FB3...

[atwwong]

Atari, wake up and smell the coffee...

[foxglove9]

awww...Curt is such a tease

 

I wanna say I hope Atari does have a change of heart, but I'm not holding my breathe. But you never know, they might want something retro for the stores at xmas time. They make great gifts

[panamajoe]

awww...Curt is such a tease

 

I wanna say I hope Atari does have a change of heart, but I'm not holding my breathe. But you never know, they might want something retro for the stores at xmas time. They make great gifts

 

i want my PAL-Flashback2!

[Paranoid]

awww...Curt is such a tease

 

I wanna say I hope Atari does have a change of heart, but I'm not holding my breathe. But you never know, they might want something retro for the stores at xmas time. They make great gifts

 

 

This is actually EXACTLY the kind of thinking that is hurting the retro-game market. I'm not slamming you... but too many executives are looking at these items as curiosities, fads and seasonal gifts. Which *is* thinking in the right direction and part of the solution... but it doesn't go far enough.

 

They're sitting on a gold-mine. Jaaks, unfortunately, gets it. Atari doesn't. Somewhat ironic.

[Jacob Rose]

They're sitting on a gold-mine. Jaaks, unfortunately, gets it. Atari doesn't. Somewhat ironic.

 

How do you mean? Are you imagining an endless series of devices with fixed subsets of the games a la Jakks? A full-sized replica 2600 with an Ethernet port on the back selling game downloads for a dollar each and having the ability to run multiplayer Internet games? Hmm, if that came with a voice chat system...

[Retro Rogue]

They're sitting on a gold-mine. Jaaks, unfortunately, gets it. Atari doesn't. Somewhat ironic.

 

How do you mean?

 

 

Basicly the "low end games market", which was going to be pushed beyond "dedicated" with the FB3. With the rising cost of next generation consoles ($400+ Xbox 360, $500 for PS3), the success of the dedicated consoles has proven the existance of a demand for lower cost gaming experiences. I.e. the "low end games market". Its not just the fact that they have "retro" content that they're selling, but rather the low cost has been very attractive for consumers as well. Hence you have Jakk's putting out more than just retro systems, licensing Spongebob, superhero characters, Disney characters, and more with all being successful.

[deathtrappomegranate]

Basicly the "low end games market", which was going to be pushed beyond "dedicated" with the FB3.

That's the sales pitch, right there.

 

The low-end games market, pushed beyond dedicated.

 

"Dedicated" kind of defines the low-end games market, and, to some extent, always has done. When the Atari 2600 was King, dedicated "Pong/hockey/tennis" TV games were the low-end.

 

The idea of a cheap, reliable platform, with a large library of games to draw upon, is an unusual way into a market, because it's usually the way out of the market. Stuff gets cheaper as it's superseded by newer, better stuff. However, IMO, there is a niche for exactly this kind of product, and although it's not a Playstation-sized niche, it's probably pretty exploitable, from a marketing point of view. If you add the renowned playability of many 8-bit titles to that, I think that it does represent an opportunity.

 

...and I was looking forward to the FB3 as well

[Retro Rogue]

"Dedicated" kind of defines the low-end games market, and, to some extent, always has done. When the Atari 2600 was King, dedicated "Pong/hockey/tennis" TV games were the low-end.

 

I'm not sure I agree with that, the 2600 was not "king" until the early 80's. Those are the glory years people usually think about when they think of the 2600. Pong systems had already been dead for some time by that time, and had actually started as "the market". That's a big difference than something being released at the same time to fill a low end void.

 

I think what more filled that "low-end" void at that time were the dedicated handheld and tabletop led/vcd/lcd systems which were also popular with parents at the time as a cheap alternative.

[gamer1682]

OK Im le tired of you guys sit and pout about you PAL FB2 , your portable FB2, and foundation plans for the FB3. We arent gonna get anything done if we just let curt do all the work; but first, the fb2 was designed to be TURNED INTO a protable, so if you want one START MODDING. now if we want a FB2 PAL version and a FB3 we must take a course of action. I will start a petiton thread for these things. hopefully, Curt will show them to infrogames Atari, and will be made by popular deamand, just like TaB was.

[geosteve]

I think Atari could benefit by getting the FB3 out by this fall season, before the expensive next-gen systems come out. Not that I expect the $600 PS3 to be a big seller anyway, but the X-360 last year did cause slowdown on potential FB2 buyers.

[Lord Thag]

Yeah, this is unfortunate. You'd think, with all of Atari's current financial troubles, that they would be jumping at ANYTHING that has proven to make a profit, even if it's a relatively small one.

 

I hope this FB3 materializes someday. I would have bought one in a heartbeat.

[bones]

I think Atari could benefit by getting the FB3 out by this fall season, before the expensive next-gen systems come out. Not that I expect the $600 PS3 to be a big seller anyway, but the X-360 last year did cause slowdown on potential FB2 buyers.

 

Do you really think the XBox 360 had any impact on FB2 sales? That's like saying the new Porche model caused a drop in sales of the Ford Focus.

[nathanallan]

I wish I had an FB3, I wish I had an FB3, I wish I had an FB3 (as I click together my ruby paddles)

Edited June 6, 2006 by nathanallan

[yuppicide]

I'm definately interested to see a FB3 and I'd love to see Satan's Hollow in it!

[Drewman21]

Any new info?....echo.....echo......echo.......

[nathanallan]

I haven't heard a thing, and never heard back from the paper letter I sent, either.

[AussieAtari]

Oh, the suspense!!!!!!!

[jaybird3rd]

Starting over a year ago, I have written extensively in this thread about the idea of the Flashback 3, the benefits of using the Atari 400/800 technologies as the basis of the FB3, why I believe this would be the best direction for Atari to take, my predictions about what the FB3 will be, and my opinions about what Atari should do in developing and promoting it.

 

In the months that have passed, we've learned that many of the ideas and predictions that I wrote about closely match Curt Vendel's own concepts for the FB3. In light of recent events, I should probably update and expend upon those early writings in a new thread, but for now let me say this: I remain as excited about the FB3 as I have always been, I remain optimistic that the FB3 can become a groundbreaking product that will put Infogrames/Atari in the lead in the lucrative TV-games market, and I remain convinced that only Curt Vendel and Legacy Engineering have the vision and the skill that will be needed to make the FB3 a success.

[nathanallan]

AMEN Brother! I'm waiting for the rollout!

[jpfalcon2003]

I really want to see the FB3 happen

[A_Username]

And you can't give us a little more information to whet our appetites?

 

What could possibly be in a new Flashback? Since the Atari 2600, 5200, 7800, and Lynx all use variations of the 6502 processor, could the Flashback 3 have cartridge ports for all of them? And the XEGS too? That would totally rock!

 

I'd kill for a system like that. Playing virtually any game imaginable. SWEET!!

[jaybird3rd]

And you can't give us a little more information to whet our appetites?

 

What could possibly be in a new Flashback? Since the Atari 2600, 5200, 7800, and Lynx all use variations of the 6502 processor, could the Flashback 3 have cartridge ports for all of them? And the XEGS too? That would totally rock!

I'd kill for a system like that. Playing virtually any game imaginable. SWEET!!

We already know what the FB3 specs are ...

 

800 computer in a 5200 case

function keys/buttons along under the silver strip for pause, select, keypad, etc...

FB2 joystick usage

Front SD card slot acting as D1:

edge connector inside on board to solder an 800 cart connector to for legacy cartridge usage.

Built in SIO2PC connection port for transferring to/from console

footprint for SIO connector to be added

footprint for ps/2 keyboard connector

footprint for vga out

Composite out

 

Games included would've come on an SDcard

As for a three-in-one system ... it ain't gonna happen. Here are the reasons.

 

In my opinion, The FB3 specs as stated by Curt are the perfect direction for Atari to take with the FB3 and will make for a VERY impressive unit: it's cost-effective, it's capable of delivering large classes of high-quality games, it's got plenty of expandability, and they'll be able to inexpensively license and distribute add-on game packs from the vast 400/800 library that can be sold seperately. The only idea from the competition that even comes close to delivering these capabilities is the Jakks GameKey, which hasn't materialized.

 

All the FB3 needs now is approval, manufacturing, and distribution. Come on, Atari, let's party!!!

Edited November 5, 2006 by jaybird3rd

[sidcrowe]

I'd buy that...for more than a dollar...HAPPILY!

[BJWanlund]

This sounds amazingly cool. Hopefully Dave Comstock can finish Cloak and Dagger for 400/800/5200 before this thing comes out.

 

BJ

[keilbaca]

Considering I don't own one Atari computer, this would be more than cool to see happen, I'd buy a few in a heartbeat.