982. However, critics and gamers alike found the game borderline unplayable. E.T was full of strange mechanics and indecipherable sprites:

E.T. was best reported upon release as “…a loser”, “primitive”, “convoluted and insane.” With thousands of copies rendered unsalable, Atari allegedly filled ten or more trucks with the remaining copies of the game, had them crushed, encased in cement, and finally buried. The Xbox documentary is to be made available later on this year.

UPDATE: The games have been found! And apparently, E.T. was not alone, but joined by Indiana Jones: Raiders Of The Lost Ark as well.