x=usr(1536)

True, but this is really no different to what every console manufacturer has done from the 2600 on up. That's not to say you don't have a valid point (and you do), but peripheral sales tend to make up a much smaller part of overall sales than the units themselves or the software that they run. Case in point: the Atari CX22 trackball. Sure, you could play Missile Command without it, and the game was arguably better with it. But was it worth the cost of the game plus the cost of the controller (which typically ran more than the game itself)? Evidently the market didn't seem to think so, and relatively few were sold. The same arguments still apply today.

I remember that listing as well! Used it in a few graphing programs that I wrote, mainly for labelling the axes.

Probably both - and given that they're an IP licensor, someone in the company probably thought that this would be a good way to show the market value of their IP. And it is, but just not in the way that they were likely hoping for.

The one and only reason I can think of for why they're listed: someone told them that they needed to be. It's an image thing. Never mind that the image being projected is akin to seeing one's own reflection in a funhouse mirror, but it seems that in today's climate it's more important to BRAND BRAND BRAND than it is to actually do anything that suggests that the company might be competent and able to follow through on a plan to bring a product to market.

IMHO, it comes down to one thing and one thing only: Atariboxcorp, Inc. has no past accomplishments to build this device's reputation on, so they're riding the coattails of the original. It's sort of an inverse guilt-by-association approach. The problem with this approach, however, is that greatness isn't something that's achieved through clumsy marketing exercises and inept social media campaigns. The original was a success because (after an initially-lukewarm launch) it was the right thing at the right time, and that's not something that can be designed, engineered, manufactured, or marketed.

Recommendation additional to the above: popcorn with Kraft shake-it-from-the-tube parmesan cheese on it. Just put it on after the butter.

DDoS it? Oh, man, you really are stretching. Seriously... Before you start casting any further aspersions on anyone expressing an opinion which happens to be contrary to your own, just step back, take a deep breath, and chill. No need to start making inferences of possible criminal activity on their behalf because you happen to not agree with them.

Just remember that when the Bastille was stormed, there were only seven prisoners inside, one of whom was a barking mad Irishman...

Points taken, but we might at least get the opportunity to throw money at it without actually receiving anything in return.

Here's one - and it's ready to give a nice, soothing hug, too!

Liking things is A-OK in my book. Being cynically marketed to by a company who views a community that I'm a part of as an open wallet to be emptied by way of playing the nostalgia card, however, is not.

Valid Conduit of Sharts

Vexatious Chump Seducer

Virulent Commentary Starter

True, but by the same token I'm giving them the 'more' side of the equation for actually managing to take it this far.

In all honesty, I am trying to muster up the interest to write a reply to this announcement that has some degree of useful analysis... But I just can't. Atariboxcorp, Inc. hasn't announced anything they haven't already shown, and they still don't have a product in a box ready to deliver to customers. And even if or when that product may be ready, it won't do anything that any number of other devices already on the market don't do. Meanwhile, they're continuing to ride the coattails of Atari's past glory because they have absolutely no substance on which to build their own. This is more or less exactly what was expected of them, right down to the continuing lack of an actual product to put on the market.

Dude, like, tacocoin casino, bro! #atarilifestyleyo

Agreed. And, compared to what we've known about this thing for the past eight months, the only thing new in this ground-breaking announcement is that they've chosen to use the VCS name. Unsurprising, really: without the association with the console that truly kickstarted modern console gaming, the Ataribox has nothing else of substance to it. But, hey, you can at least YOLO the shit out of their tacocoin casino on it, then flip over to Hulu and watch some Family Guy with the audio coming over your dope Atari speakerhat. #atarilifestyleyo

Meth use isn't known for inculcating good financial habits.

You can... Or you can carefully pop them out with a small screwdriver or similar. Automotive fuse pullers may also work depending on the ICs involved. Sometimes just opening it up, pushing down on them with your thumb without removing them, and seeing what happens is all that may be required.

Voted a straight Atari ticket - 800, 800XL, 520ST, 1040ST.

Ah, got it. Somehow, I managed to gloss over that. Thanks!

Good point; I'd forgotten about that. Take HOKEY in this context to mean, 'generic full-capability POKEY replacement,' then

I'm all for upgrades or replacements, but we really need the HOKEY. That's not to say that there isn't room for other solutions, but given that the POKEY also handles inputs and is used across a wide range of Atari hardware (both consumer and coin-op), having a working replacement for it is vital to hardware preservation. Curt released the original POKEY scehmatics in November of 2016; hopefully that will lead to HOKEY seeing the light of day. Hell, even if it's implemented on an FPGA or similar, it would at least give an option (and conceivably could be done as a cut-down version of the QPOKEY).