The Atari 2600+ is live for preorders!

[famicommander]

28 minutes ago, Nall3k said:

I don't own their hardware, so I can't speak on that. But their Recharge lineup is really fun, as is Atari 50, and they were on Metacritic's top publisher list for 2022. So, clearly new management is doing something right.

Atari 50 is outstanding. If they did more like that nobody would have any reason to criticize them.

 

But crapping out more sub-par hardware will only continue the perception they've cultivated over the last couple decades. The 2600+, MyArcade crap, Atari Flashback AtGames crap... these devices are an embarrassment to the Atari name. You can't rebuild your reputation if you continue doing the same stuff that damaged your reputation in the first place.

 

If you want to revive your brand you have to demonstrate standards. You have to say that we're not going to put our name on a sub-par product even if it means giving up some short term cash flow, because in the long term having a bunch of horrible devices with our logo all over them hurts us.

 

The Retron 77 isn't very good but it's half the price of the 2600+ and, minus the 7800 compatibility, appears to be a much more capable device. If you can't beat a device that notorious crap-merchant Hyperkin put out years ago for half the price you should give up.

 

Evercade is launching a 60 dollar handheld next month that has great emulation, hundreds of games across ~50 carts, a high quality IPS screen, and 5 carts full of Atari games (2 with 2600 and 7800 games, 2 with Lynx games, 1 with arcade games). Atari has a business relationship with these people already, so why not just make an Atari branded Super Pocket instead of this MyArcade trash?

Edited September 6, 2023 by famicommander

[zzip]

32 minutes ago, famicommander said:

But crapping out more sub-par hardware will only continue the perception they've cultivated over the last couple decades. The 2600+, MyArcade crap, Atari Flashback AtGames crap... these devices are an embarrassment to the Atari name. You can't rebuild your reputation if you continue doing the same stuff that damaged your reputation in the first place.

I don't think it's fair to use the past two decades to judge the present Atari,  during that time we saw change ownership from Hasbro, to Infrogrames and try to be an AA/AAA publisher, then go bankrupt, sell off assets, recover from bankruptcy, get into crypto, hotels, and brand licensing.

 

It's only been about two years or so of the Wade Rosen era, and we've seen a big change with them focusing more of their heritage, with the recharged collection, they are buying up classic IPs, including some they lost,  they have the Recharged Collection, new carts,  the VCS which is a capable PC, and not some cheap flashback devices.   Some people want to play carts, so they have the Polymega initiative,  and now the 2600+.   Not everything they announce is going to be of interest to everyone.   But that was true of the classic era too,   I remember a lot of cynicism and anger when the XEgs was announced, for instance "It's not what I want, they are ruining the 8-bit line"

 

Also they are a tiny company now,  it's not realistic to expect them to do the kinds of things they were able to do when they had hundreds or thousands of employees.

[famicommander]

It's totally fair to judge them if they learn nothing. If they're going to make horrible devices people are going to call those devices horrible and crap on Atari for it. That's just the way it's going to be.

[+x=usr(1536)]

5 minutes ago, famicommander said:

It's totally fair to judge them if they learn nothing. If they're going to make horrible devices people are going to call those devices horrible and crap on Atari for it. That's just the way it's going to be.

As long as the marketplace keeps rewarding them by buying everything they crank out, they'll keep cranking out crap.  Crap sells.  It's as simple as that.

[zzip]

18 minutes ago, x=usr(1536) said:

As long as the marketplace keeps rewarding them by buying everything they crank out, they'll keep cranking out crap.  Crap sells.  It's as simple as that.

Well that's a dumb strategy!  Instead of making what they can sell,  Atari should concentrate on making devices that a dozen or so people on an internet forum say they want with no evidence they'd actually buy it.

Edited September 6, 2023 by zzip

[famicommander]

3 minutes ago, zzip said:

Well that's dumb,  Instead of making what they can sell,  Atari should concentrate on making devices that a dozen or so people on an internet forum say they want with no evidence they'd actually buy it.

The people who buy the crap they put out now will obviously buy anything they make regardless, so why not go the full 9 yards and make something that actually doesn't suck for everyone who actually does have standards? Then everybody's happy. The 2600+ is the same price as an Evercade VS bundle. The MyArcade handheld is only 20 bucks less than an Evercade Super Pocket. If Blaze can make quality products in this price range, Atari should either match their quality, partner with them directly, or give up. 

 

It's not like Atari has been getting rich off these things all these years. They're selling them to an ever-dwindling supply of the same old dudes, and as we've already discussed, it certainly hasn't helped them out of any of their well noted financial difficulties. There are only so many people with nostalgia for the Atari brand out there, and there aren't going to be any more of them if the modern version of the company doesn't clean up its act and become respectable to today's consumers.

Edited September 6, 2023 by famicommander

[zzip]

15 minutes ago, famicommander said:

The people who buy the crap they put out now will obviously buy anything they make regardless, so why not go the full 9 yards and make something that actually doesn't suck for everyone who actually does have standards? Then everybody's happy. The 2600+ is the same price as an Evercade VS bundle. The MyArcade handheld is only 20 bucks less than an Evercade Super Pocket. If Blaze can make quality products in this price range, Atari should either match their quality, partner with them directly, or give up. 

My point is the "good" product that everybody here will say they want will likely be too expensive or too niche to sell to far more numerous casual buyers.   And worse, there isn't general agreement on what people want.   We've had threads where people will say they want something that can play every cart from every Atari system or a console replica that uses no emulation or a brand new console that's based on proprietary technology (not PC) like the old days.   You'll end up with a product that's either very expensive or very niche.   And even if Atari did try to make the perfect product for one of these small groups of people, many people will still complain about it because nothing is ever perfect, and fact is some people are complainers by nature.

 

15 minutes ago, famicommander said:

It's not like Atari has been getting rich off these things all these years. They're selling them to an ever-dwindling supply of the same old dudes, and as we've already discussed, it certainly hasn't helped them out of any of their well noted financial difficulties.

Yes it's true it's a dwindling market.   The Atari name is Atari's best asset,  so they are wise to use it while they can.   It's also good to see them expanding their IP and product line so they don't have to rely on selling the same old compilations year after year to people sick of buying them

Edited September 6, 2023 by zzip

[famicommander]

2 minutes ago, zzip said:

My point is the "good" product that everybody here will say they want will likely be too expensive or too niche to sell to far more numerous casual buyers.   And worse, there isn't general agreement on what people want.   We've had threads where people will say they want something that can play every cart from every Atari system or a console replica that uses no emulation or a brand new console that's based on proprietary technology (not PC) like the old days.   You'll end up with a product that's either very expensive or very niche.   And even if Atari did try to make the perfect product for one of these small groups of people, many people will still complain about it because nothing is ever perfect, and fact is some people are complainers by nature.

Ultimately the Atari 2600+ is less capable as a 2600 than the Retron 77, which came out years ago at a much lower price. 

 

The Atari MyArcade is an absurdly bad value compared to a Super Pocket. There's no excuse for the MyArcade instead of just doing an Atari branded Super Pocket like Taito and Capcom did.

 

The Evercade EXP and Evercade VS are ultimately in the same price range and they're far, far more capable devices with far more features and games.

 

That's the problem. Companies like Blaze and Hyperkin are putting these offerings to shame. And even Hyperkin themselves have an awful reputation.

[+jgkspsx]

4 hours ago, Nall3k said:

I don't own their hardware, so I can't speak on that. But their Recharge lineup is really fun, as is Atari 50, and they were on Metacritic's top publisher list for 2022. So, clearly new management is doing something right.

I don’t think many people here play games on modern systems.

[+jgkspsx]

12 hours ago, Spriggy said:

Because I can buy a 40+ year old 2600 that can play 100% of all games , including homebrews (ARM or not) and cheap composite mod cheaper than this emulator

A 2600 can play 0% of the 7800 library, and it’s a total crapshoot finding a 7800 that will play well with large swathes of the 2600 library (and won’t eat the cartridges). The Retron 77 can also play 0% of the 7800 library. So in that regard the compatibility isn’t so bad… if the 7800 emulation is halfway decent.

[+Defender_2600]

4 hours ago, famicommander said:

Ultimately the Atari 2600+ is less capable as a 2600 than the Retron 77, which came out years ago at a much lower price. 

 

The Atari MyArcade is an absurdly bad value compared to a Super Pocket. There's no excuse for the MyArcade instead of just doing an Atari branded Super Pocket like Taito and Capcom did.

 

The Evercade EXP and Evercade VS are ultimately in the same price range and they're far, far more capable devices with far more features and games.

 

That's the problem. Companies like Blaze and Hyperkin are putting these offerings to shame. And even Hyperkin themselves have an awful reputation.

 

Regarding the price, you are not considering the quality of the design and assembly, the quality of the materials used and the equipment included in the box, usually these elements make that big difference between a cheap third party product and a quality official product .

 

No one has yet gotten an Atari 2600+ however we already know that (even compared to the Retron 77) it is _large_, has metal switches, includes a multigame cartridge and includes the new CX40+ joystick, which promises to replicate/improve the quality and robustness of the CX40 original. Furthermore the 2600+ "already" includes the latest version of Stella and an additional emulator for the 7800. We will be able to evaluate the overall quality when we have a unit in our hands but I think we could get a robust product with a quality joystick that does not breaks easily, as do many third party imitations/reproductions (Retron 77 included, see photos of its broken, cracked joysticks).

 

We know that the 2600+ is an emulation based system (Stella, the best emulator available) and also offers the possibility of using original cartridges, therefore it is not a closed system like the NES classic / SNES classic and it does not seem to me that the critics have defined these systems as "junk", in fact they were made by "Big Nintendo" and they sold a few million unit. And we could continue with Sega Genesis mini, PC Engine mini, Neo Geo mini and others.

 

As for Blaze, the comparison is irrelevant, their systems are not using _old_ original cartridges, each Blaze cartridge includes its own emulator and several games were not included due to compatibility issues, like Double Dragon for example.

 

Not forgetting that it has been said that for 2600+ there will be room for improvement through the release of updated firmware. Some people here have already contributed their technical skills and are sharing relevant information that could be very useful in the future, and this is much appreciated and constructive.

 

Maybe the discussion about technical insights could continue in another topic, it gets complicated to search these posts while some other people are talking about tacos and trash.

[Giles N]

2 hours ago, Defender_2600 said:

Not forgetting that it has been said that for 2600+ there will be room for improvement through the release of updated firmware.

Do we know if there will be firmware updates for 7800-emulation?

Do we know, can we guess which 7800-emulator it uses…?

 

- - -

 

I think it has been mentioned that whether the cart-dumper can be improved prior to launch, is matter of whether production is ongoing or whether things can still be changed.

 

I therefore asked for opinions on whether add-on cart-dumpers could be done.

 

- - -

 

I still think its important that Atari tries to really make impacts, not just gradual, slow additions that escapes the attention of larger groups.

Of course firmware-updates and stuff like that are just necessary maintenance, like service, so that must happen.

 

But when releasing things they need to deliver things that, - if they don’t have the means to make a big ‘woow!!’  -, then at least - some ‘ohh, that looks really, really cool, could be really nice to have’. But the bigger the ‘wows’ made, the better.

It is called 2600+, yet Atari shouidn’t at all underestimate the potential of the 7800-compatibility.

If they can, they should really make it as broad as possible - as providing emulation-possibilities isn’t making them responsible for what people stick into the cart-dumper (and of course, they need to go with what’s strictly legal as a public, official company). But the homebrew scene do have many original titles which aren’t bound up by licenses active today, and Atari will only benefit from letting new retro-collectors get exposure to the living, active, cult-status of the 7800.

Providing good cart-dumpers and wideranging high quality emulation software, isn’t taking over the responsibility of licences.

That, I’d guess, is why they make a modern system that uses original carts - made by third-party companies often making ports of licensed arcades or franchises.

 

Then Atari can provide a modern hardware-system, and leave all questions and responsibilities of what’s plugged into the cart-dumper, to the individual user.

 

This is why I think this is a good idea, and what could make it less than it ought to become, is lack of quality-assurance to cart-dumpers and emulation-software.

 

I actually hope that Atari will fix the compatibility-issues, making for as wideranging emulation of hardware-carts as possible, and also get someone out there to produce new (or restored) 7800-titles on real cartridges.

 

Guess, it’s unlikely they’ll bother about obtaining rights to complete Ramparts, Pit Fighter and Resque on Fractalus (or Toki…?), but perhaps they can get some new things produced particulary to assert the 2600+, and on carts that also will play on real hardware (the stuff made in 1986-1991).

 

- - -

 

I’d really like to know what their economy would allow as to obtain rights for a run of, lets say, game-titles that we all know, which are making good use of the 7800-system, so good it could make new retro-fans go like ‘oh, the 7800 pulling off that, man, I’ll get it just for this one…’ 

 

Much of what I say here, are worded intentionally quite open, since I’m not aquainted with Atari’s economy nor the details of legal matters they must take seriously as a company, but…  on a note of hoping to see a serious, quality-retroconsole being followed up by Atari investing money and time in showing-off the best the 7800 could/can offer, to old and new retro-gamers.

 

- - -  

 

And if they get Robot Tank and Tunnel Runner to work on the 2600-line-up; to me its a nice touch and a neato bonus.

 

But, hey thats me.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Giles N

[+Defender_2600]

12 minutes ago, Giles N said:

Do we know if there will be fitmware-updates for 7800-emulation?

Do we know, can we guess which 7800-emulator it uses…?

 

No and no, at the moment.

[+Spriggy]

10 hours ago, Nall3k said:

Nobody is forcing you to buy anything. People bought the NES and SNES classic that had limited amount of games on them. 

Believe it or not, you can look at a product and say "that's not for me" and move on.

Chill the f#&k out.  Just giving my opinion. 

 

[roots.genoa]

7 hours ago, jgkspsx said:

I don’t think many people here play games on modern systems.

Which is part of the (AtariAge) problem imho 😔

[juansolo]

8 hours ago, jgkspsx said:

I don’t think many people here play games on modern systems.

53 minutes ago, roots.genoa said:

Which is part of the (AtariAge) problem imho 😔

Not to go too far off on a tangent, I think it's more of a case of the modern gaming market has moved on to something that us old folk just aren't really interested in. Online looter-shooters, thinly disguised gambling, MTX laden everything... I haven't bought a 'new' console in so long because they're no longer making games that appeal to me. However this year has seen the release of Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield, both old-school RPGs and I kinda want to play them. However two games simply don't justify the purchase of a £1500+ PC or even a £500 Xbox Series X. Otherwise there's been absolutely nothing else that has even come close to making me want to upgrade my 12 year old PC, or buy into the new consoles.

 

This is why I suspect people on AA are gravitating towards older style games that focus on playability. Because they're games that appeal to our generation.

To bring it back to topic, do I think that this makes the 2600+ desireable? No, because it won't play a lot of the new games that I own on cartridge where as my 7800 and 2600 do. So there is simply no justification for me to buy one as it offers me less than I currently have. Simple as that. No shade to be thrown on people who do think this thing is a good idea. But for me it's just another uneccessary novelty.

 

For people outside of AA it may be more appealing, but it requiring carts and not coming loaded with all their favourite games, I feel it might not appeal as much either as it's not the quick fix then throw it in a drawer never to be seen again like the flashbacks. For the people inbetween who want something to play old games on and aren't bought into Atari as a brand, the Evercade does a way better job...

Edited September 7, 2023 by juansolo

[alex_79]

2 hours ago, juansolo said:

To bring it back to topic, do I think that this makes the 2600+ desireable? No, because it won't play a lot of the new games that I own on cartridge where as my 7800 and 2600 do. So there is simply no justification for me to buy one as it offers me less than I currently have. Simple as that. No shade to be thrown on people who do think this thing is a good idea. But for me it's just another uneccessary novelty.

 

For people outside of AA it may be more appealing, but it requiring carts and not coming loaded with all their favourite games, I feel it might not appeal as much either as it's not the quick fix then throw it in a drawer never to be seen again like the flashbacks. For the people inbetween who want something to play old games on and aren't bought into Atari as a brand, the Evercade does a way better job...

I agree with all that.

I think that it's mostly aimed to collectors who also buy the new cart releases form Atari. Compatibility isn't much of an issue in that case, as often both the carts and the console will end staying on a shelf. Sealed, to keep their value.

 

I'm not interested in the 2600+ either. I know exactly what it is and I didn't thought it would have been anything different the very moment I heard about it. I have zero attachment to the Atari brand itself, or any company that owns that brand (or any past company that owned it), and whether this product is a success or a failure doesn't affect me in any way.

I'm interested in this community that shares knowledge and creates new games and hardware for an old console I had as a kid.

 

And because I care about this community, and I know that those who are not into the technical things don't understand the limitations of this device, and will keep hoping that a firmware update will defy the laws of physics and turn the 2600+ into a real console compatible with everything, I think it's important to keep pointing out those limitations.

Over and over.

Because an informed customer can make an informed choice.

 

People who just like the fact that this thing has an Atari logo on it, and that is an "official" release could just stop reading these threads (what for? they'll buy it anyway), instead of complaining.

Edited September 7, 2023 by alex_79

[roots.genoa]

3 hours ago, juansolo said:

the modern gaming market has moved on to something that us old folk just aren't really interested in. Online looter-shooters, thinly disguised gambling, MTX laden everything...

I don't want to derail this thread, but my point is precisely that this vision of modern gaming is really simplistic. Modern gaming has a lot more to offer than classic gaming had. I don't play online looter-shooters nor games with gambling (I have no idea what the 3rd thing is). But I understand why you could think that of modern gaming, since a few games tend to get all the media coverage unfortunately.

 

I just think it's a little sad to limit oneself to classic gaming, but to each their own.

Edited September 7, 2023 by roots.genoa

[juansolo]

26 minutes ago, roots.genoa said:

I just think it's a little sad to limit oneself to classic gaming, but to each their own.

The vast majority of games I buy these days are indies. Be it for the old consoles or via GOG for the PC. I have got consoles up to the PS4 and XB1X and I think I've bought maybe 3 or 4 games tops for them in the last two years. I've enjoyed them. Loved Horizon Forbidden West and I've got the last God of War to play at some point. But this is the thing, I use the XB1X more to play old games than new ones. Indeed the last game I bought for it was Atari50...

 

MTX = Microtransactions.

 

I'm aware I'm causing thread drift so I'll leave it there.

[jhd]

 

Does anyone yet know if the 2600+ will ever be available for sale here in Canada?

 

The list of international retailers has been posted, but there is no vendor listed for Canada. 

 

My interest in purchasing this console is rapidly declining as it appears that Atari does not wish to sell me one. 

[+bent_pin]

5 minutes ago, jhd said:

 

Does anyone yet know if the 2600+ will ever be available for sale here in Canada?

 

The list of international retailers has been posted, but there is no vendor listed for Canada. 

 

My interest in purchasing this console is rapidly declining as it appears that Atari does not wish to sell me one. 

In one of these two threads, one in general and one in 2600 section, some users found the best deal. Open each thread and use the search feature to query Canada.

[+jgkspsx]

3 hours ago, alex_79 said:

People who just like the fact that this thing has an Atari logo on it, and that is an "official" release could just stop reading these threads (what for? they'll buy it anyway), instead of complaining.

Some people just like to hear themselves talk and never get tired of it. Those people are annoying as hell.

[+jgkspsx]

5 hours ago, juansolo said:

Not to go too far off on a tangent, I think it's more of a case of the modern gaming market has moved on to something that us old folk just aren't really interested in. Online looter-shooters, thinly disguised gambling, MTX laden everything...

Seriously, the Nintendo Switch and the PC have better libraries for every taste than any of these retro consoles. There is no sensible reason for anybody to play an Atari 2600 in 2023. Thankfully, I am not sensible.

[AtariLeaf]

2 hours ago, jhd said:

 

Does anyone yet know if the 2600+ will ever be available for sale in Canada?

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Plaion-Atari-2600-Hardware/dp/B0CG7LMFKY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=atari+2600%2B&qid=1694095412&sr=8-1

Edited September 7, 2023 by AtariLeaf

[leech]

1 hour ago, jgkspsx said:

Seriously, the Nintendo Switch and the PC have better libraries for every taste than any of these retro consoles. There is no sensible reason for anybody to play an Atari 2600 in 2023. Thankfully, I am not sensible.

The problem with all modern gaming is the 'online factor'.  Not that every game is online, but that since it is available you continuously have patches, updates with new features that potentially break your game, etc.  Or your operating system needs to be updated before you can play.

 

Or even worse these days is your damn TV needs an update... I just want to insert a game and play the damn thing!  That is the reason the old game systems are still superior.  Ever since the cd-rom based systems released, the load times of games have as well.  Sometimes a quick game of Dig Dug or Asteroids is preferable to hours long sessions of a modern game.