Atari Has Looked To Nintendo For Inspiration With Its New VCS Console

From what I heard, this is an underpowered, overpriced Linux computer without anything special about it, software-wise.

They're almost a fourth of the way there! I think? They just need to fix that software part .. And everything else.

Does it have Tempest 4000?

I'm guessing it's sales are going to take inspiration from the Wii U!

@Averagewriter 😂

But for real, this makes me sad... I wish Atari could be purchased by Bushnell or someone else who understands and respects the brand... I’d be all about a real resurgence of Atari...

Just Want to know what they are coocking.

I'm still confused as to what this thing actually does. It sounds like a cheap PC with an Atari joystick. I'd be more interested in the games they're planning to make for it. No one bought the Switch just because it's a cool gadget - it has great games to play on it.

@boredlizard Even in its most outlandish dreams, this thing couldn't dream of Wii U sales.

...surely?

I mean, it seems rather expensive for what it appears to be.

they did its like a virtual boy except less games

Thinking outside the box is fine, but the comparison between this and the Switch breaks down when you realize that it’s very clear what the Switch is, and it’s extremely unclear what the Atari VCS is.

Nope, this will probably fail miserably

This Atari box is maybe not that much more than a overpriced Raspberry.
Also. It costs more than Xbox One X. lol

Sigh. I love Atari for historical value, but since the Jaguar, and all its attempts to recreate itself, the brand is too damaged at times.

I liked them when they were releasing games like Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee on GCN and Xbox: niche games that weren't out to win awards, just to provide fun.

Nostalgia for Atari really becomes hard for me to care for since it seems to show up every console generation, and the best I ever saw was when they had used graffiti artist for some collection of classic game on the DS.

Don't put nintendo's (mostly) good name on this money shredder

You can get these games on Switch packs already for popular ones and Everarcade so why spend money on something that doesn't give much in return. TOO Little TOO late... Atari has gone dooo Atari...

@boredlizard VirtualBoy better...

$300?! Oh HELL Nah!!!

The only niche this thing is going to find is collectors of failed consoles.

They should've copyed the quailty and reasonable pricing of Nintendo too.

“We want to reach the mass consumer that doesn’t want to pay a premium for a layer of hardware performance they rarely tap into....”

Oh? And they think that consumers want to pay a premium for an underpowered console? They need to realize that what separates them from Nintendo is that the former still has franchises that are in huge demand. Atari doesn’t have a Mario Kart, Smash Bros, Zelda, Pokémon, Splatoon, Animal Crossing. If you had removed all of those games from the Switch, it would have failed without a trace.

I’m failing to see how this thing is capable of creating a new market in a market that has no need for an alternative.

This thing is going to fail, and fail hard. Also, they are no longer Atari. Atari died when Jack Tramiel took over the company. Actually, you could even make the argument that Atari died when Manny Gerard brought in Ray Kassar and fired Nolan Bushnell.

@boredlizard That's too nice. Lower than Virtual Boy sales I'm guessing.

Still seems like an zombie idea hardly anybody wants. And what games could attract people to pay $399. Atari as a brand, has a negative appeal, too. No? Not trying to put it down. If people want it fine, i welcome being wrong, i just don't see the demand.

Who are the investors funding this? I've got a strong feeling they aren't gamers themselves.

@damo i think the niche atari is after is a fictional phantom niche.

Was very interested until the article listed the price. WTF? What were they thinking?

Wow, they're still trying to convince us it's an actual thing in development?

Lol does anyone take this outright scam seriously.

And make no mistake, this is a scam. I don't even know who this is supposed to be for. The grandparents whose idea of video games are stuck in 1981?

Judging by that interview, Atari (like the rest of the gaming industry really) doesn’t understand what makes Nintendo a success time and time again: the software, not the hardware! The games are always the most important part, not the processing power or even the ‘portability’.

If Modern Day Atari made bread it would cost around $50

@DiscoDriver44 yeah, sounds like someone is scamming out-of-touch, non-gamer investors

Play Pong in 4k!

@WoomyNNYes

Seems like it. I guess it is for grandpa whose only idea of video games only consists of Pac-man, Donkey Kong, Pitfall, and Frogger.

And this Atari console hits market when playstation and xbox are dropping next gen consoles....

This system is great, it has Pong, Breakout, Garbage Pac Man, Donkey Kong, ITS ONLY $300

I heard this console has somewhere under 3 teraflops of GPU performance which is well below even the base PS4 and Xbox One systems. Calling this next-gen by any means is insulting to next-gen systems.

Lol, I can't imagine a single person I know of even considering dropping $100 on this let alone 299 or 399...when it gets discontinued, and sells for $50 new, it will probably still be hard for stores to get rid of the inventory.

It seems like a real bad console, but it looks like it could be an interesting desktop if it can run any OS. I think I've read that it could run Linux or Windows in other article...

@TheFrenchiestFry

you wanna hear a funny joke? how about this

32GB Storage

Maybe they should market this thing as a PC instead of a console.

I usually try to write something positive whenever I see only negative comments. But I also really don't understand what this want's to be.

But kudos for doing their own thing I guess.

Wow! Way way too expensive! And why would I want an old Atari joystick, I have three originals for the 2600, they are bad, they are extremely stiff and after playing for about 30 or 40 minutes your hand will actually hurt.

I don't know about other folks, but I have absolutely no nostalgia for Atari even though it was technically my first video game console.

This system has been a scam from the start. If they took inspiration from Nintendo they would have realized trying to make money off hardware is a futile endeavor. That's why it costs so much, they are trying to cut a profit off a game system, LOL, last person to do that was the 3DO.

I hate to say it bc I really enjoyed Atari growing up, not so much the 2600, but the 400/800 computers, arcade games, Lynx etc. But this seems like such a waste of $300. The only way this would have been remotely appealing would have been to go the mini route with about 50 of the best titles. Or maybe have a mini arcade like the old Frogger, DK, Pac Man, but with monitor built in and then include arcade classics.

@boredlizard damn. Lol

@rockodoodle Atari ST mini console, plug in your own keyboard, would be sold out so quickly.

Instead of making a replica of the old stiff Atari controller, why not have a controller with a trackball or rotary dial so that you could have a better experience with the same Atari games that are on other consoles.

The Ouya, the Stadia and the Atari VCS.

A true modern trilogy of quality gaming.

@DiscoDriver44 Damn the influence from Nintendo was greater than initially expected. They even took after their on-board storage policies

See you in year 2024, where we will still be reading about how the Atari VCS is nearing completion

If you wanted to reach the "mass consumer who may not want to pay a premium" for hardware, you'd have priced your box at a minimum $100 cheaper than it is now. As it stands, the VCS offers nothing more than what even the base PS4 and XB1 offer.

Throwing a bunch of retro Atari games on an under-powered linux PC box hoping the name cash-in will somehow diversify yourselves from the already cluttered streaming box market isn't gonna get you very far, especially when you're planning on launching your box right at the height of the PS5 and Series X fervor that will inevitably happen this holiday.

I will at least give something like the Intellevision Amico a bit more credit given it's unique controllers and something exclusive like EJ3 they're working on.

I've been hoping this would turn into something interesting that I could justify buying. I was never particularly optimistic, but there's always a chance they could pull a rabbit out of their hat. But at this point, I'm just not seeing it. A lot of what they claim this is going to do (but haven't actually shown) is already available on major consoles, especially the Switch. And as far as the freedom it allows to tinker, that exists on the Pi and PC. So I'm not sure where the niche that Atari plans to occupy sits between these.

If it's not named after the polar opposites of either a dizzyingly exciting set of numbers, or a type of big cat then what in the world are they thinking!!!!!!

And we all know it's a Tempest console.

@brunojenso Since you mention cat consoles, I think Atari is missing an opportunity by not tapping into the Jaguar library. Now before anyone freaks out, I'm not saying it's a goldmine, but there were a few games I think could be modernized into something they could sell. In particular, Missile Command 3D which had a virtual mode was actually quite fun. Clean up the graphics and boost the frame rate, and I think it would be a good downloadable game. Yet they released a "modernized" Missile Command recently that just decided to remake the original with weird graphics.

The joystick looks awesome and if the reviews are good I will probably pick one up.

Why is it taking so long to make? Xxx

Keep Nintendo's good name out of your mouth, Atari!

This seems doomed to failure BUT - the idea of a targeted mini console that is attached to a clear brand and a game's service feels both very modern and workable - I might not pay $300 for a pure nostalgia device, but if every month there was a new drop of classic games and remakes ala their new version of Missile Command it - or something like it - might just fly

"The Atari VCS 800 Onyx Base system will sell for $299.99 USD, while an "all-in" bundle ... will set you back $399.99 USD."

**RECORD SCRATCH**

@AJDarkstar Ouch! But you're probably right.

@TheFrenchiestFry as quoted below: The original PS4 boasts a 1.84 teraflop GPU that's based on AMD's Radeon technology. Meanwhile the original Xbox One graphics chip, also with an AMD Radeon GPU, had a pipeline for 1.31 teraflops, although this increased to 1.4 teraflops with the Xbox One S and to a whopping 6.0 teraflops on the Xbox One X.

The PS4 Pro, meanwhile, has a GPU with a considerably increased 4.2 teraflops of graphical horsepower.

So while the pro and x are more powerful, the base units are not.

Link: https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/gaming/consoles/ps4-vs-xbox-720-which-is-better-1127315/2

"Atari’s goal is to reach the mass consumer that may not want to pay a premium for a layer of hardware performance they rarely tap into"

So instead get them to pay £299-$399 for something that doesnt have a hardware performance rather than what Sony, Microsoft & Nintendo can offer for about the same or less? The Switch is a home console and a handheld and has great support. Xbox has a fantastic online service and excellent Games Pass plus its a multimedia juggernaut. PS4 is also a multimedia juggernaut and PS Now is getting better. Atari has nothing. Evercade has something! A cheap console for people who dont want to mess with emulators.

They need to look at the market more and see why they are ***** up with EVERYTHING they do! This thing will fail, it will fail with that price and even if it was £100 because it offers NOTHING that consumers can get elsewhere.

@BanjoPickles my thoughts exactly. When you bring up price and how people want better value, you better have a low price and something of value.

Yeah I think this will find a niche. With a few dewy eyed suckers that have too much spare cash lol

@TheFox Nice Idea.

I owned a Jaguar way back and it did have some standouts like the one you mention, Alien vs Predator, Brutal Sports Football and of course Tempest 2000.

Now a stupid dev would try to modernise AvP with cutting edge graphics and totally loose its classic vibe and mildly psychedelic palette. But a clever one would try to give it an upgraded look that wasn't about realism but was a strikingly new stylised look for what we think of as 'arcade' that will stand the test of time. A bit like that 'Sayonara Wild Hearts' rhythm game did recently.

I think we've got too bogged down by and restricted by genres recently - and I couldn't care a damn if a game is an RPG, a rhythm game or a platformer - I want it to scream ' now THIS is a bloody video game!' and 'this is bloody fun' in a way that I think old games we tend to now think of as 'arcade' did. Off the top of my head we are talking about stuff like House of the Dead/Time Crisis, The original Ridge Racer/Daytona, Star Fox/Rogue Squadron, Doom/Duke., Donkey Kong Country. Stuff that is an intense 'ride'

The polar opposite of chat rooms, micro-transactions, 'events', character customisation, and sh*t like that - which is never about actual gameplay.

Atari need to develop a newly focused 'personally' and by becoming associated with games with that 'arcade vibe' - whether modern or classic they could really have something regardless of what the hardware can push.

That's what they should focus on bringing in - games that are the 'essence' of 'video game fun' - and that would give them their 'place' in the industry for years to come. Modernising 'core' successful game mechanics that just translate to fun.

It's had to describe which games fit into that - but it's clear a lot of 'good' or even 'great' games definitely do not!

21st century console wars! Atari VCS vs. Intellivision Amiico! "Once you compare, you'll know."

Has a nice form factor. I like how it manages to be sleek and modern, but with clear retro inspiration. They did a really good job designing this thing's shell casing.

If only they'd put half as much thought into any other aspect of it.

The console does have a nice look to it. Wish they had gone with an actual d-pad for the controller instead of that weird disc thing, but maybe it'll work alright.

Atari's problem is that its name is no longer worth much. One of the reasons for the Switch's success is it plays Nintendo games. A Nintendo game today still has the same Nintendo charm of a Nintendo game from 35 years ago. And people pay for that nostalgic experience in a new wrapper. But 2020 Atari is nondescript.

You can buy a mini arcade cabinet with a few games on it for $300. Why sell that with the cart adapter for $500?

Just ridiculous pricing, they simply won't reach the market they want to at that price. Give me one reason why you would buy that over the Switch or upcoming PS5 or Xbox? It'll be hardcore gamers and collectors who'll buy this but in small numbers

There's a big difference between Nintendo and Atari (or whatever that word means now). Nintendo has the games to back up selling a console for that price, it's going to be hard to find real die-hard Atari fans that are willing to pay whatever for their next big games. Another thing, the Switch might have been kinda expensive it's actually pretty cheap for a portable hd console hybrid that comes with 1 to 2 controllers, and motion controls, and wifi, hd rumble, an infra red camera, a light sensor, and the amiibo reader with a stand. This Atari thing is very expensive in comparison to Nintendo and how they sold the Switch, so, I'm not seeing the similarities as I know their games sell themselves but Nintendo has always priced their consoles pretty reasonably which has always helped. I don't see the appeal in this thing, it looks like one of those Raspberry Pi consoles you can buy on ebay for 50 bucks. Maybe it would have been cooler 20 years ago.

Yeah, you can't pre-order one of these ooutside the U.S, & I'm not exactly sure the average consumer would want to, judging by what I've seen i.e hilariously over-priced, under-specced, and it doesn't have any games of its own. I looked at one as an emulation machine but I can't even justify that kind of outlay for something i'd just occasionally tinker with.

Until they get serious with some games. No. Expensive as well for the unknown

To be honest, I actually rather like the physical design of this console and its controller(s) but I'm still not sold on it as an actual system yet because I don't get what need it serves that isn't already served with the other console or PC options out there. Who exactly is going to buy this when they could just get an Xbox One or PS4 or Switch or even an Oculus Quest, etc., and be guaranteed a solid library of games and strong first and third support? And I currently also have my PC running on my living room TV screen via a simple and cheap HDMI cable, which works perfectly and gives me full PC use while relaxing back on my couch with my wireless mouse and wireless keyboard, so I don't see why I'd think of the VCS as a better option or even worthwhile alternative here either. I just don't really see the market for it. But I do like the hardware and controller(s).

@boredlizard or better yet, the Virtual Boy!

If I wanted to buy a console that was doomed to fail I’d go with the Polymega, because at least I support what the devs are trying to do with it, and respect their passion. This is just a mess of hare-brained ideas. I don’t believe a niche for this exists.

Me personally, I would of purchased this if there was a handheld model available since console gaming really doesn’t fit in with my life.

@LunarFlame17 Maybe they meant the WiiU where it wasn’t so clear what it was or what Nintendo really wanted to do.

The hardware designer quit after not being paid for six months.
The makers of Tempest 4000 not aware it's coming to the VCS.
The Tempest 4000 gameplay was revealed (and admitted by Atari) to be from a PC.
No existing prototype, just an empty box designed to look cool.
...and as been said before - this isn't 'Atari', just some guys who bought the name.

Yeah, this will be released SOON....

When these completely flop, I will buy one if they hit ridiculously cut down prices and then keep it sealed in its box. Maybe it'll be worth something to collectors one day.

@boredlizard More like VirtualBoy

Oh man, Atari VCS had terrible project management planning and should have really narrowed down it's target audience better so they could cater to their tasted. This console couldn't find itself on a BCG matrix, let alone the CEO. I don't know what the USP is for this system and Atari has done a TERRIBLE job communicating the value of this $300-400 basic gaming device force-fed into the nostalgic plastic body of an unknowingly poor, classic Atari unit that deserves way more than this company can give it. Whewww. I think I'm calm now 😂 anyway, won't buy it.

@BanjoPickles sigh if only Bushnell took a vacation to relieve his stress instead of deciding to sell. Maybe the old Atari would still be around. & The Tramiels we’re just idiots! They passed on the Genesis! 😕oh well

@Slowdive True. For all intensive purposes the Jaguar was the end of Atari. Everything since then has been basically a repackaging of legacy IP.

Been a huge Atari fan since the 2600 was under my xmas tree 42 years ago! Then the 5200 got me even more pumped about the possibilities being endless for home gaming in 1983. But Their demise that followed after always pisses me off when I think about how it could’ve been avoided in so many ways. Of course this is NOT that Atari today & neither was Tramiel atari corp who put out the 7800, Jag and lynx but I’ll keep an eye on this and mostly waiting to see what games will be on offer. If they’re smart they will capitalize on their classic franchises and offer some exclusives that can’t be had elsewhere. $300 is steep i agree. Controllers look nice & interesting. I still Love the classic Atari Logo today. Makes me smile and reflect on my childhood. Let’s see what happens here.

Just simply NO.

@BlubberWhale Honestly, Atari was never really able to recover after the video game crash of 1983, despite several attempts. Their heyday ended when the 2600 bit the dust.

As much as I would also like to see a proper resurgence for them as well, I don't think it will ever happen, not with Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo dominating the console market.

@brunojenso Raiden

This console feels like a huge gamble based on possibly a failed earlier attempt to innovate. There is nothing to set it apart and the internals will be outdated soon and negate the "feature" of compatibility with other systems/software. The Intellivsion Amico at least tries to differentiate itself and stay in the family/light gamer lane with its Wii type controller. Atari claims a large library is available and new games are being developed along with exclusives but I think they just blew it.

@AstroTheGamosian
I disagree. They did quite well with software in the years since but they kept changing owners and direction. As far as consoles I think they never came back but they tried. Hey, maybe the Hotels will take off.

This is gunna be a disaster because Atari is so unfocused and has no clear vision of who this system will be for. The Intellivision Amico is the complete opposite. They know what market they are going after, and they will be much more successful. It won’t even be close.

The amount of vicious hatred towards Atari and the VCS is hilarious. Did Fred Chesnais break everyone's hearts or steal their girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse? Lol. Maybe try waiting for it to actually be released and actually test it before judging it? Just a thought, though the majority of the people here appear to be professional trolls. Why not go and talk a ton of ahit about the PS5 or new Xbox? Those havent been released yet and will cost more than this also.

@dharmajones93 won’t the series x pretty much be a console that about plays PC level games? I still say they should have gone the mini route, either by console or tiny arcade machine.

@Imbroken Yeah, the absolute hate I see dumped on this machine is perplexing. If it upsets them so much... DON'T BUY IT! "But they're trying to rip people off!" Who exactly are they ripping off? It seems like the only people who know about this thing and where to preorder it are gaming enthusiasts, not some confused boomers. Honestly, I think preordering anything is foolish, and preordering hardware that has yet to be revealed, well, you get what you deserve. And as far as people claiming it's an outright scam, I really don't think so. Unlike the Coleco Chameleon debacle, this is from a publicly traded company. In other words, even if the Indiegogo backers can't sue, the Atari investors could. And publicly traded companies running scams is called securities fraud. So while I have no faith in this system's prospects for success, I do think Atari is making a legitimate attempt at launching a system.

@Imbroken
I'm pretty sure that people would be angry at Microsoft and Sony if they didn't pay the lead designer of the console for 6 months work or have a chief executive being caught clueless about their product.

@Toy_Link Let me fix your statement for you.

Change "lead designer" to "a contractor" and "work" to "laying in bed after breaking his back in a skydiving accident that was purely his own choice and also his own bad decision for making". Also, The Register is a ***** filled bag parading as "tech news" and clearly has an agenda. Anything they "report" on should clearly be taken with a grain of salt.

You're welcome.

@TheFox exactly! Don't but it if you aren't interested in it! I have no intent or interest in buying an Amico, but am I on Intellivision forums shouting how its going to fail and how much it sucks? Nope! I have a life and don't live in a basement. Personally, if the system succeeds or fails, its still going to do exactly what im hoping it will do, which is be a hybrid retro machine and mini PC. Ill get my dose of nostalgia and also be able to access my steam library and play a ton of games on my 65" 4k tv which is exactly what i want. Everyone screaming and crying hasnt even touched one. It's sad.

I know everything about this project and product sucks, however can we all just take a moment to appreciate that fine lookin' piece of industrial design.

Almost true except you're not doing anything different Atari, you're essentially making another Steam machine, a weaker one at that for almost the same price as the current consoles. You had literally no exclusive games and you release most of those on other platforms already, your hardware is open source which is not the same as the Switch and you don't had any retro games other than that one streaming service you kept yapping about. Try to keep your games exclusives, had a game plan for your console launch, do some clever marketing for your product, and actually make good games for your hardware. Right now you're basically making a box with features a typically Android micro-console and a Steam machine could already do and does it better.

@Imbroken
"Change "lead designer" to "a contractor" and "work" to "laying in bed after breaking his back in a skydiving accident that was purely his own choice and also his own bad decision for making"."

If Rob Wyatt's/Tin Giant's case is that open and shut why hasn't Atari shut down all the misconceptions and ill will generated from this down with a simple PR statement?
Why is Wyatt so insistent of having this go through the court system if all his claims can easily be disproven by simple internal Atari documentation?

Also source that he hadn't gone back to work 6 or 7 months prior to quitting in October after the November 2018 skydiving incident?

" Also, The Register is a ***** filled bag parading as "tech news" and clearly has an agenda. Anything they "report" on should clearly be taken with a grain of salt."

"Agendas" don't make audio interviews come out of thin air.

"Don't but it if you aren't interested in it! I have no intent or interest in buying an Amico, but am I on Intellivision forums shouting how its going to fail and how much it sucks?"
You're on a Nintendo news site that's filled with a variety of opinions seemingly just to say everyone else's opinions suck.

"Nope! I have a life and don't live in a basement. "

How does white knighting a multi million dollar company give you a life. Most people here probably haven't thought about the Atari VCS in months, probably since the last article in March.

"Everyone screaming and crying hasnt even touched one."
Don't ask questions! Consume product.

There's plenty of people here questioning Nintendo's release strategy for the rest of the year. If you look in the forums, there are plenty of people complaining about Sony only having a Spiderman side game as of now for the PS5's first winter or Halo Infinite not looking "next-gen" enough.

Again who cares about people posting fair critical comments about games or consoles prior to release other than fanboys? Most of this site would be empty if people couldn't give their honest thoughts on upcoming releases.

Go to an Atari VCS Facebook fan page with only positive comments if you want only an echo chamber, so that you can feel more secure about your upcoming purchase.

The only thing I can glean from the VCS is that it is PC based, this has access to Stadia, Nvidia now and possibly Xcloud. On top of that it is possible it can emulate any game Wii U level and below without modification. That's about it, but if they get some smaller Devs working on a new Tempest or other Atari games it has a "slim" chance of appealing to a certain gamer. Will keep my eyes on it, but it doesn't look good.
Edit:Just looked more into it and it actually does have potential, it has as much storage as you want to give it and memory is upgradeable, the Ryzen GPU punches above it's weight as well. My PC went obsolete 5 years ago now so this would be a cheap alternative to access my digital games. Currently playing my Steam games on Nvidia shield via streaming and it doesn't support them all.

@boredlizard not the wiiu, I think it will take inspiration from the Virtual Boy .

Looking forward to checking it out when it gets released. Will be interesting what it gets for games, hopefully similar to Nintendo's E-Shop.

The Nintendo Switch has a vast library of both classic and modern games. And that includes Atari. Why again should anyone buy this new Atari system? This is a console for nobody. Just get a Switch with the Atari Flashback Collection and the various collections of classic games by Capcom, SNK, Konami, etc. And you can play the best modern triple-A games like Super Mario Odyssey, Breath of the Wild, Astral Chain, Dragon's Dogma, The Witcher III, and Dragon Quest XI.

@FargusPelagius having spent a lot of my lawn mowing money on Atari 2600 games back in the day I think this is a clever retake on the original. Not sure why all the hate, I think it's misunderstood. I view it as a mini pc like an Intel NUC but with some extra horsepower for gaming and geared for the living room. Or your desktop with a keyboard and mouse. It really can be anything you want it to be, run all the emu's on it you want, linux or windows. Steam, Xcloud, PSNow etc. I love my consoles and play them a lot, this is something else to play with as a hobbyist. Still on the fence about pre-ordering tho, and probably waiting until its out in the open to decide whether to get it.

Yikes. If they were gonna do this they should have made like a $100 tiny console close to the power of the Switch, sold for no profit (I'm assuming at this point a home-only version of the Switch sold without profit wouldnt be much over $100). Thats strong enough yo run modern looking games while being cheap enough to not be a major buy for people. And spent the past few years building up a solid launch library of classic Atari games, modern remakes of classic Atari games, and some original content. Make it real easy for indies to publish to it without hassle. Go all digital games and run it as like a $15/mo games service so you can play any game on the system. I feel like thats the only way this could even have a chance to succeed - cheap enough to be an impulse buy with no decision making about which games to purchase with just a monthly games service priced around what netflix charges.

In the homebrew hardware scene, there are often unqualified people doing their best. They never pretend to be more. The current iteration of Atari is basically doing homebrew hardware, but constantlt BSing about it. I don't mean their current specs; rather their progress to them. The faked demos and such. Despite all that, I was set to buy a VCS and some memory for it. I want to do some portable GNU/Linux PC stuff. I don't have the time to build my own. I have battery and monitor solutions already. A laptop is more than I need for more money. An x86 Mini PC with graphics acceleration was an option of course. But I really didn't find one that fit. The VCS did, and the promised services were a bonus. Yah, i'd game and entertain on it. The controllers didn't impress me. I'd have bought it with or without them. But the day I would have purchased, it was revealed that the controllers had non-replaceable Li-Ion batteries. I thought, if they are making such a bonehead move, what other ones have they made that will only be found out later? Bought something else instead.

@zerothis the batteries on the controllers was your sticking point? Non replaceable li-ion batteries are actually replaceable, look at the PS3, PS4, Nvidia shield controller, Wii U pro, Switch Pro etc you just need the corresponding screwdriver and the correct spec battery (usually cheap online) and you are good to go for another 5 years or more. Infact I think I have only ever needed to replace one non replaceable Li-ion battery and that was for PS3 (it lasted 5 years). My GBAs still hold charge (2003) as do my Wii U pros and Gamepads (7 years old now).
There's plenty of other suspicious things regarding the Atari VCS to be wary of well before a controllers battery choice (which you don't even have to use, a 360 pad will work with VCS). Hope you got the right system for your needs though.

Unless the console had a good list of its own exclusives or a specific factor that makes it very unique, this console will not survive the 9th generation. The video games industry is way too narrow for any company to join in.

@FargusPelagius That's the thing, the controllers held very little intrest for me. Atari's BS had me concerned but they are finally delivering what they said they would. But when Atari said the batteries were soldered on to board it makes me wonder what other stupid things have they done that no one will know about until later, There is a wide range of poor choices that can be made in designing hardware. Things that end users don't or even can't know unless they go wrong. Look at this image for instance: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/VFYAAOSwT5tePZ-e/s-l300.jpg
Can you see all the ridiculous design flaws in this computer motherboard?
Consumers were told they were getting a better computer than previously available while it was maintaining backwards compatibility. An electrical engineer can look at this photo and see the flaws even without knowing what's in the ROM chips.
Some flaws that would later haunt end-users:
The clock is located to far away from the chips it serves. So the CPU, memory, and peripherals run at differernt clock rates. Each must constantly wait for the others to catchup. This 'faster' computer runs the same speed as the original (except when other things go wrong, then it is slower). This also prevents the computer from accuratly reporting the current time. This is a pre-internet computer so calandars and spreadsheets with dynamic time and date functions are somewhat useless.
Chips have been added to cripple the backwards compatibiity. Memory, speed, and peripherals are blocked from older software.
This motherboard will heat up excessively. The componets used are tough, way tougher than anything in a modern computer. So they will keep right on working without damage when heated. So, it will burst into flames? Probably not, the soldier will melt first causing key components to become desoldiered. Thus ending the source of heating.
How many such poor design decisions are waiting to haunt VCS buyers. Oh I have complete confidence in Rob Wyatt to do very high quality work. But his work is based on management's decisions. Atari's management decisions are a series of fails (including not paying Rob Wyatt).

Instructions with the Atari console : "after unpacking, pls unscrew the empty Atari console shell and place your Switch inside it"

@BlubberWhale I hope you don't mean Nolan Bushnell. He's awesome of course, but has a history of just as many bad ideas as good ones. Alissa Bushnell, on the otherhand would be a great choice.

@zerothis yeah it's just too dubious to "impulse buy". The idea "can" work, but the execution just seems ham fisted and amateurish. I'd actually be interested in a well executed professionally built piece of kit, around the power of base PS4, with access to Steam and streaming services that had a retro shop built in. But the new VCS is too Atari to cut it. It reminds me of when Jaguar had the CD add on, it just didn't add much to it's capability (although I actually enjoyed the Highlander game, based on the ace cartoon) because the base machine bottlenecked it. I may 3D print my own VCS case and build my own haha. I'd love a modern Tempest game, imagine the effects you could crank on screen in HDR 120FPS.
Edit: perhaps they should have just sold the case, Atari Joystick and Atari Storefront pass for £50 and put what you want in there. The Atari games will run on a modern TV so hardware isn't actually an issue for those. You could put a raspberry pie in for a retro machine, or slightly bigger (mini) board in there for more demanding tasks like streaming or some games. Or as someone mentioned as a joke, put a Switch inside it. They'd have made money from that, and the Atari Storefront would be out in the wild were any actual money could be made.

@Imbroken It's the lies. Sure, Microsoft, Sony, even Nintendo will mislead consumers from time to time. But Atari management has just bold faced lied continually about their progress and faked evidence to support thier lies. I mean, consider that they spent backer's money to buy hardware to support lies. They've earned their lack of credibility. They are actually delivering on their promises now, but it is difficult for anyone to believe them.

@hakjie11 lmao yes they might as well sold the case and Atari stick plus Storefront pass for £50.stick what you want in there. Make it your own. I do like the case.

Yeah, my regard for Nolan Bushnell only goes so far, but I can't see him making worse decisions than current "Atari." I mainly mentioned him as he is one of few people that could truly legitimize the companies return without it being simply more abuse of the brand. (I don't think the brand can take much more... only old folks like me can vaguely remember Atari as the gaming icon it once was.)

Anyway I'd be happy with any competent industry vet who actually cares and, ideally, had something to do with the company back in the 70s or 80s... or maybe the kids of said vet. Or heck, anyone who isn't just trying to wring a few more dollars out of the nearly dead brand.

Problem is, I can't see how they would, even in a dream scenario, position themselves amongst the big 3, and differentiate enough to justify existing. Nintendo's gameplay focused (almost arcade-y) titles along with massive piles of indie games pretty much covers what I would envision for them, but... I think there's still a lot of untapped creativity, undiscovered genres out there. If Atari got a VERY serious and committed in-house development team lead by a few amazing artists, and somehow magically had 3rd party support as well... I think they could make a business out of it.

Well these are of course off the top of my head comments... it would be interesting to see someone come up with a real plan. (And even more interesting to see it put into action. Maybe Sega and Atari should team up, who knows!)

@AstroTheGamosian I agree. It won't happen, but if there was a real effort with real talent and passion (and maybe a bit of creative genius), I think Atari could exist again, even if only a strong 4th place. The brand is just so mismanaged there's no chance in our current reality.