We expected it to be in that ballpark. Unless, this is a swimming pool park...
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
Atari 800 VCS Console Gets a Release Date, Costs $399
- Thread starter Firmament1
- Start date
Ah I stand corrected. Please tell me it actually comes with a controller and they just don't picture it? The article in the OP mentions that a 249 version was coming out later, but this is the full model just without the extras?
Also it's ridiculous that you can write a review for a preorder on walmart.com.
I don't believe this one comes with either the modern or classic controllers. However, you should be able to use your own peripherals on it such as an Xbox One controller.
As for the price, multiple outlets reported it being $389 for the bundle at CES back in January. Dunno why it's such a big deal today.
Wait, it doesn't come with a controller? Does an Xbox One work on linux?
Maybe because they released the specs? Or did that release earlier?
In theory, it should operate just like a standard bluetooth controller and work on Linux.
Hands On With the Atari VCS, a Strange, Streaming Slice of Nostalgia
The Atari VCS won't be competing with the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X, but it's an interesting new console nonetheless. We took a close look at it at CES.
The Atari VCS reminds me a lot of Alienware's Steam Machine from five years ago.
Hmmm, a less expandable or useful PC with no controller and crap branding for $280, or a Switch Lite? Or a PS4? Or an Xbox One S that has a 4K blu ray drive built in? Or just a regular mini PC that has infinitely more options and no ties to a weirdly shady incarnation of a well worn company brand that few care for. Decisions decisions.
The glowing reviews on Walmart for something not out until the end of November is as laughable as it is kinda sad. Stanning for Sony, MS or Nintendo is obnoxious, but at least you could make some kind of argument for those companies deserving that level of fanatacism. Stanning for the zombie corpse of Atari? Fucking hell.
The glowing reviews on Walmart for something not out until the end of November is as laughable as it is kinda sad. Stanning for Sony, MS or Nintendo is obnoxious, but at least you could make some kind of argument for those companies deserving that level of fanatacism. Stanning for the zombie corpse of Atari? Fucking hell.
If the specs are accurate, then they're still using the same components that they specced in the original Indiegogo two years ago (which will be closer to 2.5 years when this thing eventually releases). That makes a valuation kind of difficult, because the components might not have decreased in price so much, they'll more likely just have been superseded by newer ones. Rather than selling this at a lower price it may have made more sense for them to upgrade some of the internals to something more suitable to 2020, or even 2019.
The US$289 pack comes without any controller. The "modern" controller makes up the bulk of the additional cost of the bundle.
For those that want that, Walmart were advertising a refurbished Atari 2600 on there for under $85.
Also, what the eff?!! Most of those reviews (4 of the 6) are from last year!
Why? It's a mini pc with very nice specs. It will make a fantastic htpc and emulation box for a prety good price
This is the market they're really going after anyway. It's cheaper than a polymega and provides more out of the box
Are you? I'm just receiving project updates.
We're also on the marketing mailing list but I removed that a long time ago
I fucking LOVE that the image of the back ports is super low res and just looks like it isn't loading properly.
On paper, it's supposed to appeal to Atari hardcore fans, people who want a HTPC and people who want a cheap PC to tinker with.
The problem is that the first group is never going to drop $280 for this, the second group would be better served by a Nvidia Shield and the third group should probably get a Raspberry Pi. I have no idea what Atari is thinking with this one.
I always thought about that. Like, what if they got crazy investors, and used classic Atari IPs for modern concepts - a big budget Forza/Turismo type sim racer called Pole Position, an Uncharted type AAA adventure game for Pitfall, some modern high budget bleeding edge concepts for things like River Raid, Centipede, etc.
And took design and branding cues from the 2600 but made them modern - a strip of real wood paneling on the front of every console with deep red and orange accents, now backlit
the font choices and solid block coloring of the box art of old, reimagined for UI and splash/boot screens and overall branding:
Shark all the talent, and rebuild all that stuff to create a proper Sony/Microsoft competitor. It would take some HUGE American corporate giant to acquire and develop it, one with bottomless pockets, like Disney or Apple. But wouldn't it be wild?
I always thought about that. Like, what if they got crazy investors, and used classic Atari IPs for modern concepts - a big budget Forza/Turismo type sim racer called Pole Position, an Uncharted type AAA adventure game for Pitfall, some modern high budget bleeding edge concepts for things like River Raid, Centipede, etc. And took design and branding cues from the 2600 but made them modern - a strip of real wood paneling on the front of every console, the font choices and solid block coloring of the box art of old, reimagined for UI and splash/boot screens and overall branding:
Shark all the talent, and rebuild all that stuff to create a proper Sony/Microsoft competitor. Wouldn't it be wild?
I honestly think if anyone were going to do it, with their IPs and past console experience, it would be something like Sega, but that ship has long sailed. Think about all the companies who have actually published games in the past few years who can't cash in on a decent remake.
I think that even in this bizarro scenario they'd struggle. The people who like Forza aren't going to play Pole Position, and the people who like Pole Position don't want it to be Forza and also maybe don't really exist very much any more. Same with Centipede, which does still have some kind of fanbase who might be interested in a new Centipede game, but probably not a high-budget one.I always thought about that. Like, what if they got crazy investors, and used classic Atari IPs for modern concepts - a big budget Forza/Turismo type sim racer called Pole Position, an Uncharted type AAA adventure game for Pitfall, some modern high budget bleeding edge concepts for things like River Raid, Centipede, etc. And took design and branding cues from the 2600 but made them modern - a strip of real wood paneling on the front of every console, the font choices and solid block coloring of the box art of old, reimagined for UI and splash/boot screens and overall branding:
Shark all the talent, and rebuild all that stuff to create a proper Sony/Microsoft competitor. Wouldn't it be wild?
Also Pitfall and River Raid aren't Atari IPs.
50+ year olds who still have reverence for the Atari name in any way whatsoever, who are also willing to spend $400 to indulge that nostalgia. So, like maybe 7 people?
The brand value of those IP, in 2020, is honestly close to zero. There are far more relevant, recent IP from companies like Capcom, Nintendo, Konami, Sony, ect...that have enough trouble as it is being rebooted successfully. The people that were around when "Pole Position" was cool are grandparents now. They aren't trying to spend $400 on a gaming console.
are they looking at the retro market and pricing this stuff accordingly? I don't understand this or the intellivision take.
That's a third party seller, not Walmart.
For something directly sold by Walmart, there's the flashback consoles like this:
I thought it was a bit weird that Walmart would have such an old console. So it's kind of like their equivalent of Amazon Marketplace?
289 is more like it.
I would have sold this as a modern atari home-computer. Plays games and does computer stuff. That just means run a browser these days.
I would have made a nice matching wireless keyboard instead of that stupid retro controller. Gone for a "PC on tv" message. Easy to use. Custom ui doesnt look like your work computer. Then id curate a store with a bunch of sweet low spec-friendly games.
Anyways its a pc so its got its advantages over any console...
I would have sold this as a modern atari home-computer. Plays games and does computer stuff. That just means run a browser these days.
I would have made a nice matching wireless keyboard instead of that stupid retro controller. Gone for a "PC on tv" message. Easy to use. Custom ui doesnt look like your work computer. Then id curate a store with a bunch of sweet low spec-friendly games.
Anyways its a pc so its got its advantages over any console...
Basically some dipshits bought a brand that used to have some cache a couple of decades ago and think they can slap it onto some garbage they threw together and make a quick buck.
I feel like if Atari doesn't do well with this it just might end them as a major player in the world of video games. They are going all out here acting like they have nothing to lose with that aggressive pricing.
THIS IS NEXT-GEN!!!
THIS IS NEXT-GEN!!!
I have no words to offer about the price tag, because they're advertising this thing as a fully blown gaming computer, and, well, we'll see. but I do have words to offer about this ridiculous asymmetric red-accent gimmick, and none of them are polite.
