How successful was the Xegs?

[MaximRecoil]

yes they were. Just because you want to believe they were not, does not mean it's true. it's why Midway brought the arcade division and the arcade IPS the main division could not hold, because they were successful.

 

Why do you keep repeating this without listing Atari's big arcade hits from the '90s through 2001? I can only name 3 that were anything close to being a hit: Pit Fighter (horrible, horrible game), Rampart, and Primal Rage. Those span from 1990 to 1994, so even if you want to retcon them as big hits (they weren't big hits in reality), it still doesn't support your claim that Atari was among the "top in the arcades until 2001".

 

Edited December 9, 2013 by MaximRecoil

[CRV]

Area 51 and San Francisco Rush were at least moderate hits.

[+davidcalgary29]

It must not have sparked much interest. I'd never even heard of it until the Video Game Critic started doing XEGS reviews. And I had an Atari 7800 as a kid.

 

It seems to have had only a limited market penetration in most areas. They also weren't taken really seriously by the waning A8 press in the U.S., either, which didn't help matters -- Antic seems to have been taken pretty much by surprise by the XEGS, and dribbled out a few "WTF"? articles (with only lukewarm praise for it) on the system when they covered it at all. I have to agee that the XEGS could have been improved by 100% if the keyboard cable had been coiled (and a foot longer)...and if the built-in game hadn't showcased cutting-edge video game tech from 1981.

 

They were pretty popular in Canada, though, and I liked the system for the mere fact that it revived (to a limited extent) A8 gaming in North America. Airball and Into the Eagles Nest were hot home computer titles at the time, and I was thrilled to seem them get an A8 port. Those XEGS titles were pretty much the last commercial A8 titles that I saw in Canada, and I appreciate the fact that a) they were all pretty good (Bug Hunt included) and b) the system extended the A8's commercial viability through 1991. The Tramiels could have dumped the A8 line in 1985, but they didn't, and even half-assed attempts at saving it (like the XEGS) were worthwhile, even though they should really have just used the XEM technology and given every A8 enthusiast what they really wanted.

 

The XEGS also seems to have been pushed by Atari Canada as the 'main' A8 computer. I've seen (and bought) a number of XEGS systems from Canadian eBay sellers that had a 1050 drive bundled in with it -- the Styrofoam packing was cut out to accommodate this. My own XEGS (bought at the time) didn't come with a 1050, though.

[+davidcalgary29]

Area 51 and San Francisco Rush were at least moderate hits.

 

San Francisco Rush/2049 must have sold very well -- I keep seeing that one in movie theatres and airports across Canada.

[jhd]

I do not recal exactly when it appeared, but at some point (probably in the early-1990s), the XEGS was being sold on The Home Shopping Club.

 

I distinctly remember the grey case and pastel-coloured buttons.

[+wood_jl]

 

I have to agee that the XEGS could have been improved by 100% if the keyboard cable had been coiled (and a foot longer)...and if the built-in game hadn't showcased cutting-edge video game tech from 1981.

 

The Tramiels could have dumped the A8 line in 1985, but they didn't, and even half-assed attempts at saving it (like the XEGS) were worthwhile, even though they should really have just used the XEM technology and given every A8 enthusiast what they really wanted.

 

I agree, completely! It was still nice to have any (however imperfect) of the new (for 1985-and-beyond) Atari-8 hardware, because we were lucky to get anything at all.

[Jakandsig]

 

Why do you keep repeating this without listing Atari's big arcade hits from the '90s through 2001? I can only name 3 that were anything close to being a hit: Pit Fighter (horrible, horrible game), Rampart, and Primal Rage. Those span from 1990 to 1994, so even if you want to retcon them as big hits (they weren't big hits in reality), it still doesn't support your claim that Atari was among the "top in the arcades until 2001".

 

Just because you don't look up (Easy to do) arcade games does not mean that they don't exist.

 

You also have bad reading comprehension, I have said over and over, EARLY 1990's was Atari and taken over by Midway until 2001 or so. Which is why Midway brought Atari games, all the atari arcade games made directly from atari after that were pretty nonexistent.

[Jakandsig]

 

And no, the dominance of japanese companies was apparent in hard- and software. It was mostly the japanese games that were the big hits in the age of Sega and Nintendo, and later the first PlayStation. It was only in the 2000s that Japan began losing ground and western games rose to the top again. And lack of japanese software was a big factor in the limited attractiveness of Atari systems from the mid-80ies on.

 

This is COMPLETELY invalid. Japan had a breif domination in software on the NES which still had some high U.S. and EU titles anyway, and that was ONLY on the NES, after that you had both selling well, and the majority of the time the best sellers were mostly from the U.S. or in some cases EU, although they had a better presence on computers.

Especially the PSX, which outside of Final Fantasy and GT, most of the top selling games from then on where practically all from the U.S.

 

The lack of japanese software has nothing to do with Ataris issues which most people did not even know existed, or falsely promising unfinished, games, and the times they did no one actually cared, like for example, the LYNX Ninja Gaidens were advertised with hype. Pole Position 2, was advertised with hype. Granted 7800 had a strong start but it was not because of pole Postition, 7800 had multiple other problems, sos did the lynx.

 

Also the 3DO in the U.S. was not known much for its japanese titles. If the Xegs or Jaguar sold 5+ million it would be a completely different story.

[Austin]

This is COMPLETELY invalid. Japan had a breif domination in software on the NES which still had some high U.S. and EU titles anyway, and that was ONLY on the NES, after that you had both selling well, and the majority of the time the best sellers were mostly from the U.S. or in some cases EU, although they had a better presence on computers.

Especially the PSX, which outside of Final Fantasy and GT, most of the top selling games from then on where practically all from the U.S.

 

 

I disagree. While American and European developers obviously had successful releases, at least here in the 'States, companies like Konami, Capcom, Sega and Nintendo ruled the console market (in Capcom and Sega's case, the arcades as well). The biggest titles you saw were from these guys, period, with the occasional European-developed game making splashes as well (for example, Ecco the Dolphin on the Genesis, or Rare's titles, most notably Donkey Kong Country and Killer Instinct). By the PlayStation era, you began seeing more American/Euro developers gain traction and have smash hits. The Crash Bandicoot, Wipeout, and Spyro series', to name a few. But of course, they went neck and neck with the Japanese stuff as well--Resident Evil (absolutely huge back then), Ridge Racer, Tekken, etc., etc.

 

The lack of japanese software has nothing to do with Ataris issues which most people did not even know existed, or falsely promising unfinished, games, and the times they did no one actually cared, like for example, the LYNX Ninja Gaidens were advertised with hype. Pole Position 2, was advertised with hype. Granted 7800 had a strong start but it was not because of pole Postition, 7800 had multiple other problems, sos did the lynx.

 

The lack of software in general was Atari's issue. The lack of Japanese software hurt it even more though, as again, that is where a large chunk of AAA releases were coming from.

 

Also the 3DO in the U.S. was not known much for its japanese titles. If the Xegs or Jaguar sold 5+ million it would be a completely different story.

 

Mostly false. In gaming circles, despite the heavy amount of US and European-developed titles, the 3DO is almost unanimously known as "the system that at one point had the best version of Super Street Fighter II Turbo." And of course, that's one of the few positive things it's noted for these days.

[Jakandsig]

 

I disagree. While American and European developers obviously had successful releases, at least here in the 'States, companies like Konami, Capcom, Sega and Nintendo ruled the console market (in Capcom and Sega's case, the arcades as well). The biggest titles you saw were from these guys, period, with the occasional European-developed game making splashes as well (for example, Ecco the Dolphin on the Genesis, or Rare's titles, most notably Donkey Kong Country and Killer Instinct). By the PlayStation era, you began seeing more American/Euro developers gain traction and have smash hits. The Crash Bandicoot, Wipeout, and Spyro series', to name a few. But of course, they went neck and neck with the Japanese stuff as well--Resident Evil (absolutely huge back then), Ridge Racer, Tekken, etc., etc.

 

 

The lack of software in general was Atari's issue. The lack of Japanese software hurt it even more though, as again, that is where a large chunk of AAA releases were coming from.

 

 

Mostly false. In gaming circles, despite the heavy amount of US and European-developed titles, the 3DO is almost unanimously known as "the system that at one point had the best version of Super Street Fighter II Turbo." And of course, that's one of the few positive things it's noted for these days.

 

1.I am not sure if serious, because you basically took out tons of games like Mortal Kombat, NBA JAM, Lion King, NFl games, Ms.Pacman, X-men, Lode Runner, Tomb Raider, Fifa, Gex, Crash, Spyro, Klax, Rush games, Half the wrestling games, and more. That's just america. And only a few examples.

 

2.That's ONE game, and that was not even among the best selling initially. it seems more people got that from the wiki article if anything. Most games brought for it were not exactly of japanese decent. Which again, shows the 3DO as an exception to your rule. Most collectors don't usually go after that game in the top of their collection lists.

[Austin]

 

1.I am not sure if serious, because you basically took out tons of games like Mortal Kombat, NBA JAM, Lion King, NFl games, Ms.Pacman, X-men, Lode Runner, Tomb Raider, Fifa, Gex, Crash, Spyro, Klax, Rush games, Half the wrestling games, and more. That's just america. And only a few examples.

 

And you are throwing out only a handful of franchises and titles for a platform that houses well over a thousand games in the United States alone. If you really are dead serious about finding out the percentage of American/European developed games to Japanese ones, write out a list and tally them up. While you're at it, figure out what the sales figures are for every game, then make a separate graph showing how many units sold based on where the game came from.

 

It's OK, we'll wait here while you do that. It's good to get your hands dirty once in a while!

 

2.That's ONE game, and that was not even among the best selling initially. it seems more people got that from the wiki article if anything. Most games brought for it were not exactly of japanese decent. Which again, shows the 3DO as an exception to your rule. Most collectors don't usually go after that game in the top of their collection lists.

 

One game strong enough to make a lasting impression on many that have had experience with the platform. But, that could also be a testament (or a lack of) to the quality of the 3DO's library as a whole.

[MaximRecoil]

Just because you don't look up (Easy to do) arcade games does not mean that they don't exist.

You made the claim, not me. Thus it is your job to support the claim, not mine.

 

 

You also have bad reading comprehension, I have said over and over, EARLY 1990's was Atari and taken over by Midway until 2001 or so. Which is why Midway brought Atari games, all the atari arcade games made directly from atari after that were pretty nonexistent.

 

This is your entire post (from post #14):

 

No pretty sire Atari and Williams/Bally/Midway were still the top in the arcades until 2001.

You are saying here that Atari was "still the top in the arcades until 2001". Your claim that I "have bad reading comprehension" is comically ironic, considering that by making said claim, you have established that you yourself have "bad reading comprehension", since you can't even properly comprehend your own words.

Edited December 28, 2013 by MaximRecoil

[Rybags]

Atari "top in the arcades" - did that ever happen?

 

The only time I could think that possible might be some stage in the early 80s.

The likes of Asteroids, Centipede and Tempest brought in the cash but they were competing with Space Invaders, Galaxian, Pacman, Defender etc etc.

[Rex Dart]

I am reminded of a quote about trolls, and their feeding. Can't remember how it goes.

[108 Stars]

Was it to not feed trolls after midnight,not to expose them to sunlight and not to put them into contact with water? Maybe I'm mixing things up here...

[RickR]

Trololo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6FUR_nhGX8

Edited December 28, 2013 by RickR

[Jess Ragan]

I don't mind talking about the XEGS. I just wish Cornholio hadn't started the conversation.

[DracIsBack]

I know in Ottawa Canada, it came and went pretty quick. Zellers had it one Christmas and then cleared it out the next fall. I got mine at a raffle, believe it or not. It was a machine I really wanted to like, because I wanted to have my own computer as a young teen and this was "the path" to one. But it was damn hard to get games for it in Ottawa, even compared to the 2600 and 7800. When Zellers was done with it, they were done. Toy City had a couple of games and then the only other place I saw titles for it was at the A8 user's group or the local Atari computer store at the back.

 

I always keep it handy to play A8 games

Edited January 5, 2014 by DracIsBack

[darthkur]

The games were also released by Atari Games themselves (ie Tengen). If Tengen didn't do it, nobody else did either. Games like STUN Runner or Xybots only ever made it to the Lynx, nobody seemed to shed a tear about missing out on those later arcade "hits"...

 

 

 

 

 

Actually, Xybots was ported to the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MSX and ZX Spectrum along with the Lynx. S.T.U.N. Runner got ported to all of those systems plus a DOS version.

Edited January 6, 2014 by darthkur

[108 Stars]

Actually, Xybots was ported to the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, MSX and ZX Spectrum along with the Lynx. S.T.U.N. Runner got ported to all of those systems plus a DOS version.

I know of those ports. But quite frankly, they don't count for me. Pretty much everything was ported to a load of home computers back in those days, mostly in shitty quality. It was damn cheap to program and the systems were open. Minimum risk. That is no way to gauge popularity of a game imo.

[whiteyfats]

Yeah, Nintendo's got a lot to answer for....

 

How is it Nintendo's fault they sold a product more people wanted?

[Lost Dragon]

Just skimming through this thread, have to agree with 108Stars post above there, so much was ported to the Home Micro's back then, it was unreal...

 

Sometimes obscure coin-op's came as part of the 'deal' when publishers had signed up what they hoped would be the next Xmas No.1 best seller or simply because they were 'cheap'...i'd never heard of the coin-op Skull And Cross Bones until i saw the Tengen conversions being reviewed and seem to recal the coders of the ZX Spectrum version saying they did'nt think the coin-op even made it to the UK.

 

Also:1 reason i used to get so annoyed with Gamestm's Conversion Catastrophe section in it's Retro section was seeing things like the Atari 2600 versions of:Rampage, Tempest and Double Dragon singled out...

 

I mean come on, by all means shame a rushed or poorly written conversion of a game where a machine could of done so much better, but ground yourself in reality, expecting the by then primitive 2600 hardware to do 'accurate' conversions is just a poor showing here.