Console News: Atari VCS announced

[Dandel]

The new Atari Console is officially announced at the Game Developers Conference 2018 ( aka GDC 2018) due to have the pre-order information appear during April of this year. Some of the confirmed information on the console is as follows:

• Atari Console in either black or wood grain finish
• Wireless Atari Style Controller
• Wireless XBox styled controller
• Expected Cost between $250 to $300 usd

The confirmed Technical Specifications of the Console are as follows:

• Performance will be similar to the Nintendo Switch
• 4K ready
• Video streaming compatible
• Integrated wifi (no details on limits of this
• Linux Powered, and Compatible with nearly any Linux compatible game. ( Aka steam ready)
• USB Ports on back ( 3 shown in picture)
• Ethernet Port
• HDMI Port
• MicroSD Slot ( No details on size limits)

Links to more information/Details:

• Official Atari VCS Links:
  
  • AtariVCS website
  • AtariVCS Facebook page
  • AtariVCS Twitter feed
  • AtariVCS Instagram page
  • Atari VCS YouTube Page
• News Articles:
  
  • CNET: Ataribox now Atari VCS, preorders start in April
  • TechRadar: Atari VCS: everything you need to know about Atari's comeback console
  • Tom's Hardware: The Atari VCS Pops Up At GDC 2018
  • Digital Trends: Mysterious ‘Ataribox’ console finally gets a name and pre-order window
    
  • The Verge: The Ataribox gets an official name, with preorder date to be announced in April
    
• Community Links:
  
  • Wikipedia Page: Atari VCS
    

[KingOfHumans]

That thing is trash!
Most people are BOOing it!
I really hope you don't waste your money on it

[Dandel]

That thing is trash!
Most people are BOOing it!
I really hope you don't waste your money on it

I prefer to wait before making a decision on the console about poor press on a console that has not even released yet. Also, I have two main reasons I am looking at getting the console.

Reason 1: The console is a truly open platform where any developer regardless of financial backing can make/develop games for this console.

Reason 2: While actual hardware details are sparse right now, The company has already confirmed that this console uses a Semi-Custom AMD processor. This is a major detail for users since you can expect reasonable performance when you take a look at what the other Console makers did with their Semi-Custom AMD processors/graphics. A quick list of systems using AMD Processors (and graphics) is as follows...

• Nintendo GameCube (See: Wikipedia) - The graphics on this are listed as ATI/ArtX, but ultimately the result is this can be considered as part of the history of AMD's graphics/console chips.
  
• Microsoft Xbox 360 (See: Wikipedia) - Yet another ATI Graphics chip.
  
• Nintendo Wii (see: Wikipedia) - This is a heavily modified chip, but still it's an ATI graphics chip.
  
• Nintendo Wii U (see: Wikipedia)
• Sony Playstation 4 (See: Wikipedia) - This uses a 2nd generation AMD Graphics Core Next ( GCN) video card.
• Sony PlayStation 4 Pro (See: Wikipedia) - This uses a 4th generation AMD Graphics Core Next ( GCN) video card.
• Microsoft Xbox One (see: Wikipedia) - The graphics core for this is a 2nd Generation AMD GCN
• Microsoft Xbox One S(see: Wikipedia) - This is a die shrink of the original Xbox One.
• Microsoft Xbox One X(see: Wikipedia) - This upgrades the graphics processor to a 4th generation AMD GCN.

[Golden Warrior]

Well it is Atari. It's a company with a long history in the gaming world. I look forward to seeing what they can do. A truly open platform for a console is long overdue IMO and there are tons of indie devs out there that would love to put their games on a console without all the red tape. Also developing for a hardware family they're already familiar with (AMD) will help devs port existing games over easier too.

I say give them a chance and see what they can do before booing them. It's not like Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft are in a position where they are untouchable. If this turns out to be a viable alternative to those three, it'll mean Atari's back from the dead and there's something to be said about open platforms.

[Rowan]

I like the idea, but it all boils down to what games get developed for it to determine whether ir flops or fails. There have been several open hardware (or so I think, I'm not sure exactly how open The GPX32 and Open Pandora are/were), and they got thrown into the "Niche Device" bin.

[KingOfHumans]

Atari ruined the gaming industry!
They are feeding off your nostalgia.
They used a patreon/indi go go (forget which) to Port a game over to the switch.
They are a money hungry company trying to make a quick buck!
Don't be foolish, don't support them!

[Guardian]

I'd consider getting it if it was no more than $150 and had EVERY Atari game EVER on it!

[Dandel]

I'd consider getting it if it was no more than $150 and had EVERY Atari game EVER on it!

Then don't bother. The released information already states that the console is out of your price range since the expected price is about $300 at launch. However after a few years, the console may reach the price range you want. The biggest reason for the higher price point is that the console includes a modern processor and graphics chip inside. This means the console will definitely be able to handle 3d graphics.

As far as classic Atari Games are concerned, I believe the console will include many of the games included with the Atari Flashback console.

Now here is a big note, This game console will include third party studio games ( i forgot to mention this before), and there is no definite list of included games in regards to this. However, I do know that the screen shot on the website for the console clearly shows Terraria on the tv screen.

Atari ruined the gaming industry!
They are feeding off your nostalgia.

Atari ruined the gaming industry?! I believe your referring to one of two incidents.

Incident 1: The video game crash of 1983 (wikipedia link) that resulted in a landfill full of unopened atari games. This ultimately caused the Atari, Inc to split. This split lead to two different Atari companies namely the Atari Corporation that handled home consoles and was ultimately purchased by Hasbro Interactive in 1998, and Atari Games which ultimately was handled by Midway Games. This event was mostly caused by an overabundance of games released by third party developers.

Incident 2: The Atari Jaguar failed game console. The failure of this console was mostly caused by game developers having no idea on how to handle multi-core programming ( and honestly, many game developers still have no idea how to properly program multi-threaded programs). Either way, This console had no relation to the founders of the original Atari consoles.

Atari VCS ( aka Ataribox) - This console is being handled by Atari, SA (formerly called Infogrames Entertainment, SA ). This company is the ultimate destination for all of the home video game IP that the original Atari, Inc had.

They used a patreon/indi go go (forget which) to Port a game over to the switch.
They are a money hungry company trying to make a quick buck!
Don't be foolish, don't support them!

I believe your thinking of the start engine crowd funding site. The game that is being ported is Rooler Coaster Tycoon under the Atari Game Partners (link to the crowd funding page) label. The crowd funding page clearly has two questions which are in regards to this...

"Question 1: Why is Atari funding RollerCoaster Tycoon Switch on StartEngine?" - The bulk answer for this is that the crowd funding campaign is a test of viability of using Crowd funding to port/publish other games.

"Question 5: What happens if Atari Game Partners do not reach the investment goal of $1.07 million?" - This clearly states that regardless of the crowd funding, the Switch version of Rooler Coaster Tycoon will be published.


Edit Fixed typo.

[Golden Warrior]

Atari ruined the gaming industry!

Did they really? Without the Atari 2600 being so successful would consoles have still taken off? Sure they made mistakes and the industry had a major crash, but other companies saw what went wrong and tried something else and became quite successful at it. Nintendo no doubt learned from Atari's mistakes and wouldn't be the gaming juggernaut it is today it wasn't for the groundwork that companies like Atari laid out.

They are feeding off your nostalgia.

Now why does that sound familiar? It couldn't be because some other company put up some older games for sale on an online store for a newer console or the many reboots of older games being done....nah that can't be it. coughnintendocoughsonycoughsquareenixco ugh

Damn dust in here.

They used a patreon/indi go go (forget which) to Port a game over to the switch.

I fail to see the problem. As a gamer, I don't care where the developers get their money as long as I have access to a good library of games at decent prices. If they pull in any additional revenue from the ported game they didn't have to spend money on they can use it to make their console better, but regardless if that's the case or if their CEO just wants to buy an additional summer home, I don't care as long as good games come out for us gamers.

They are a money hungry company trying to make a quick buck!

Oh no! A company that exists to make money! What a travesty! Remind me again when Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft/EA/Square Enix/etc. didn't make decisions to capitalize on customers? It's not like they're non-profits. Even Nintendo is going the paid DLC route now.

Don't be foolish, don't support them!

Then by all means, don't buy anything from any developer that charges money for the product they make. Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft/EA/Square Enix/etc don't need anymore money. I'm sure all their employees would love to start working for free. Outrageous executive salaries aside, it's not like game developers need to pay for hardware, electricity, etc. to develop games or take care of their families.

The new Atari console will stand on its own merits and sink or swim. I was less than impressed with what Nintendo was doing with the switch back when it was still under the NX label and now that it's out and standing on its own merits, I ended up with a Switch which happens to be the first Nintendo console I got since the Game Cube. Nothing is impossible and if I can get brought back to a Nintendo console, and if something as dumb as a pet rock can make someone a million dollars, then it's too soon to tell for Atari.

[Rowan]

Damn dust in here.

Sorry! Working on it!

[Golden Warrior]

Thanks I feel much better now!   

[Dandel]

Another small update. There is an interview from April 19th, 2018 that was just published this last week that outlines a few more details about the Atari VCS console. Information can be found on Eurogamer

[Golden Warrior]

It's priced competitive to the switch. If they can knock off any more dollars they'd be able to sell it as a gaming/entertainment device for the budget conscience.

[Dandel]

I'd consider getting it if it was no more than $150 and had EVERY Atari game EVER on it!

A few more of the details are now finalized along with the start of the Preorders ( see my news post here)...

• The console will cost between $199 - $399 depending on configuration. This means it's clearly out of your price range.
• This console is a modern console by the actual released Technical Specifications. The system by all means is equivalent to a mid range gaming pc, and with careful work by developers this can be pushed to higher quality than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
  
• The console will include a lot of the games found in the Atari Vault ( see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_Vault ). This collection covers most of the 136 Atari 2600 games published by Atari.
• This console will easily run third party games/software. The biggest thing is a few extra steps involved in installing a desktop Linux distribution on the system.
• The Controllers advertise support for PC/Android using Bluetooth wireless, and the included USB cable.