+xucaen Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I read everywhere that the CX78 joypad was only released in Europe. yes, yes. All well and good. But *why*? I can't seem to find any information that answers that particular question. Anybody know the answer? Thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted December 30, 2014 Share Posted December 30, 2014 I read everywhere that the CX78 joypad was only released in Europe. yes, yes. All well and good. But *why*? I can't seem to find any information that answers that particular question. Anybody know the answer? Thanks! No idea. I remember trying to order it from Atari Canada and US (it was on the order forms for both) and got rejected both times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosystemsearch Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Jack Tramiel was being a dummy, thats why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treismac Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Didn't the 7800 sell better in Europe than in the States? I'm guessing that there wasn't a big enough market for the joypad to justify it but I'm only speculating as I have no numbers to back that assertion up.*Google Fu*According to Wikipedia the 7800 sold 3.77 million units worldwide with 2 million sold in the US, so I guess that rules out the above guess. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegamezmaster Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 (edited) I just wish they weren't so expensive. Still looking for some. Edited December 31, 2014 by thegamezmaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78001987 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I got these a few years ago and wasn't impressed. The d-pad has a tendency to get stuck almost under the housing, and they aren't very responsive. for as much crap as the Prolines get around these parts, I'd take the stick over these. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+cvga Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 My theory is that they violate some US patent. Nintendo patented tons of things related to their controllers and I don't think Atari and Nintendo were on the best of terms. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 ^ Probably something like that. Perhaps Business Is War will shed some light on the subject. From a cost standpoint, seems it would be cheaper to produce the joypad than the stick so gotta figure there had to be another reason they didn't market them over here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg2600 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I just wish they weren't so expensive. Still looking for some. At present, Best Electronics are the best option IMO. Brand new (old) stock. Price has risen to $24.95 though. I got these a few years ago and wasn't impressed. The d-pad has a tendency to get stuck almost under the housing, and they aren't very responsive. for as much crap as the Prolines get around these parts, I'd take the stick over these. The Prolines are bad. These were better. I'm not a fan of any of that generation's d-pad's mainly because I have big hands, they never felt as good as the 16-bit, larger pads. My theory is that they violate some US patent. Nintendo patented tons of things related to their controllers and I don't think Atari and Nintendo were on the best of terms. No they would have been okay with it, because it was a cross on a circle button, like the TG-16 or Genesis. ^ Probably something like that. Perhaps Business Is War will shed some light on the subject. From a cost standpoint, seems it would be cheaper to produce the joypad than the stick so gotta figure there had to be another reason they didn't market them over here. They had tons of the sticks that's for certain. They were putting them in with 2600 jr's no? I don't think Atari wanted to be bothered changing them out. Again, just another example of their nickel and dime act that killed their systems. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fujidude Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 My theory is that they violate some US patent. Nintendo patented tons of things related to their controllers and I don't think Atari and Nintendo were on the best of terms. I was going to say perhaps they didn't meet FCC part 15, but I think that is less likely than your theory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinks Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Screw you guys posting atari book crap and promoting that BS.. Curt never finished the XMs... Please give money for books. Business is fraud.$25,000 and 5 years later..I guess he never screwed over the 2600 community yet.. But keep that load of Bs out of the 7800 forum. Its like rubbing dog shit in our faces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenorman Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I bought a couple of the CX78 joypads a few years ago. They are better than the proline joysticks, but they have their own issues for sure. I personally enjoyed the "Business is Fun" book and am looking forward to "Business is War" regardless of the whole XM debacle. I agree though that the more sensible thing to do would have been to wrap up the last huge project before starting another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+cvga Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I won't buy any of the "Business Is..." series until the XM situation is settled. Hopefully that will happen soon because I'd really like to read the book(s)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fujidude Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Screw you guys posting atari book crap and promoting that BS.. Curt never finished the XMs... Please give money for books. Business is fraud.$25,000 and 5 years later..I guess he never screwed over the 2600 community yet.. But keep that load of Bs out of the 7800 forum. Its like rubbing dog shit in our faces. What the heck are you talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+wood_jl Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I can't understand anybody wanting or promoting the crappy CX78, when..... http://atariage.com/forums/topic/232397-edladdin-controllers-seagull-78-order-two-right-now/ .....the Edladdin Seagull 78 can handily turn a $2 thrift store official Sega Genesis (or brand new Chinese knockoff-brand copy) into the absolutely-perfect 7800 joypad. Sure, people have modded these and NES controllers before, but it's never been "plug and play" before. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+xucaen Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 I can't understand anybody wanting or promoting the crappy CX78, Because I want all original Atari hardware on my Rev 2 modded 7800. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg2600 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 What the heck are you talking about? Ol' Jinxy gets very defensive of the 7800. I've tasted his wrath when suggesting other 8-bit consoles were better. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fujidude Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Ol' Jinxy gets very defensive of the 7800. I've tasted his wrath when suggesting other 8-bit consoles were better. Well that's easy to resolve. Some other consoles are better, for the characteristics that you value most. And also the 7800 is best for Jinxy, for the characteristics that he feels are most important. It all comes down to what one values more highly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+xucaen Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 So, getting back on topic, any more hypotheses about why the CX78 joypads were not released in the US? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 A lot of screwball things happened with the 7800 here in the US [at least here in the non-Bay Area part of NorCal]. Lots of the titles were hard to find retail-wise. Commando wasn't hard to find back in the day but Midnight Mutants, Motopsycho, Planet Smashers, and Alien Brigade all were from my personal experience. Buying the light gun was also a near impossibility. I never saw the orange version anywhere retail-wise and it didn't seem like you could buy the XEGS version separate of the XEGS. I should've bought the OEM version in a cardboard box that some of the Commodore dealers sold; it would've been only $19.99 from Putt's - The Commodore Store here in Sacramento back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metal Ghost Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 A lot of screwball things happened with the 7800 here in the US [at least here in the non-Bay Area part of NorCal]. Lots of the titles were hard to find retail-wise. Commando wasn't hard to find back in the day but Midnight Mutants, Motopsycho, Planet Smashers, and Alien Brigade all were from my personal experience. Buying the light gun was also a near impossibility. I never saw the orange version anywhere retail-wise and it didn't seem like you could buy the XEGS version separate of the XEGS. I should've bought the OEM version in a cardboard box that some of the Commodore dealers sold; it would've been only $19.99 from Putt's - The Commodore Store here in Sacramento back then. I remember writing Atari to try and get a light gun for my 7800 back in the day after I'd gotten Barnyard Blasters. They politely told me that they simply weren't available. In fairness though, I can't remember when I would've written them. While I did get my 7800 during it's actual life cycle, by the time I wrote that letter it may have already been discontinued....I simply can't remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Didn't the 7800 sell better in Europe than in the States? I'm guessing that there wasn't a big enough market for the joypad to justify it but I'm only speculating as I have no numbers to back that assertion up. *Google Fu* According to Wikipedia the 7800 sold 3.77 million units worldwide with 2 million sold in the US, so I guess that rules out the above guess. The 3.77 million comes from Curt's shipment figures. No idea where the 2 million comes from though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Ol' Jinxy gets very defensive of the 7800. I've tasted his wrath when suggesting other 8-bit consoles were better. Then don't do that. :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 ^ Probably something like that. Perhaps Business Is War will shed some light on the subject. I'm really looking forward to that book. Even more than the first one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
108 Stars Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Didn't the 7800 sell better in Europe than in the States? I'm guessing that there wasn't a big enough market for the joypad to justify it but I'm only speculating as I have no numbers to back that assertion up. *Google Fu* According to Wikipedia the 7800 sold 3.77 million units worldwide with 2 million sold in the US, so I guess that rules out the above guess. Yeah, the 7800 was not successful here. Which is why I find it amazing how it supposedly beat the SMS in the States, with its more modern library of games. But the price tag was a big point I gather from other users here. Anyway, the pad was not released because... well, because it probably made little sense to replace a turd with another one. The 7800 pad is really waaaay behind the NES and SMS pads. I know, the looks are deceiving, you look at it and really have teh feel of those pads in mind... but holding it in your hand it just feels so much cheaper. So flimsy and unresponsive. In the end, it just isn't the savior some imagine it to be. It's a cheaply built rip-off with lower quality manufacturing that most modern day clone controllers. And while the pad is arguably more comfortable to hold, I think the joystick may actually be the device that is more responsive. I grew up with those since they came with the 2600 here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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