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Atari
The unique Atari has been gone for many years, however the present proprietor of the identify and model launched a brand new house console lately, known as the Atari VCS 800. After a comparatively brief life, it’s now on its means out.
The fashionable Atari VCS, also called the Ataribox, is a console that was revealed all the way in which again in 2017. It acquired over $3 million on the Indiegogo crowdfunding platform in June 2018, however like many crowdfunded initiatives, it slipped far previous its authentic cargo date — backers didn’t really get theirs till December 2020. Following a number of {hardware} and software program revisions, the ultimate product regarded like the unique Atari 2600, however ran a personalized model of Debian Linux with an AMD Raven Ridge APU.
The brand new VCS acquired blended responses from patrons and reviewers. The Amazon and Finest Purchase listings are each at 3.9/5 stars, and shops like Tom’s {Hardware} and IGN cited the excessive worth and convoluted PC mode as vital drawbacks. Packages like Atari 50: The Anniversary Assortment or ROM emulation are less-pricey methods to get pleasure from most traditional Atari video games (should you already personal a console/PC), and different compact or finances PCs could be higher choices for cheap PC gaming.
Maybe unsurprisingly, solely two years after Atari VCS 800 models began transport to authentic backers, the console appears to be lifeless. Amazon and Finest Purchase are each out of (new) inventory in america, leaving solely Atari’s web site as the only real provider — the {hardware} bundle is on sale for $239.99 as an alternative of $299.99.
Atari mentioned in its newest monetary outcomes that it has began “the suspension of direct {hardware} manufacturing relationships, notably with reference to the Atari VCS, for which a brand new business technique has been applied as of the top of calendar yr 2022.” That may imply Atari is in search of a brand new manufacturing accomplice for the VCS, however the extra probably state of affairs is that it’s not coming again — we’ve reached out to Atari for extra particulars, and we’ll replace this text if we hear again.
The identical monetary report indicated Atari’s {hardware} gross sales, which is usually simply the VCS and a restricted run of Atari 2600 cartridges, decreased from €2.3 million to €0.2M over a yr. The corporate’s new focus is, maybe unsurprisingly, “Web3” initiatives’ together with NFTs. Atari is promoting paintings impressed by previous Atari video games as NFTs, in case you had been seeking to burn some cash.
Supply: Liliputing, Atari
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