Atarick

Looks cool...but I am bit curious why it's $24.99 on the VCS store but only $10 on Steam.

On that Super Nicktendo update justclaws posted, he mentions that Atari changed the name from "sandbox" to PC Mode as the former was too similar to a forthcoming game title and they wanted to avoid confusion. Thus leading me to assume this may be another that could come pre-loaded on future consoles after preorders/retail.

So far, as of 12/30/20: Sir Lovelot Thrustlander Missile Command Recharged (VCS version supposedly now optimized for classic controller and features new artwork and modified gameplay) That's it for originals thus far but apparently a few more are on the way. I believe Chaos Chasis (forthcoming) was also VCS exclusive but I may be wrong on that.

Just to be clear, did you already try a OGI/Y-connector with a USB in it with the FBX on? If it has the reset button underneath it is the latest edition, which means that 1.7 may already be installed. That firmware version might already recognize the USB. Just don't want you to waste time on a firmware downgrade for a capability you may already have.

To me it has always been a $199 machine (the original backer price sans controllers, if I recall right) or a $269 machine (the current preorder price sans controllers). The specs fit that price point. As above, with a controller and a other game on it at launch I would bring this thing to retail in 5-7 months at around $249.99-$270. I think that's both competitive and realistic with the price of similar machines at similar specs.

My guess would be the emergence of things like PalmPilot and BlackBerry around the same time. While not smart phones, they embedded a lot of "at a touch" information services that could be regularly obtained via a handheld device. That was huge. No, not a smartphone, but for the era, kind of a game changer. Laptops also dropped in price substantially after about 2000, which may be another reason. In a way, things like streaming and Zoom may have made us come full circle. Now, in the age of smartphones, the desire to have ease of access and a one stop shop for various lifestyle apps and media may be more important that whether such a commodity is mobile. I could see something like the VCS, or similar, coming into vogue in that way if it were designed, equipped, and marketed to fill that niche.

That guy's reactions in the video, every last one, are identical to mine when I get past the second screen of Double Dragon on the 2600.

Precisely. And this has been a major misstep in nearly all of the gaming pundit reviews so far. The "Atari's VCS is a big $400 joke of a PC!" line is both completely inaccurate and grossly misinformed. Having owned a number of $250-$300 PCs over the years, most are duds unless I have gone in and essentially reformatted and spec'd them up myself....which is what the VCS precisely allows. The Ryzen chip on Linux is the baseline capability; there are numerous other avenues to get more out of it, no different than any other PC in that price range. And $380 for a console/PC hybrid with two controllers that appear to work for most games you could find is a decent deal. I still think that Atari should charge no more than $279.99 with one modern controller included for the 800 if this thing goes to broader retail, as that would be a really solid test for any broader market appeal (include a coupon for a set of classic controllers at around $99.99). At that price point (which is basically right below or at the XBox Series S price), I think a few more people would be willing to bite if more games are available and the OS is updated to fix the various quirks that have appeared.

Happy birthday Al! Thanks for the effort and knowledge you've put in here, and for making this community what it is.

These items are so cool. Would have been awesome to have been at one of the events or expos where these things were handed out, or the types of events like the Hawaii thing in the other thread. Thanks for posting!

It's of course easier to say you disagree with something outright and boycott an inferior product because you take exception with the strategic direction of said company and how they treat their patrons. I'm in the camp of "the VCS on paper does some things I'd love to root for, but I want these French fools to wake up and realize how much better it could be, and the community they could tap in to". The controller is cool. The VCS itself looks great. The GUI is basic but slick looking. The embrace of indie titles is nice. The specs are decent. But it's missing the "oomph" to get it over the top and really help it transcend the market. Games and an IP-rich library could have done that. But it is an open architecture so it's tough for me to form a verdict beyond the company selling it and the look of it at this point.

There are a number of comments and videos on the r/VCS subreddit of people doing just this. Sounds like a few people have had no problem loading Windows onto it and running Steam through it. Someone also commented on installing a different version of Linux but I wasn't following their logic on that one.

A part of me had hoped that the response, and bungled execution, of the VCS launch would humble them a bit. The fan-shaming and censoring of their Reddit and discord changed my view on that. The odd thing: there are SO many things they could do to make a genuine effort. Fan advisory board, maybe some of the members recruited from this board. Naming a former Atari exec or developer a Brand Advisor or ambassador. Having a "dev fest" that Atari sponsors for indie gamers for the VCS, granting the winner a VCS-exclusive contract. But no. We're going with hotels and Bitcoin.

Fair play, I can't fault your point. Personally? I don't think they're a million miles off from possibly recouping some of the goodwill they've burned, spurned, and spent, but it will take a personality transplant. They could become a unique company again, but it will take a reckoning with fans, investors, and skeptics. They will have to both admit fault and hear the criticism. They have a long way to go. I've followed too many crappy sports teams owned by awful people (who go from worst to first sometimes) to say things can't turn. The difference between sustained success and lasting mediocrity is often nothing more than having a clear operating model, hiring respected industry experts to manage and develop it, and regularly engaging the fan community to earn trust.

The only question I have back to this argument is what would the current Atari skeptics desire out of any future venture named "Atari". Bushnell and Warner aren't coming back into the fray. The brand, absent a major capital injection, likely doesn't have the resources to acquire edgy developers or exclusive titles. So what's left? What would a fan choose for any future "Atari Corp"? Leave it for dead forever? A small company that licenses old IPs and every blue moon releases a revival game that updates an old title or property? And if the latter, how is that different than what Atari SA was doing prior to the VCS or their other crowdsourcing debacles?

This is the key point. The "no one but niche gamers would buy it" thing always makes me laugh. They launched the thing on IndieGoGo with a $100k goal. Mass production was never in mind. For me, the intent was always to get a little cash on a console concept they could market to hard core Atari fanatics and developers, have them beta test and mod it, then do a gradually bigger launch once it was more refined and had a bigger games library. IMO their shoddy execution only somewhat dogged that early ambition; the response to the crowdfunding call did too. Atari SA absolutely got out in front of their skis a little bit, but I don't blame them. Demand was there and they sought to feed it. They were not equipped for this level of production, and it has completely showed. As mentioned elsewhere in the thread, their next best move is to take the feedback in the discord and from backers seriously, invest in game development and system upgrades, and as time allows, modestly market the thing. Maybe in 5-7 years, if they can really hone their niche with games and reacquire some key IPs, they can aim for VCS 2.0. It's not impossible. All told however, I do not expect it to be a linear path.

It's funny, I know it's not theirs at all, but I always associated Q*Bert with Atari as a kid. Not until much, much later did I realize it wasn't an Atari property at all. Now that is a mascot-worthy creature you can sell pushed animals for and market a disgusting, short-lived cereal around.

Yeah this caught me too. I doubt very strongly it will lead to any major traction in terms of development, especially considering that a game like Cyberpunk cost $340M to make (every time I type it, it kind of scares me), but what it could facilitate is a few acquisitions of former properties or perhaps a few exclusive titles for the VCS with indie developers. It's small change in the gaming dev world, but if it shows that Atari SA understands that games are a critical missing element in their long-term strategy and frankly, survivability, I suppose it's a start.

Year's Revenge reboot in 2011 as well. Also a popular cross-platformer, as it showed up on GameBoy back in the day. But can they make him more "cuddly"? Kid friendly? Seems a hallmark of all great mascots. That's what Pac Man (Namco, admittedly) and Bentley Bear have, if nothing else. I would find a stuffed Yar hillarious, but most kids would likely shudder.

My personal faves are Batman, Castlevania, and Punch Out. I spent hours of my life playing those 3. I also loved MegaMan 2 but never owned it. My worst picks are Fist of North Star, Data-East's Karate Champ, and Fester's Quest.

Yeah I have genuinely wondered this. As IPs go, what does Atari intrinsically "own"? Centipede? Bentley Bear from "Crystal Castles"? Yar? Personally the bear has potentially. That box art is still adorable and a reboot could be, if developed effectively, pretty awesome. I'm thinking a platformer or 3-D POV game where he wanders through a shifting landscape dodging orbs and monsters. If he falls in a "trap" it dumps you into the 2600 version of the port, and you have to win the stage to get back. Market it with stuffed bears and a one-off cartoon short. Maybe a "pack-in" sticker for VCS presales and it serves as another free game next to Missile Command: Recharged.

I agree. Also, the most embarassing thing about the whole roll out of this thing has zero to do with the backers, and a little to do with Atari. To me, the most ridiculous development is how woefully misinformed many YouTube gaming pundits are on this thing. Couple days ago I was watching a popular channel give their "hot take" review where they got the price, specs, release history, and available games wrong all in a span of 3 sentences. You can pan a product and give critical analysis of why it sucks, but for crying out loud please do a little research. I'm not saying this thing will revolutionize the gaming world, but it's easy to learn about and there is still a place for such a product on the market.

Elevator Action (2600) Galaxian (Arcade) Dark Chambers (2600)

He means if you fart while reading the VCS discord, you get one for free. It was in the fine print on the IndieGoGo page.