In the UK (circa 1980), computers like the Apple II were so expensive to import that they were rarely used for frivolous activities like games.  It wasn't until the release of the Sinclair ZX-81 (known in the United States as the Timex TS1000) with its cheap tape storage, that computers became affordable for gamers in Europe.  Clive Sinclair, the man who invented the Sinclair range of computers, is responsible for making the UK so enthusiastic about computers.  In the U.S., the original Timex Sinclairs were great toys for computer hobbyists, but they were terribly under-powered for gaming compared to their U.S. counterparts.  The ZX-81/TS1000 only had 1K of RAM!  However, the next in the Sinclair line, called the Spectrum, housed a respectable 48K.   Unfortunately, when the Spectrum was released in 1982, Sinclair had already lost the U.S. market to the likes of Commodore, Apple and Atari.  However, in the U.K., the Spectrum was king.  Professional magazines supported the Spectrum up until 1993, and hobbyist publications are still popular in retrogaming circles.