When Defender was released in late 1980, it was so different and exciting, it became an instant hit. Six months after its release, Defender took in more quarters per week than any other game in the United States. Williams went from the number two pinball manufacturer to the major new force in video amusements. A year after it was released, Defender machines were still rolling off the production line to satisfy the demand. Eventually, Defender went on to ship more than 60,000 units and reportedly spawned almost as many bootlegs at the time, when pirating was still rampant in the industry.
Defender remains one of the top ten arcade games of all time.
Williams purchased Midway a few years later. Defender was the first in a long line of Williams games that were built on a solid bedrock of exciting gameplay. The game burst on the scene seemingly out of nowhere. In fact, it was the culmination of eight months of hard work. What most people don't know is that the Defender project teetered back and forth on the brink of oblivion, right until the day it was first tested in an arcade.