Atari finally launches its VCS console. Again.

After two years of delays and missed deadlines, Atari has announced at the E3 games conference this week that its VCS games console is finally available. For pre-order. Again. The good news is that you don't have to pledge your hard-earned cash through Indiegogo this time, you can do so through Atari's own website as well as …

[Blockchain commentard]

Why use 4K to watch chunky graphics?

[Dan 55]

Because Netflix, which you also have on every other device you own.

[Sampler]

What I don't get is why not just stick an ok spec pc in a box and put steam os on it, putting your heritage games on steam - sell the box to those whom want a retro Atari2600 style box (which, as I look at my 2.6k isn't styled at all like it, but then, I have the original wood veneer finish machine) and the rest who want to casually play old atari games can buy through steam, opening up your avenues for profit and the appeal of your machine.

[MikeLivingstone]

This is about retro and nouveu combined

Guys, give Atari a break.

I've signed up since 2017 and I am completely chilled about the timescales as I want something fun and playable with retro capability.

The point made in the article contrasting the hardware performance is totally irrelevant, the reason it is irrelevant is that as a rule, the developers in most games companies have been completely incapable of exploiting the benefits of faster hardware for the last 10 years.

Games are like films, and many older games stand the test of time due to the concept and playability, many new games, like many new formulaic films are total rubbish, even if running at 8k.

[Joe W]

Re: This is about retro and nouveu combined

Well, usually these combinations don't work out. One thing you need to do, and the article stresses that, is focus. If it was about the Retro experience, do as Nintendo did. This... abomination is going to suck at most things. Not flexible nor powerful enough to compete with the modern stuff, too overpriced for the retro stuff, except to hardcore fans.

[Pascal Monett]

Re: This is about retro and nouveu combined

Well don't forget to tell us about your experience - if you ever actually get one, that is.

[Stuart Castle]

Re: This is about retro and nouveu combined

Did they pay you?

To survive, Atari need to do more than appeal to retro gamers. They need to attract new customers. Customers who may not be that aware of modern games, and may not have even been born when the VCS was available, so probably won’t have fond memories of a childhood playing it.. These people are going to look at the existing consoles (PS4, Xbox one and Switch) and see consoles with a good selection of games. Then, they’ll see the Atari for roughly the same price. With no announced games, beyond those that were released nearly 40 years ago (and are available more cheaply elsewhere) and some vague promises about android games and windows compatibility.

I want to see them succeed because unlike the current owners of the Commodore name, they seem to be willing to do more than buy a cheap android device from a no name factory and slap their logo on it, but without

some big name game announcements, I don’t think they will do well.

[BinkyTheMagicPaperclip]

Re: This is about retro and nouveu combined

Bullshit.

True, there are uninspiring new first person shooters, and a whole boatload of MMORPGs that don't make it.

However, there's a lot of new and innovative games, especially open world RPGs. Witcher 3, Red Dead Redemption 2, etc. I'm currently 70 hours into Breath of the Wild and loving it. They're technically accomplished too, with sophisticated physics engines, and seamless visuals - the lack of 3D popup in the little I've seen of RDR2 is astounding.

I think it's more accurate to say that PC hardware isn't being exploited as consoles are the lowest common denominator.

Some older games have stood the test of time, others haven't due to increased accessibility and improved control schemes on new games.

[heyrick]

Re: This is about retro and nouveu combined

"The point made in the article contrasting the hardware performance is totally irrelevant"

The point made about hardware is extremely relevant. You don't need 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage to do retro. My Pi, with a dinky SD card, puts in a perfectly acceptable emulation of a Sega Master System for the stuff I grew up with. Recycle or share an old monitor and keyboard, you're looking at an outlay of maybe thirty quid. Unless you happen to have a Pi, in which case it's retro for free.

It's also relevant because, as noted, you can get better for less elsewhere. It's a lot of money for a platform that's overkill for retro, and not quite enough kill for modern gaming. And the problem is that if it's seen as a bit of a dead duck, the games companies you mention may just not bother. Leaving the user with what? Regrets?

[ForthIsNotDead]

Re: This is about retro and nouveu combined

But you could play retro Atari games on an Amazon TV stick. Why do you need a console?

And why do I need 4GB or RAM to play Combat or Pole Position? Atari Console carts were 4KB.

Meh.

[BinkyTheMagicPaperclip]

Re: This is about retro and nouveu combined

You could play the Atari games on an Amazon TV stick, yes. It needs more than 4KB to emulate the original hardware.

If you want to do fancy shader effects to replicate the looked of a curved CRT with all the odd CRT effects, it may require substantially more power.

[Jeffrey Nonken]

Re: This is about retro and nouveu combined

The actual timeline is "exactly one week after Hell freezes over." Chill indeed.

[Jay Lenovo]

It's not a console, its "the Raspberry Pi of the Living room"

Come for the nostalgic games, stay for the homebrew.

[Dan 55]

Re: It's not a console, its "the Raspberry Pi of the Living room"

Cue thousands of people reading that quote from Atari and saying to themselves that they've already got a Raspberry Pi of the living room, thank you very much.

[JassMan]

Re: It's not a console, its "the Raspberry Pi of the Living room"

Yep they should have just put a Pi inside the box, plug a game cassette socket into the GPIO, sell it at cost and specialize in what they once did best which is the software. They should have splashed the cash on writing a superfast gaming engine, capable of running its old classics as well as new products. If they wanted a hardware USP, they could have worked with Raspberry to use the latest existing board but pay a slight premium for one with a new SOC with more cores and memory.

FFS, if people are happy to pay to run old Sinclair games on their Pis, there must be a workable business model for a well sorted Atari console. They could even go down the Pi pathway of starting simple with existing motherboard and emulator, then produce the faster versions with new games later.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: It's not a console, its "the Raspberry Pi of the Living room"

Yes, with the power of the hardware, you'd think it would be switchable to emulate any/all of the past Atari consoles and computers and run all the software.

[Charles 9]

Re: It's not a console, its "the Raspberry Pi of the Living room"

I know from experience emulating the VCS (2600) is quite feasible with hardware comparable to an 80486, and with ROM sizes so tiny, you can fit the entire VCS library on a standard SD card (not even SDHC). Doing the 5200 and 7800 would take just a little more oomph in both.

[short]

Re: It's not a console, its "the Raspberry Pi of the Living room"

If it's an x86 (or x64) then if you want to homebrew, you might as well do it on any old platform. Hell, start now, you don't need to wait for this to launch. Print a case if you want to feel all retro.

If you feel the urge to homebrew games at a more fun level, then why not back

http://kck.st/2WHe9Ew ?

(Disclaimer: I do, and I have...)

It's still not a stellar gaming platform, but it looks like fun and the education collateral will probably be worth the time & money, given the project leaders. They also seem to have actual prototypes...

[Dan 55]

"Aside from the fact that Atari [...] only has access to its own back catalog of retro games"

As well as Infrogrames' catalogue (who bought out Atari and kept the name) and those of other software houses Infrogrames bought up including Ocean. Well, it doesn't have rights to all those games today because they regularly had to sell rights to games to keep the wolves from the door.

Who'd have thought the software house which created Hostages and Alone in the Dark would turn into this blood-sucking vampire.

[Robert Moore]

Can't wait to pick one up...

for $50 from the discount bin, about 6 months after it is released. :( Assuming it is ever released.

[Steve K]

Quoteable

It's like shooting yourself in the foot and then claiming you meant to shoot yourself in the head.

Kieran - I'm saving that one for future use!

[cynicist365]

Re: Quoteable

You’re more likely to find a few million of these devices right next to the ET cartridges. :P

[royprime]

Re: Quoteable

I'll be impressed if they sell a few, let alone a few million.

[Anonymous Coward]

How to choose a gadget...

Why not one of each?

They're not that expensive that many families couldn't afford to enjoy a selection. Then one can shop around for the best value video games, not locked in to only one ecosystem.

There's probably about a dozen gaming consoles in this household, several of each generation. Yes, we have HDMI switches for all the video signals.

Once upon a time, a less comfortable commenter replied to me as follows, "So your richer then me." To which I replied, "Success comes with knowing how to spell 'you're' and 'than'." A brilliant retort which I still find hilarious to this day.

[J. R. Hartley]

Re: How to choose a gadget...

*commentard

[Montreal Sean]

Re: How to choose a gadget...

Must be nice to have that kind of spare cash.

For those of us with cars, mortgages, kids, food and clothing to pay for it isn't that simple.

New Xbox or food for the family for the week? Yup, it's food.

New game for the console or new shoes to replace the worn out ones for both my kids? Yup, it'll be the shoes.

But maybe that's just me.

[I ain't Spartacus]

Re: How to choose a gadget...

Can't you buy the console game, and fashion the plastic case into a temporary pair of shoes?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: How to choose a gadget...

And why buy new shoes? Let them learn the Sam Vimes technique of feeling their location through their feet.

[Kernel]

Re: How to choose a gadget...

"A brilliant retort which I still find hilarious to this day."

Occasionally I also come up brilliant retorts that I find hilarious - at the same time I'm also firmly convinced that attractive young women much younger than me find my sparkling wit, good looks and natural charm to be an irresistible combination.

But eventually the pub closes and I have to go home, waking up to a more realistic view of myself the next morning.

[heyrick]

Re: How to choose a gadget...

"There's probably about a dozen gaming consoles in this household"

I have a PS2. That I got in a boot sale. Which is okay for GTA3 and Project Zero, when plugged into an LCD monitor (from a boot sale) via a composite to VGA adapter (from Amazon). Entire outlay probably less than one contemporary game, but as has been noted above, real life has a bunch of commitments that involve monetary dispense. Should I get an oil change for the car? Or should I buy a game? Food? Electricity bill? The ever rising cost of petrol? All take precedence over "a game".

I'm glad you know how to spell (always useful) and that you can afford a dozen consoles. Not everybody is the same as you, but some of us at least have enough integrity to stand by what we say and not post as a/c...

[Loyal Commenter]

Re: How to choose a gadget...

They're not that expensive that many families couldn't afford to enjoy a selection. Then one can shop around for the best value video games

So... Spend hundreds to save a few quid on things that cost in the order of £40 each? Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

In the unlikley event that there does turn out to be that one killer game that you have to have and is only available on this platform, how many people have the spare cash to splash on the console and the game together? Games publishers, on the other hand, will be trying to push their products onto as many platforms as possible to maximise the profits. Nobody in their right mind is going to publish that game on only a minority console with next-to-zero market penetration. Your logic just doesn't add up...

There, their, they're, never mined, eh?

[zb]

Stop sitting on the shelf, is it a goer or not?

[J. R. Hartley]

Oh dear

It's not looking good, is it. :/

[redpawn]

Get two

You’ll need a spare if the first one breaks. You are unlikely to get warranty service.

[the Jim bloke]

For the sake of clarity

Please refer to them as "The company that has bought Ataris' name".

I know this is mentioned in the article, but only about halfway through, with the headline and bulk of the article potentially implying this current iteration has more relation to the original than simple carrion feeding.

No offense to carrion feeders intended.

[Mike 16]

Re: For the sake of clarity

Thank you. I (barely) restrained myself from replying to the comment above about bottom feeders to note that pretty much _every_ "buyer" of Atari have been such. I lost track around a half-dozen such, in 2000.

As a former employee of Atari (after it had only been bought once, by Warner, not total asshats, but maybe sub-total), it pains me to see a place with so many wonderful, talented, nice (yes, really) people blamed for what has happened to The Brand once it was taken over completely by bean-counters and con-men.

(OK, Williams were OK for a while, but suffered their own dismemberment at the hands of "media moguls" along the way, and there was no room in the lifeboats for the coin-op brands they had collected along the way)

[Anonymous Coward]

Why the pessimism?

I'm not a fanboy or a customer of Atari but it's seems to me that this is starting to get ranty and crusadey (it's not a BBC article, you're meant to be a cynical but to a higher witty English standard imho).

Whilst I won't say this nuAtari project will succeed, I won't be investing, it's evident that getting a modern console off the ground on a budget is a difficult task, you have to cut corners, and it's not like the Speccy or the Wii were technically competitive yet look how they did.

Press release and inexperienced management competency aside, they could strike gold and fair play to them, but let's give them the benefit of the doubt and only burn them for missed deadlines and their attempts at reputation knocking journos because of unfavourable press (you've done this once already and won, no need to.labour the point, a link will suffice). Stressing next gen consoles will trounce their machine is missing a key point - that a household name is coming to back to market as an underdog. The machine may be like the original underpowered PC based Xbox, and which some detractors said was pointless and that a budget PC was better, but ultimately it was a foothold for Microsoft (and they had a much bigger budget).

We all hate Indiegogo for burning backers but I'm prepared to give this one 3 deadline strikes before I declare it dead, I mean there are at least 2 other popular kickstarted retro consoles that seem to be getting a free ride despite delays lasting years, why not this?

By all means warn about backing these kinds of projects (and yes they probably won't sell many even if released) but I'd like to think what they're doing is in good faith, unless you happen to know otherwise? Are they still financially sound? What are their backgrounds? Can you draw project comparisons? These questions for me are the journalism I want to read more of.

[Dan 55]

Re: Why the pessimism?

Who knows, game streaming is supposed to be a thing very soon, they could put every game streaming service on it and make a huge success of it.

But for that to happen it'd need to be cheaper and they'd need to get a coherent marketing message. At the moment it's just an AMD version of the NUC in a nicer box which I don't think is enough because if you wanted one of those you've probably already got one.

[Pascal Monett]

Re: Why the pessimism?

Because the leadership has its mouth full of buzzwords and makes declarations that are the polar opposite of what they are actually doing. On top of that, we are less than a year from launch after two missed launch deadlines and they can't even show a demo unit.

That is not a good sign, and good faith is not enough to produce a working product.

[Trev 2]

Re: Why the pessimism?

In reply to the unasked questions, I think we can give a few answers on behalf of their boss.

- Financially sound...he can't answer that.

- Backgrounds...not allowed to say (special ops).

- Project comparisons... for gods sake don't mention Vega+

As for the switch. Its launched ontime by an established software and hardware company who know exactly what it's specs are years in advance and have the money to produce ot without begging.

[BinkyTheMagicPaperclip]

Re: Why the pessimism?

Pretty certain that's covered in the article 'the VCS can't decide what it wants to be'.

You're not wrong - the Switch does not have high powered hardware, but it knows its target market and has a very accessible developer program. Compare it to its predecessor Wii U (which I bought second hand a few months ago, and like) which was poorly targeted and moderately expensive/annoying to develop for.

Software and marketing sells consoles. If Atari wants to create a wider platform than running old VCS games, they need to justify the premium over a retro emulator.

[Stuart Castle]

Re: Why the pessimism?

I'm a long time gamer (since the early 80s), and while I have never had any Atari hardware so have no happy memories of owning and playing it as a kid, I've got fond memories of playing Atari arcade machines, and I've bought dozens of Atari games on other systems over the years, which I do have happy memories of.

As such, I'd like to see someone worthy take on the name, and make something of it. I feel the same about Commodore. Actually more so, because I had a Commodore 64 and two Amigas, which I have happy memories of spending hours playing with and programming. I still have my last Amiga, although as I've not turned it on since about 1995, I suspect it'd need a service before I let it anywhere near a mains supply. Commodore PSUs don't age well.

I don't think the company that currently owns the Atari brand is the company to make a success of it though. The hardware is as powerful as the current gen consoles, and slightly more expensive. By the time it launches (assuming they meet the current deadline), it's going to be competing with the next gen consoles, and is nowhere near as powerful. Now, you can argue that the Wii and Spectrum prospered despite not being as powerful as the competition, but they both had the advantage that they were cheaper and the Wii also had the advantage of being manufactured by a large company that has deep pockets (so they can absorb years of losses if necessary) and owns several very successful and current games franchises (Mario, Zelda etc) with committed fanbases. Atari has neither (their software arm was sold off years ago by the Tramiels)

Then there is history. If you follow the youtuber, StopDrop&Retro, you may have seen a fair amount of coverage of Atari. As well as retro gaming system reviews, and cheap Chinese knockoff game console reviews, he covers crowdfunding scams. He has covered Atari quite comprehensively, and previous campaigns by some of the people behind Atari. In every case, they've failed to deliver what is promised. This isn't even Atari's first go at a retro console.

They do appear to be trying to develop a new, and relatively powerful console. Something a bit more than another NES mini modelled after another platform. I wish them luck in that. Certainly they have done more than the current owners of the Commodore brands, who are buying up cheap PCs and Android smart phones they can bung Commodore branding on.

There are also a few red flags, the main ones being a lack of updates, and a lack of visible prototypes (apparently they've shown nothing beyond a few videos, that could have been knocked up by anyone with a decent PC and video editing software.

It's interesting to compare them with GPD (another manufacturer who is using crowdfunding to finance new pocket computers). GPD shows prototypes regularly and publicly. They also provide regular updates to their backers, showing real progress. They've also put several pocket PCs (which are actually powerful enough to make reasonable very low end gaming PCs) in the 3 or so years Atari have been promising the VCS.

This was a longer post than I intended, but the short version is that while I'd like Atari to come back all guns blazing and blow the competition away, I don't think they will.

[zekepliskin]

"an under-powered, out-dated, over-priced, over-complicated console that will please no one and go nowhere". I remember journalists lining up in their hundreds to say just that about the Switch prior to launch. You know, the one that's now sold over 35m units and is having The Witcher 3 brought to it. So even if the VCS only sells a tenth of that it's a still pretty decent result. And yup it does have more power than the Switch too.

It's weird how we're back to that though, that it's all about power like nothing else matters. Reminds me of the bit wars of the 1990s. If power is your primary concern all consoles are underpowered; go build yourself a high spec gaming PC with one of those triple decker graphics cards.

[John Brown (no body)]

"an under-powered, out-dated, over-priced, over-complicated console that will please no one and go nowhere". I remember journalists lining up in their hundreds to say just that about the Switch prior to launch. You know, the one that's now sold over 35m units and is having The Witcher 3 brought to it. So even if the VCS only sells a tenth of that it's a still pretty decent result. And yup it does have more power than the Switch too.

Interesting. I've never heard of the Switch. Is it another games console? (No, really. I'm not being snarky, I've not heard of it.)

[VanguardG]

Switch is a Nintendo handheld gaming system. Has a screen and two controllers that can detach from the sides for use similar to the Wii controllers. Billed as "hybrid" since it can be linked to bigger screens or go mobile with the included one.

[BinkyTheMagicPaperclip]

It is a hybrid. When docked it's placed into a higher performance mode, and additional wireless controllers are available. Despite the fact it's more expensive than either the PS4 or XBox One, it's selling like hotcakes.

It's also Nintendo's only current console. The Wii U is no longer produced, the 3DS is having no more first party games released for it. It's a real pity, as the stereoscopic 3D and dual screens on the 3DS are great and it's a lot cheaper than a Switch.

[Avatar of They]

Take a look

The switch is pitched as a go anywhere and carry on playing, and you can play a game when docked with your TV, then pick it out the docking station and walk with it. Playing the same game.

You save the "state" of the game as well. So you charge up a fireball, save game and then you reload the save the fireball goes off. Which helps the pick and move logic. Controllers attach to the sides for mobile gaming, come away for normal gaming and you can add proper controllers as well.

Very good little package for kids and families. And games include the usual Nintendo games with a few big names in there, I hear fortnite is on there?.

[Anonymous Coward]

But what is this thing? Is this a massively overpowered Atari emulator, or is this an expensive, underpowered, general purpose console? It's not that it's "under-powered" per-se, but it's under-powered in relation to it's price point, especially compared to existing hardware.

[Loyal Commenter]

I remember journalists lining up in their hundreds to say just that about the Switch prior to launch.

Nintendo, unlike the reanimated corpse of Atari, is a large company with plenty of viable business streams outside of the console market. They have recent history in the hardware market, so no doubt have the factories and expertise that goes with it. They have a large advertising budget. They can afford a loss-leader. They have a software division, and alternative income streams from licensing things like Pokémon. They have the Japanese work ethic, not the "vulture capitalist" approach (with apologies to vultures). They know how to innovate, rather than copy. Literally everything about them as a company is the polar opposite of what Atari is today

[J. Cook]

And personally, I've found that it's not that underpowered. And it's a pretty decent console/portable hybrid system. Sure, there's a couple quirks n bugs (left hand controller stick issue, anyone?), but it's 'good enough' that I was able to justify dropping Yet Another chunk of change buying Skyrim for it. (I bought the PC version on steam a while ago, and the gameplay on the switch is identical to the PC version more or less.)

[Anonymous South African Coward]

Remember the Vega+

[Anonymous Coward]

Ordered mine ....

Access Denied

You don't have permission to access "http://www.gamestop.com/consoles/atari-vcs-800-onyx-all-in-bundle-only-at-gamestop/178640" on this server.

Reference #18.d33dd58.1560625540.e4fe1e2

[Unicornpiss]

StellaX

Well, legality aside, why wouldn't anyone just download StellaX or one of the umpteen other emulators out there, which run on virtually any OS, and frequently come packaged with EVERY VCS game ever made, including all the Activision games and even pointless rarities like "Custer's Revenge"?

[Charles 9]

Re: StellaX

PS. For anyone not familiar with that last title at the end, a friendly notice that the title in question is NSFW and is in fact widely considered in extremely bad taste. A rather-clinical assessment of the title can be found in Wikipedia's "List of video games notable for negative reception", second entry from the top.

[Swarthy]

Re: StellaX

Wow, it seems to have been rated even worse than ET. Ooof!

[Psion1k]

There has already been several units of "retro reboot, like the mini NES and SNES, or PlayStation Classic".

Just do a search for "Atari Flashback".

[Ugotta B. Kiddingme]

Re: Psion1k

Indeed. Came to say that myself. The Atari Flashback has 110 games on it and can be had for under USD$50. And yet, even at that bargain price "Nostalgia isn't what it used to be..."

[sawatts]

Love to play Manic Miner again, in 4K at 60fps. Hope they can get the music right...

[Protocol]

But...

You're missing the point; dreadful management decisions is VERY post-1980 Atari! This is exactly the sort of console Atari should release and fits perfectly alongside the XEGS and the Jaguar.

[Anonymous Coward]

Ooh a Netflix client, sign me up.

Who would actually play any of those old Atari games for more than 2 minsfor the Member Berries? I'm sorry, but i get the playstation/sega/snes devices as they do have some classic games, but as someone who was born in the 70's, playing any Atari game is just to show your kids how bad games used to be.

[Protocol]

Star Raiders (1979) was - and still is - superb! One of the all time greats.

[Anonymous Coward]

Only in your 9 year old imagination, when you also had your chairs and pillows set up as the millennium falcon's cockpit.

[Protocol]

How did you know what I was up to last weekend?!?

[Anonymous Coward]

"All dates are good faith estimates and subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances."

Maybe RCL should have used that disclaimer

[adam payne]

Love Atari and have fond memories of all of their machines. However I fail to see how they can compete with the big three if indeed they are going down the full console route.

[allthecoolshortnamesweretaken]

Well, the box looks nice.

[DesktopGuy]

design inspiration from a Taiwanese company…

Looks surprisingly like a Draytek 2962 from the rear…

https://www.draytek.com.au/vigor2926/

[ForthIsNotDead]

Where's Jack Tramiel...

...when you need him?

[Patrick Lane]

Wonder if the previous Atari Computers running under emulation are going to be included with this "Atari OS" ?

[Compuserve User]

Marketing Tools

This is clearly a wind up to get punters interested in a new pi-esque console. Atari doesn't make hardware the same reason as Sega. No money in it.

There are plenty of reasons why not to shake the bushes and the trees for low hanging fruit. The design looks right, the size could also guesstimation. Ryzen CPU? lol More like a Rock chip.

After all this is video game marketing right? Whisper Atari in your ear and you drop 300 quid without thinking.