A dedicated group of tech nostalgia enthusiasts has created the PiDP-10, a replica of the PDP-10 mainframe computer that is most famous for hosting Spacewar!, one of the first video games to run on a computer.
The PiDP-10 is a scaled-down version of the PDP-10 mainframe computer, originally released by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in 1966. This 2:3 scale model was developed by a global team of computer enthusiasts under the name Obsolescence Guaranteed.
The project began in 2015 when Oscar Vermeulen, a Dutch economist and lifelong computer aficionado, decided to create a replica of the PDP-8 minicomputer, a machine he had been fascinated with since his youth.
Vermeulen started sharing his progress on various vintage computing forums on Google Groups, where enthusiasts were already working on software emulators for pre-microprocessor computers. As his project gained attention, it quickly grew into a collaborative effort involving over 100 people.
The replica’s attention to detail is remarkable. The lights on the front panel are functional, just like in the original machine, displaying the instructions being executed, various CPU signals, and memory contents. Vermeulen describes this feature as watching the computer’s heartbeat, and it was implemented with great precision.
Why restore the PDP-11?
PDP computers were installed in university labs worldwide, quickly becoming favorites among a new generation of engineers, scientists, and coders. Moreover, MIT student Steve Russell and his friends developed SpaceWar!, one of the first-ever video games, on PDP computers.
These machines are integral to our digital heritage, forming the bedrock of the modern gaming and tech industries. However, to truly appreciate their impact, they need to be used, not just displayed. As Vermeulen puts it, “The problem with computer history is that you cannot really show it by putting some dead old computers in a museum – that tells you almost nothing.
“You have to experience these machines, how they operated. And the problem with computers from before, roughly, 1975 is that they’re huge, heavy and more or less impossible to keep running.”
Fifteen years after Vermeulen started his PDP-8 emulator project, the Obsolescence Guaranteed group has sold hundreds of replicas and continues to work on new projects.
Spacewar!: One of the first video games to run on a computer
In 1961, computers were not yet widely popular. The pinnacle of technology at the time was the PDP-1, a machine costing $120,000, roughly the size of two refrigerators, and emitting a noise similar to that of a blender churning bricks when powered on.
The primary users were university researchers and early computer scientists who faced a significant challenge: how to engage more people with these machines. Their goal was to attract repeat users who would develop practical computing skills, and basic tools like spirographs weren’t sufficient. They needed something more compelling—a game.
Thus, Spacewar! was born.
In Spacewar!, two spaceships engage in combat while orbiting a central star. The game drew inspiration from Marvin Minsky’s Minskytron, a non-interactive demo that showcased geometric interactions, and the starry backdrop was adapted from Samson’s “Expensive Planetarium” software.
However, the game’s interactive model was entirely new. One of the key challenges was making the orbit mechanics respond in real-time to player inputs, given the limited processing capabilities of the PDP-1. The quick spread of the game was an early example of open-source mod communities in action.
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Srishti Gupta Srishti studied English literature at the University of Delhi and has since then realized it’s not her cup of tea. She has been an editor in every space and content type imaginable, from children’s books to journal articles. She enjoys popular culture, reading contemporary fiction and nonfiction, crafts, and spending time with her cats. With a keen interest in science, Srishti is particularly drawn to beats covering medicine, sustainability, gene studies, and anything biology-related.