Excitement for the Atari VCS 800 has been building among fans of retro gaming. The console has also promised more than just a gaming experience that echoes the past, it should enable players to download contemporary games and run them. With this in mind, players have been looking forward to the new console despite the numerous delays of the Atari VCS, and it now seems to be close to release. However, the console may cost more than most players would expect.
Atari was a gaming giant in the late 70s and early 80s and it seemed that the company had a monopoly on the gaming market. Unfortunately, the company over-saturated the market and unceremoniously collapsed, amidst reports that the infamous E.T game was to blame for Atari's demise. Nonetheless, there are still many gamers who remember the Atari consoles fondly and the new Atari VCS 800 pays homage to the design of the most successful console, the Atari 2600.
The 8GB version of the upcoming console, the Atari VCS 800, is going on sale for $399 and includes a classic joystick and a modern controller which is similar to the Xbox and PlayStation offerings. The controllers are set to have LED lights and a comprehensive set of buttons and the console looks to be a significant upgrade from the past. The console is set to give players a whopping 100 Atari games built-in at launch and it seems that players can download additional games. However, many will question this price point given the memory of the console and the kind of games it will run.
The responses to the announcement have largely been negative and this is because of the price point. The PlayStation 5 is rumored to be a similar price and it will deliver new games as well as groundbreaking technology. On the other hand, the Atari will have 8GB of memory which suggests that it will be able to contain many small games that certainly won't push technological boundaries. While fans of the Atari consoles will argue that the console is not intended to compete with the next generation of Xbox and PlayStation consoles, its price point and release date just before Christmas puts it in this position.
Pre-orders for the Atari VCS 800 are live but many will want to see more evidence that the console is worth its significant price. This may be difficult to do as the console appears to be focused on retro games, and does not have the capacity for contemporary AAA titles. With this in mind, it will be interesting to see how the console distinguishes itself and makes a compelling argument for a successful place in the games market.
The Atari VCS 800 is available to pre-order now.