GoKawiilOnce a juggernaut of the home computer, Commodore is now a niche boutique brand, run by a YouTuber. So how did we get from the immensely popular Commodore 64s through the 80s, a classic gaming experience with the Amiga, and now, a flip phone? Well, to say it's simple would be lying.
Commodore was originally founded in 1976 by Jack Tramiel and Irving Gould. A year later it launched the PET and followed it up with the VIC-20, which was one of the first to hit a million units sold. In '82, it launched the Commodore 64, which became a powerhouse amongst home computer users. While the Commodore 64 was the United States' home computer of choice through parts of the 80s, the '85 jump in tech with the Amiga 1000 gained huge popularity throughout Europe. By 1996, the Amiga was now a niche, as the PC market had completely dominated the computing space, and home consoles were far cheaper, and easier to operate.
With the company bankrupt, this is where it begins to get a little complicated. Originally, a German company called ESCOM, backed by companies based in Asia, essentially acquired everything in 1995. ESCOM was reportedly attempting to revive the Commodore Amiga, partnering with one of the Asian companies, Tianjin Family. In 1996, ESCOM itself went under, selling to the Dell-alternative Gateway. The cow-themed PC maker got everything bar the "C= Commodore" trademarks and name, which eventually wound up being owned by a Netherlands-based company, Tulip Computers.