After 48 years on the market, the Zilog Z80 is set to retire. Originally conceived as a project based on the Intel 8080, the Z80 eventually emerged as one of the most popular and widely used 8-bit CPUs in gaming and general computing devices. Developed by Federico Faggin, this iconic integrated circuit will soon be phased out, with stakeholders having only a few months to place orders before Zilog's manufacturing partners cease support for the technology.
According to Zilog's announcement, foundry manufacturer (WFM) will cease accepting "Last Time Buy" (LTB) orders for remaining Z80 products in mid-June. Zilog will handle and schedule LTB orders for Z80 based on customer demand, with WFM subsequently providing actual delivery dates. Depending on the overall demand for LTB, stricter requirements may be imposed on minimum and maximum quantities.
Federico Faggin, an engineer at Intel, founded Zilog in 1974 after developing Intel's first 4-bit microprocessor, the 4004. The Zilog Z80 was released in July 1976, serving as a software-compatible "extension" and enhancement of Intel's 8080 processor.
Developed by a team of only 12 individuals, the Z80 achieved remarkable success, enabling Zilog to establish its own chip manufacturing facility within two years, employing over a thousand people. Like similar products from Intel, the Z80 was initially designed for embedded systems but became a significant milestone in the gaming hardware field from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s.
Sega's Master System and SG-1000, as well as Nintendo's Game Boy and Game Boy Color, were all designed around the capabilities of the Z80 processor. Many classic arcade games, including the original version of "Pac-Man," also utilized the Z80. Additionally, the 8-bit processor has been widely used in military applications, music synthesizers like the Roland Jupiter-8, and various other electronic devices.
Zilog licensed its Z80 technology to U.S. companies Synertek and Mostek (which helped Faggin's enterprise with production) and European manufacturer SGS/STMicroelectronics. Subsequently, manufacturers in Japan, Eastern Europe, and the Soviet Union replicated this CPU design, with companies such as NEC, Toshiba, Sharp, and Hitachi also producing their compatible version chips.
In recent years, Zilog has shifted its focus on the production of the Z80 to the embedded device market, offering advanced microcontroller products while maintaining compatibility with the original Z80 and Z180 designs.
