The Earth Dies Screaming
The Earth Dies Screaming — frequently asked questions
- Is The Earth Dies Screaming on Steam?
- No. The Earth Dies Screaming is not distributed on Steam, so there is no Steam Charts or SteamDB player count for it. Its live popularity is tracked here via Twitch viewership instead.
- What platforms is The Earth Dies Screaming on?
- The Earth Dies Screaming is available on Commodore VIC-20, Atari 2600, Atari 8-bit, Atari 8-bit computers, VIC-20.
- When did The Earth Dies Screaming release?
- The Earth Dies Screaming was first released on December 31, 1983.
About The Earth Dies Screaming
A space shooter designed by Dan Thompson for the Atari 2600 that was also released under the name "Final Orbit" for the Atari 8-bit and Commodore VIC-20 homecomputers.
Summary via IGDB.
The Earth Dies Screaming on Wikipedia
The Earth Dies Screaming is a 1983 space shooter developed by Sirius Software and published by Fox Video Games based on the 1964 movie The Earth Dies Screaming, which was produced by 20th Century Fox. Gameplay involves shooting at incoming enemy spaceships before they attack the player's shapeship or the Earth itself. The game was released under the name Final Orbit for the VIC-20 and Atari 8-bit computers.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Game details
- Platforms
- Commodore VIC-20, Atari 2600, Atari 8-bit, Atari 8-bit computers, VIC-20
- Developer
- Sirius Software
- Publisher
- Sirius Software
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action, Science fiction
Details via IGDB.
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Built by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atari 2600 | 1983 | $35 | $121 | $133 | Graphics ★★★ · Play-Action ★★½ | Sirius Software (designed by Dan Thompson) |
Also released on: Commodore VIC-20 · Atari 8-bit · Atari 8-bit computers · VIC-20. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Collector value & authenticity
Atari 2600 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-06
Release record
| Territory | Label | Catalog # | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| North America 20th Century Fox | Standard | 11020 | Rare |
Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 2600 software database
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1983
- Controller
- Atari Joystick
- Players
- 1
- Authenticity
- Low
A Fox Video Games movie tie-in to a 1964 B-movie, competent and obscure.
Dan Thompson designed The Earth Dies Screaming at Sirius Software, and Fox Video Games published it in June 1983, based on the 1964 20th Century Fox film. It is a space shooter in which you shoot incoming enemy ships before they attack your ship or the Earth. The game was also released as Final Orbit for the VIC-20 and Atari 8-bit computers.
How it was made
Designed by Dan Thompson at Sirius Software and published by Fox Video Games in June 1983.
What the press said at the time
| Computer Entertainer Vol. 2 No. 4 | July 1983 | Graphics ★★★ · Play-Action ★★½ |
“Graphics in this game are good, though fairly simple. … Overall, we couldn't find enough variation in the game to keep us really interested.”
Computer Entertainer rated graphics first and play action second, from four symbols (excellent) to one (poor) — stars in most years, diamonds in 1986–87 — comparing each game only with other games for the same system.
Cartridge & preservation record
Program size 4 KB, measured from the preserved dump.
Catalogue number as recorded for the physical release.
How the Atari 2600 version differs
Only the 2600 cartridge carries the film's title; the VIC-20 and Atari 8-bit computer versions were renamed Final Orbit.
Also on other platforms
Atari 8-bit computers · VIC-20
| Atari 2600 | Sirius Software (designed by Dan Thompson) |
| VIC-20 | Sirius Software (publisher) |
| Atari 8-bit | Sirius Software (publisher) |
- VIC-20. Released in 1983 as Final Orbit, published by Sirius Software rather than under the Fox Video Games imprint.
Before you buy
Low risk. No fakes are documented. The box and manual carry much of a complete copy's value, so check that both are present.
The Earth Dies Screaming screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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