Atari VCS 800, the 2020 Console (Not the original)

[Chaos Descending]

So, is this thing REALLY going to launch soon or is it vaporware?

If it does launch, are any of you planning to get it?

If it does launch, will it succeed or fizzle?

 

[Chaos Descending]

Hmmmm. This lack of interaction might actually answer my questions.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I didn't even know there was such a thing. Is it one of those mini consoles packaged together with a bundle of games?

 

[BillJ]

Vapor ware.

 

[XCV330]

as someone who bought the GameStick around the same time as Ouya, I'll believe it when I see it. And I'll buy it when it's been out for awhile and not gone toes up. I want Atari to make a comeback. I just am kind of jaded. The lower-priced console idea has popped up again and again and it has not worked out well.

 

[Chaos Descending]

I didn't even know there was such a thing. Is it one of those mini consoles packaged together with a bundle of games?

No. Or at least "not exactly". It's alleged to be a full-blown gaming console that is (supposedly) able to play "modern games", but it it is also said to come prepackaged with a bunch of Atari games.

 

[Rincewiend]

I didn't even know there was such a thing. Is it one of those mini consoles packaged together with a bundle of games?

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[XCV330]

So steambox without the steam

 

[Owain Taggart]

Ok, no wonder I hadn't heard about it. It sounds like a company that bought the trademark and waged a comeback. Interesting, because I think Infogrames owns the software trademark as they used to run Atari as a brand label and it sounds like this thing would have gotten into a lot of legal complications, which might be the reason this thing has had trouble coming out.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Ok, no wonder I hadn't heard about it. It sounds like a company that bought the trademark and waged a comeback. Interesting, because I think Infogrames owns the software trademark as they used to run Atari as a brand label and it sounds like this thing would have gotten into a lot of legal complications, which might be the reason this thing has had trouble coming out.

As I am following things, the company that is making this console (Atari SA), is the company that used to BE Infogrames and now owns all of the Atari IP from forever.

 

[Owain Taggart]

As I am following things, the company that is making this console (Atari SA), is the company that used to BE Infogrames and now owns all of the Atari IP from forever.

Really? Because it doesn't sound professional at all. An IP holder would usually be much more careful about this sort of thing or risk tarnishing its reputation. The way this has been unfolding sounds more like a sketchy startup that has somehow acquired the IP but is making huge mistakes along the way.

Of course, what makes this more complicated is that Infogrames, or Atari as they were known went bankrupt in 2013, selling most of its assets and studios, including the Atari name and logo in auction From then on, it's not too clear what happened as it's noted they emerged from bankrupcy in 2014, but it could just as well be a completely different company that re-emerged with the reigns to the IP. It's surely not the Atari of old from the 80's, and even worse it's likely not even the Infogrames version of Atari. This version sounds much more desperate and shady.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Really? Because it doesn't sound professional at all. An IP holder would usually be much more careful about this sort of thing or risk tarnishing its reputation. The way this has been unfolding sounds more like a sketchy startup that has somehow acquired the IP but is making huge mistakes along the way.

Of course, what makes this more complicated is that Infogrames, or Atari as they were known went bankrupt in 2013, selling most of its assets and studios, including the Atari name and logo in auction From then on, it's not too clear what happened as it's noted they emerged from bankrupcy in 2014, but it could just as well be a completely different company that re-emerged with the reigns to the IP. It's surely not the Atari of old from the 80's, and even worse it's likely not even the Infogrames version of Atari. This version sounds much more desperate and shady.

As far as I can tell, Infogrames became Atari SA in 2009, four years before the bankruptcy. I might be mistaken, but it looks like the company that came out of the bankruptcy is the same corporate entity that entered bankruptcy.

But, who knows. Lots of weird corporate stuff often goes on behind the scenes.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, I mean, it definitely looks like the same entity and maybe that's what they want us to think. It's just that the behavior sounds very different from the company before the bankruptcy, and it's that that makes me think it's actually a shell company that emerged with different management while trying to wage a comeback with the IP. It has all the signs of a company that doesn't know what it's doing. I mean, given the bankruptcy, and the sell off with the IP at auction, it's entirely plausible it ended up in another company's hands, isn't it? I find it similar to how a company tried to make a comeback with the Commodore years back, in that they were banking heavily on nostalgia, but I don't think anything came out of it either.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Yep you could be right.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I wouldn't get this thing even if it was real. I lost interest in console games a lifetime ago (last console I owned was a Dreamcast, and I only got it for one game - Gauntlet Legends). And for old Atari games, there's always Stella the emulator - and it's free!

 

[BillJ]

I wouldn't get this thing even if it was real. I lost interest in console games a lifetime ago (last console I owned was a Dreamcast, and I only got it for one game - Gauntlet Legends). And for old Atari games, there's always Stella the emulator - and it's free!

I seriously doubt it is much more than a Raspberry Pi in an ugly case.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Yeah, and you're probably right. Maybe a Pi with a bitcoin mining thing running behind the scenes. I'm thinking Fortnite running within the windows emulator as shown in the video was likely done only for mockup purposes.

 

[Chaos Descending]

It's supposedly got a "custom AMD processor" (based on Ryzen 3 2200u) and a Radeon Vega 3 series GPU.

 

[XCV330]

i actually do think Atari could make a go of a console, but they have to carve out new territory or else be reclaim something that was lost. Being a linux PC with a custom debian distro or whatever the hell it is, isn't going to cut it, not without something to really offer besides hundreds of old 4kb games.

Group gaming is something that's started to be lacking. I miss good split screen racing and fighting games. Sure there are still some but most developers have moved on. I would love to have a real successor to the old SSX games, for instance, or ST Bridge Commander without the VR.

And maybe they'll do something like that, but so far just a handful of new games that aren't that outstanding which you can get somewhere else anyway, isn't going to make it happen. I don't know there's really enough market for a fourth console. Google has tried and doesn't seem to be going well. For retro stuff, if people are going to buy and not emulate they don't need that level of overpriced hardware.

You can get this wonderful thing for peanuts https://www.gamestop.com/video-games/arcade/products/thec64-mini-retro-gaming-console/10166451.html

 

[BillJ]

or ST Bridge Commander without the VR.

Just a heads up, you can play Bridge Crew without the VR now.