Here's how a VCS 2 could become a big hit

[JPF997]

 1 - Free Online : this by itself would be a major selling point for a VCS 2, the fact that almost no one knows that the current VCS has  online gaming functionality speaks volumes of just how poorly they have marketed the device, speaking of which....

 

2- Good marketing campaign :  you don't need a multi million dollar budget these days to advertise a console launch anymore, all you need is to  sponsor   some popular streamers and influencers, buy a few ads on YouTube and X and you're set.

 

3 - Timed exclusives : Atari can't afford to release permanent exclusives to whatever new console they might release in the future, they should do what Sony does currently, release the game first on your platform and then after a year or two release on Steam and maybe other platforms as well.

 

4-  Continue with the hybrid strategy : Whatever new device they make should  have it's own dedicated Atari store ( like the current VCS ) and then an option to use a PC mode to access everything that PC gaming has to offer.

 

5- Physical media : while other companies are more than ready to put an end to physical media ( and our consumer rights ) Atari could position itself as a more consumer friendly/pro gamer company, having the option to own  physical games (maybe even a 4k Blu Ray player ) is always a good thing.

 

 

6 - Strategic partnerships: Basically do what they are already doing with companies like Antstream and Polymega only on a bigger scale, try to negotiate with big Publishers like Sega , Capcom and Bandai to have their big  games launch on this brand new Atari machine and preferably not more than a year after they release on other platforms.

 

 

7 - International shipping on day one : this is the number one thing they need to get right, if they can't even  pull this off then it would be impossible for them to accomplish anything else.

 

 

Well what do you think? Do you think that this is in anyway plausible for Atari to pull off in the foreseeable future or  do you think that it would require far more than they could possibly afford  to create and launch such a device ? ( I was thinking as most they could allocate roughly 20 million dollars for such a project, do you think that would be enough or do you think it would require far more than that to launch such a device ? ).

 

Edited 17 hours ago by JPF997

[JPF997]

Oops 😬 posted this on the Atari news sub instead of Atari general ... Oh well it's good enough I guess.

[roots.genoa]

The good thing is in 10 years you'll be able to change the title of the topic to "what could of saved the VCS 2?" and let the exact same OP.

Unless there's no VCS 2 ever, of course. 🙂

[Wayler]

Or is it time to retire the concept of Atari News?

[MrMaddog]

14 minutes ago, Wayler said:

Or is it time to retire the concept of Atari News?

 

Or maybe an Atari Fanfic subforum where "people" can post their fantasies about Atari being a super megacorporation in the year 2525 2025 that buys up every video game IP for the VCS 3000...

 

[JPF997]

56 minutes ago, roots.genoa said:

The good thing is in 10 years you'll be able to change the title of the topic to "what could of saved the VCS 2?" and let the exact same OP.

Unless there's no VCS 2 ever, of course. 🙂

You're speculating on a lot of things with this post that might not actually happen: that a VCS 2 will actually come out in the next 10 years ( if it comes out at all ) ; that it would need to be "saved",  and you assume that it would be a failure out of the gate because reasons .

 

While I'm not surprised that a non Atari fan would have such a doomer take on a device that doesn't even exist yet ( or may never exist ) I must admit your constant  black pilled   takes and attitude towards anything Atari related is kinda funny and endearing, keep it up.

[JPF997]

42 minutes ago, MrMaddog said:

 

Or maybe an Atari Fanfic subforum where "people" can post their fantasies about Atari being a super megacorporation in the year 2525 2025 that buys up every video game IP for the VCS 3000...

 

[JPF997]

1 hour ago, Wayler said:

Or is it time to retire the concept of Atari News?

[+Stephen]

3 hours ago, MrMaddog said:

 

Or maybe an Atari Fanfic subforum where "people" can post their fantasies about Atari being a super megacorporation in the year 2525 2025 that buys up every video game IP for the VCS 3000...

 

Or opinions of alternate history presented as fact but not in that context until 5 pages of arguments and back pedaling?

[+Neon Wraith]

We're doing this again?!?!?!

 

[+bent_pin]

3 hours ago, JPF997 said:

Good lord, you can't even meme right.

[+Sauron]

@JPF997, nevermind the naysayers, this isn't a bad topic. Just not sure that you posted it in the right forum (would fit better in the VCS forum or even Atari General). 

 

There's actually been a bit of discussion before about a VCS 2, or whatever Atari would name a theoretical follow-up to the current VCS. There have been plenty of ideas about it before, but they've been all over the place, so tracking ideas for it THAT MAKE SENSE isn't a bad idea. Of course, I have my own thoughts about it, so I'll list off some of my own ideas for what a "VCS 2" should be:

 

- Priced no more than $200 with controller included. I wouldn't see a VCS 2 as having a chance of being a successful console unless it's priced low enough to be an impulse purchase for its intended audience.

- On day 1, include an extensive library of games from both Atari's heyday as well as some hand-picked homebrews. Include as many other homebrews in the online store as possible for ALL Atari consoles and computers.

- Backwards compatibility with the VCS. Current VCS owners won't be too happy with having to give up their current collection of purchases for a follow-up console.

- Licensing agreements for games released for other classic non-Atari consoles. Imagine being able to play TurboGrafx, Genesis, or even Neo Geo games on the VCS 2. That would open up the appeal to more than just the small group of current Atari diehards.

- Limited time exclusivity on Atari-published games. You mentioned 1 or 2 years, but that's way too long. No more than 6 months max OR added features for the VCS versions.

- Options for being able to play classic Atari carts on day 1. That doesn't mean you have to have cartridge slots built-in, but separate cartridge slot modules available for purchase would work.

- Better apps for streaming content, not just the web page for the app opening in Chrome.

 

The rest of the ideas you listed aren't bad either, although I don't see physical media for VCS games as being necessary, and Blu-Ray built-in would just be an added expense for little to no benefit.

 

As to how feasible it would be for Atari to do this, I really don't know. Unfortunately, that's the big "IF" that hovers over any prospects of it happening. I wouldn't see a VCS 2 as something that would get released anytime soon, though, and I certainly don't want to see Atari even attempt this until they're able to get the remaining flaws of the VCS ironed out. Get that sorted out first, THEN we could look into the possibility of a successor.

 

 

[roots.genoa]

6 hours ago, Sauron said:

- Licensing agreements for games released for other classic non-Atari consoles. Imagine being able to play TurboGrafx, Genesis, or even Neo Geo games on the VCS 2. That would open up the appeal to more than just the small group of current Atari diehards.

Of course this would be neat, but it would require for Atari to negotiate with several Japanese companies (SEGA, SNK, Konami, etc.), which can be quite difficult; Blaze could probably confirm it. Unless like them you settle with games from smaller companies like Toaplan, Sunsoft, and Renovation, which would still be nice but less of a way to attract games (especially since these games are already available elsewhere).

6 hours ago, Sauron said:

The rest of the ideas you listed aren't bad either, although I don't see physical media for VCS games as being necessary, and Blu-Ray built-in would just be an added expense for little to no benefit.

Yes, that's also the one that 'bothered' me in the OP. I understand JPF's idea of going against the general trend to satisfy older gamers, but unfortunately, I don't think physical media will make a comeback, at least optical discs. Even older gamers will eventually get used to not having to change discs all the time...

 

Contrary to what JPF thinks, I'm not a 'doomer', I'm rather the optimistic kind of guy (at least for that stuff), even though I always try to expect the worst to be pleasantly surprised. My opinion is there are already too many options in terms of game systems right now, so I'd prefer that Atari focuses on being a great publisher rather than a poor console maker, which is what they're actually doing right now.

[+Sauron]

23 minutes ago, roots.genoa said:

Of course this would be neat, but it would require for Atari to negotiate with several Japanese companies (SEGA, SNK, Konami, etc.), which can be quite difficult; Blaze could probably confirm it. Unless like them you settle with games from smaller companies like Toaplan, Sunsoft, and Renovation, which would still be nice but less of a way to attract games (especially since these games are already available elsewhere).

Yes, that's also the one that 'bothered' me in the OP. I understand JPF's idea of going against the general trend to satisfy older gamers, but unfortunately, I don't think physical media will make a comeback, at least optical discs. Even older gamers will eventually get used to not having to change discs all the time...

Difficult, yes, but certainly not impossible, as we've actually managed to see games from those companies elsewhere. It would certainly be worth the effort, though.