E.T. Atari 2600 cartridges finally unearthed in New Mexico landfill

As a gamer old enough to appreciate the Atari 2600 and the E.T. The Extra Terrestrial game (which really wasn’t that terrible), I never totally believed the urban legend that unsold E.T. stock was dumped into a landfill in New Mexico and buried for all eternity.

Well as part of their original Xbox film, Atari: Game Over (working title), Fuel Entertainment and Xbox Entertainment Studios — after getting permission to dig at the Alamogordo Landfill — were able to hit the jackpot and unearth a surprisingly well preserved cache of old E.T. The Extra Terrestrial game cartridges, boxes and manuals. I’m still a bit skeptical, but hey, they have proof and an amazing story, which will be documented in the upcoming film.

They also apparently found other Atari 2600 paraphernalia, accessories and games too, so it sounds like it’ll be worth watching when they finish producing the documentary.

Head on over to Xbox Wire for the details on the dig, and check out some of the video footage and photos below.

The Dig: Xbox Entertainment Studios Unearths E.T. Cartridges:
[youtube_sc url=”8jHpOsJQaHM”]

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial at the Alamogordo Landfill: