Gerald A. Lawson was a self-taught engineer who became a pioneer in electronic video entertainment.  He created the first home video game system with interchangeable game cartridges.

Before disc-based systems like PlayStation, Xbox and Wii transformed the video game industry.  Before video games like Grand Theft Auto and Madden NFL and even before Pac-Man and Donkey Kong became the obsession of millions of electronic gamers, it was Mr. Lawson who first made it possible to play a variety of video games at home.

In the 1970’s he was director of engineering and marketing for the newly formed video game division of Fairchild Semiconductor.  In 1976, under his direction the company introduced the Fairchild Channel F, a home console that allowed users to play different games contained on removable cartridges. Until then, home video game systems could play only games that were built into the machines themselves.

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