Atari Needs a New System!

[Tempest]

Now that Infogrames taking over Atari and changing their name, the Atari name should get a little more publicity than it has lately and that's good. BUT, all Infogrames is doing is making games under the Atari name (like Hasbro did). What Atari needs is a new system!

 

I know Infogrames isn't a hardware company, but what if they released a new system under the Atari name? I know I'd buy one in a heart beat. What do you think the chances of us seeing another system with the Atari name in our lifetime?

 

I know it's a long shot, but I can dream...

 

Tempest

 

BTW, what offically was Atari's last system? I think it was the Falcon 030 but I could be wrong.

[Nukey Shay]

The last "official" system of Atari was Jaguar...though Atari's last system may have been "bad management".

[Tempest]

The Jag? Really? When did they make the Falcon then? What about the Portfolio (I think that was 90).

 

Tempest

[Alex]

I'd love to be proven wrong, but I'd say chances are about nil. Introducing a new console is incredibly costly and risky. To even entertain the idea they would first have to change the Atari image from that of classic fun to cutting edge technology - no easy feat.

[Osbo]

what kind of system? like the old VCS? only with more memory? or more like N64 or PSX? Remember, VCS it's beautifull because it's simple to use and play... I don't know, I don't think that nothing new will replace the VCS.

 

OsBo

[Nukey Shay]

Tempest--

The Jaguar was developed in '93, but released in '94. Falcon 030 was released in '93. Portfolio was released in '89.

--from http://www.geocities.com/~irata/

[Mindfield]

I'd have to agree that the chances both of Atari making a new machine, and, if they should bother to do so, of the chances of it succeeding are as near to none as makes no odds. If a giant like Sega admits defeat in the face of Nintendo and Sony -- particularily when, until GT3 was released earlier this week, 99% of the PS2 games pretty well sucked -- then what of Atari's chances? Nintendo's Gamecube is currently slated for November 5th, with Microsoft's XBOX less than a week behind on the 10th. Add to that the already-growing pantheon of titles for the PS2 (despite most of them being exceptionally lacklustre), and you can see that the gaming market is pretty well nose-to-tail, with barely enough room to spit through the cracks. Atari would have to come up with something pretty spectacular, launch it with a veritable cornucopia of titles and third party support, release it before or at least shortly after GC and X, and market it at a price point below even the GC, in order to have a singular chance at success. Given the enormous costs and tremendous resources that would be required to pull off such a feat, I'd have to say that, at this time, it would fall on Infogrames' list of priorities just above "re-hire Sam Tramiel to run the new Atari," but below "New Atari Spokesman: GILBERT GOTTFRIED!"

[Parcel]

All I want from Atari is a 2600 shrunk down to look like the GBA, with an added lithium battery, backlight, and AV jacks(similar to Nomad). Then release the games in collections. Id pay much money for that.

[Heavy Sixer]

I agreee with previous respondants on a couple of issues. First, the game market is too crowded right now to permit any newcomers, at least any with a chance to succeed. For anything to enter the market now, it would have to truly be the 'next big thing', as opposed to something retro like "Atari". Infogrames would have to invent a console and games from scratch, and then go head-to-head with Micro$oft, Nintendo (did somebody say Metroid?), and Sony. If Infogrames does, they might as well name the thing Indrema II. :-P

Second, we already have a new Atari console in the form of the VCSp. Right in the middle of the great morass that is the game market, you can buy a portable Atari and play Space Invaders anywhere! I'd like to see a portable 5200, since I can't seem to find any working controllers for my real unit. Maybe a portable 7800 that plays the 2600 games as well? Or better yet, a portable unit that plays all three! (Now I'M the one who's dreaming!

On another note, one thing I want to see is a substitute for the proprietary chip in the 2600s; that way, the VSCps could be constructed from scratch, rather than having to butcher a poor 2600 to make one. Obviously, Coleco found a way around it, since they had Expansion Module #1 for the Colecovision. And wasn't there such a unit for the Intellivision?

Eat more dots, stay off the Qotile, peace out!

 

HEAVY***6***er

[Tempest]

Well I knew it wasn't realistic to begin with but a fella can dream can't he? Your right about the market right now though, too many sytems and too many flashy grapics no gameplay games being made. Could we be right on the heels of another meltdown? I guess that's why the last system I bought (not including the ones for collecting) was the SNES.

 

Tempest

[Ze_ro]

I think it'd be really cool if Infogrames were to pick up the VCSp, or possibly release a portable 7800 or something. Of course, this is all pretty unrealistic unfortunately. There's not a huge market for old video games.

 

How about this then: A harware emulator for the Gameboy Advance! It plugs in to the GBA's cartridge port, and has a 2600/7800 cartridge port. That would be pretty damn cool, plus it wouldn't have to cost a lot since it doesn't have a screen. Unfortunately, you'd have to have a GBA...

 

--Zero

[Eckhard Stolberg]

While I also don't see Atari doing a stationary game system, I think a portable system might be possible when their experiments with smartphone gaming are successfull. With the upcomming UMTS transmission standard everyone is trying to find a sellable use for those PDA/mobile phone hybrids. If a mobile phone company like Motorola designs a a handheld game system with phone functions instead, and a UMTS company sponsors it's distribution, like they currently do with normal mobile phones if you sign a long term contract, I could see the need for a good content provider.

 

Infogrames apparently has some video game rights to franchises like the Looney Tunes, the Peanuts, the Smurfs and Asterix, which could be used to carter to the children's market. And with the Atari games and all their other companies that did games for the 8-bit homecomputers they could have a big enough lineup to support a portable gaming system. And their Atari name could be used on the unit itself, as it probably would have a better reputation for games than any of the mobile phone companies.

 

So if it turns out that people are willing to pay for pay-per-play gaming, I could see a device that is aimed specifically at that market a viable option. And then Atari might be good candidate for the name of the system.

 

 

Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg

[Mindfield]

I'd agree that there is still some room in the portable gaming market -- but right now, the GBA has the rapt attention of all the portable gamers out there right now, and with good reason; it is admittedly a very good system, rather on par graphically with the SNES (if scaled down a little) but with more horsepower. Still, Nintendo being the only entry in the portable gaming market does leave some room for someone else, and despite Atari's relative failure with the Lynx (which let's be honest was a great system, but was prone to fragility) I think they'd be able to pull something off. I do know from working in the retail electronics biz that the major complaint of those who buy the GBA is the lack of a backlit display -- a sacrifice made for prologed battery life, but I think a decent backlit system with a 32-bit processor, good active matrix TFT display (maybe that nice 4" screen Ben's using for his latest VCSp?) and some heavy talent on board could stand a chance. While I think the idea of portable gaming on cell phone hybrids is a good idea and Atari is good to get on board early, I think that it would be a good inroad to a dedicated portable gaming device.

[davidbrit2]

I don't think we'll see another market crash until all the 12 year old white males stop buying anything with Tony Hawk or Pokemon as the main characters. Keep an eye on the market for bandannas and those goofy visors, since its decline should foretell any impending downfall in video game sales. In other words, the video game industry is about as "dead" as it was in the early 80s - it's just that nobody notices. The GBA is the only good game system left.

[Malix]

Great points made by all. I have to agree with Tempest on this one however. If Atari came out with a new system I would buy it. And I know there are plenty of people out there just like us.

 

The fact that there is PS2,X-box,and Gamecube? Well, so what. PS2 has crappy games and I already have a DVD player. I will probably buy it just for GT3 and EA's line but that is only because there is nothing better out there for me to buy. Who knows what X-box and gamecube are going to do.

 

You say that it will be to expensive and there is no room in the market. I disagree. We all pretty much agree PS2 has very few good games and look how well it is doing. Come up with a good system with some playability and you have yourself a winner.

 

Also another point. Any system EA sports has signed on with has rocked. They almost always do fine. Atari had the full line of Realsports games, imagine if EA agreed to do another run of these.

 

Finally it is a matter of business. If you have the best system with they best games and market the hell out of it, no matter how much you spend you will make money.

 

Sorry to get off on a rant here but they can do it and it would most likely be profitable....I just doubt they will. Of course these are just my opions I could be wrong.