SirMossyBloke
Member
You're showing your age here, or lack thereof I think.
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First look at Atari's new console, "Ataribox"
- Thread starter Immaculate
- Start date
You're showing your age here, or lack thereof I think.
Agent X
Member
I understand where you're coming from, but I disagree that Atari's content wouldn't hold up in today's market.
Many of the games from their peak (1977-1984, both arcade and home games) would have lasting appeal, if they were made and marketed well.
The problem with "modern Atari" (the company--Infogrames and whatever successor entity owns them now) is that they're bent on rehashing the same 100 or so games over and over again, with self-contained consoles and game compilations for other consoles and computers.
It's evident these ventures do sell to some extent, because they continue to maintain their contract with AtGames, who does minor refreshes of the Flashback consoles on a yearly basis. This is not what I want to see, and probably not what you (or most other longtime Atari fans) want to see, but apparently some segment of the population out there keeps buying this stuff...or they wouldn't bother to put out new iterations every year. If it wasn't selling, it wouldn't be on the shelves.
I do think it's heavily mismanaged, though. Aside from Code Mystics' work (which is ace), almost everything that Atari does these days is farmed out to whatever
Many of Atari's best classic games are simple, quick fun--not unlike a lot of mobile games and inexpensive indie PC/console games. They constantly promote their 2600 library as a package deal, and you're right that most of those games don't hold up today. There are a few gems in the library that do hold up magnificently...but Atari's management doesn't seem to recognize them, and I'm not sure that they would take the time to understand why some of their games are more "timeless" than others.
This is why so many people fail to take "modern Atari" seriously--I don't think the management truly understands why the classic games were so appealing in the first place. They need to treat the games with love and respect, instead of just pasting the names of their properties onto some barely-related mobile phone game or PC shovelware. I'd love to see them do "new" games in the spirit of their classics. Look at games like Luftrausers, Race the Sun, or Downwell--those are great modern games with simple concepts that are easy to grasp, yet highly addictive, just as games like Asteroids and Centipede and Breakout were. That is what Atari needs to focus on.
twinturbo2
butthurt Heat fan
Agent X, I'm applauding your post there, I agree.
CamHostage
Member
There were a slew of Atari franchises remade in the PS1 era that were handled well. I could do with another revival like that. Pong: The Next Level in particular was a fantastic block-busting/ping-pong type game.
Re-imaging classics is pretty different from just repackaging 2600 and early arcade games, though. The 2600 in particular doesn't have a lot of titles that would hold up today.
Regardless of what it does this design is gorgeous and I'm looking forward to a 'new Atari' console sitting next to my TV.
I honestly love how this looks.
Spyder_Monkey
Banned
I don't see this coming out tbh.
Earthbound64
Banned
Not enough info yet about this device, but it looks pretty cool. Would be great if 2600, 5200, 7800, ST, Lynx, Jaguar and arcade games are going to be released for it. Also, I wonder what the controller will look like. No number pad please
I would buy this.
You have to remember atqri has branding in the new blade runner too, if only for a moment. That alone can peak interest in the brand and push sales.
Freshmaker
I am Korean.
It's ribbed for your pleasure.
OrangeGrayBlue
Member
Same, it reminds me of a mid-century modern piece of furniture or something to that effect. Really nice, unique design.
In AMD's recent earnings call, CEO Lisa Su mentioned that they have a new semi-custom design win for 2018.
Speculation is going around that it might be for the Ataribox.
https://hothardware.com/news/amd-semi-custom-silicon-may-power-atari-ataribox
So it could be either Atari or Sony.
Speculation is going around that it might be for the Ataribox.
https://hothardware.com/news/amd-semi-custom-silicon-may-power-atari-ataribox
So it could be either Atari or Sony.
Reminder that you should never ever back hardware crowdfundings
ultrazilla
Member
Yeah I'm out after the debacle that was the Retro VGS. I really, really wanted
to believe we'd actually get a new cartridge based retro system with some great
Indie support and perhaps a few AAA developers putting a game or two on the system.
I want to believe ATARI but I can't back the system.
Baron_Calamity
Member
I might depending on cost.
DeuceGamer
Member
I think a lot of people speculated that they would go the crowdfunding way. Will wait to see how it turns out and I wish them luck but I can't imagine a scenario in which I would be willing to drop funds on crowdfunding this and honestly I doubt this turns out well for them.
Hopefully if it's a good concept and design, they have other options if crowdfuncing doesn't work out for them.
Hopefully if it's a good concept and design, they have other options if crowdfuncing doesn't work out for them.
wondermega
Member
Baron_Calamity
Member
There is no speculation since they stated this in their official finacial fillings.
Ruud_Luiten
Member
Its Blaze thus it sucks.
Trogdor1123
Gold Member
I'm just hoping for a proper alien vs predator
DriftedPlanet
Unconfirmed Member
.
The design is hot. I hope the games back it up.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Look at the joystick. the games are going to be the classic Atari games that have aged like milk.
GrayFoxPL
Member
In 16 pixel glory, yes!
SatoAilDarko
Member
That's not the Atari Box. It's the Atari Retro Handheld.
TheSecondSpitter
Member
No ET, no sale.
I definitely like the looks, but I have some concerns:
* Love Centipede, but the lineup is generally uninspired, but that's what you get if you don't go for the third party games.
* How are they going to deal with the Difficulty and Color switches?
* No SD-card support (unless it's hidden in the battery compartment).
Flintty
Member
I lolled 😂
Start digging! There should be ET fossils everywhere.
old manatee
Banned
It looks like an Atari Switch.
SmokedMeat
Gamer™
It's a shame such a neat looking system is going to go to waste on old Atari games. I'm sorry, but as someone who grew up in that era, Atari's games dont hold up at all.
Azure Phoenix
Member
Blaze (and that price) implies that it's probably an AtGames system again, and they already have the Atari Flashback Portable - which is a heap of trash like all their other retro handhelds - so I wouldn't be surprised if it's just that but in a custom shell rather than the decade old recycled Mega Drive portable shell used on the AFP.
The sad part about Atari as a company is that they never lived up to their potential and always under delivered.I will never forget the Et fiasco or the Pacman arcade to home controversy. Crowd funding is impractable and three years too late. To produce ten aaa games at a conservative 50 million a pop, create an online service and have an infrastructure to sell and repair your hardware would cost a minimum of 1.5 billion. If you throw in a decent marketing campaign the final price could double. In the end the nostalgia hits me hard but my brain screams it's cash grab with little respect for the fans and most importantly their legacy.
I don't think anybody but you is wanting Atari to make 10 AAA games at $50M each.......
Got an email from Atari hawking their Speakerhats, but there was a paragraph that might be interesting?
"Meanwhile, tune your attention to AtariLife.com and AtariLife social where we will unveil something very big... live from the Genius IQ/BBQ on 9/9/17!"
Maybe it's just another hat, who knows.
"Meanwhile, tune your attention to AtariLife.com and AtariLife social where we will unveil something very big... live from the Genius IQ/BBQ on 9/9/17!"
Maybe it's just another hat, who knows.
sixteen-bit
Member
looking forward to the ataribox hat
Baron_Calamity
Member
Maybe a top hat?
old manatee
Banned
I heard that they are introducing the Atari SpeakerSpeaker. It's a speaker with a speaker on it that features the classic Atari logo on the front. It's technically mono even though there are 2 speakers.
Got some new info in my email:
The pictures we're sharing today are of first prototypes. Everyone that has seen Ataribox first-hand loves it, feeling the Atari 2600 influence, while still being a modern design.
Ataribox will be powered by an AMD customized processor, with Radeon Graphics technology. It'll run Linux, with a customized, easy-to-use user interface. This approach means that as well as being a great gaming device, Ataribox is also a full PC experience for the TV, bringing you streaming, applications, social, browsing, music, and more.
Most TV devices have closed systems and content stores. Linux lets us be more open; you can access & customise the OS, & you can access games you've bought from other content platforms (if compatible with the OS and HW).
There will be tons of classic Atari retro games pre-loaded, & current titles from a range of studios (we'll start talking titles very soon, stay tuned).
The pictures we're sharing today are of first prototypes. Everyone that has seen Ataribox first-hand loves it, feeling the Atari 2600 influence, while still being a modern design.
Ataribox will be powered by an AMD customized processor, with Radeon Graphics technology. It'll run Linux, with a customized, easy-to-use user interface. This approach means that as well as being a great gaming device, Ataribox is also a full PC experience for the TV, bringing you streaming, applications, social, browsing, music, and more.
Most TV devices have closed systems and content stores. Linux lets us be more open; you can access & customise the OS, & you can access games you've bought from other content platforms (if compatible with the OS and HW).
There will be tons of classic Atari retro games pre-loaded, & current titles from a range of studios (we'll start talking titles very soon, stay tuned).
Atari Ryzen.
AbandonedTrolley
Member
Wow now it gets interesting.
Has some new photos of the console... on mobile wish I knew how to share the images to forum..
Ok here it is:
https://ibb.co/nELvOk
https://ibb.co/hhmD9Q
Price is $249-$299 .. see images.
Release: Spring 2018
Took screenshots of the email.. Someone can post the images in the forum?
Ok here it is:
https://ibb.co/nELvOk
https://ibb.co/hhmD9Q
Price is $249-$299 .. see images.
Release: Spring 2018
Took screenshots of the email.. Someone can post the images in the forum?