Shaggy the Atarian Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Apple announced their upcoming Apple Arcade service today (available this Fall). Basically, it looks like some sort of subscription service for highlighting app store games. Apple stated that so far, over 1 billion people have downloaded games from their app store. Regardless of anything else Apple does (or doesn't do), their market share for casual gaming is impressive. Gee... I wonder who some of their partners are? I bet there are a lot of game development companies who think of themselves as relevant and innovative, that would love to partner with Apple to get some of their IPs in the spotlight. You know... spending their time and resources developing compelling games that people actually wanted to play on devices they already owned. no-apple-for-you.jpg Huh. No Atari. Oh right... they're not actually a game developer anymore. Gee. That's too bad. This would have been a nice thing for them. If they still knew how to make games. Well, I'm sure the Ataribox will do just fine. It'll have Netflix. Will it also have Netscape on it? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy the Atarian Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Who's up for a bidding war on the Atari brand? I can see this causing Atari's collapse, especially if they have to refund backers. TBH I'm surprised that one of these big tech companies swimming in oceans of gold ingots like Scrooge McDuck haven't scooped up the Atari brand already. I'd be amazed if it costs $10m, which is peanuts in the tech/business world these days. I'm sure Atari SA looks with envy on all of those start-ups that get purchased for billions of dollars every now and then. I'd buy the Atari brand & IP in a heartbeat if I had that kind of money, although I imagine that just about any of us here would in the same circumstances 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCAT Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 I would give Atari a $20 and a Taco Kit for the company... they supply the meat for the tacos.. I play hardball. Apple tried to make a game console once with Bandai, named it after a basketball player. Thing dropped like a sac of dirt, Bombed like Tom Jones... PimP!n ain't easy in the console market... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 It would be very funny if Netflix said outright NO to Atari. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCAT Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 ^^^ Notari is what this campaign is all about Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nathan Strum Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 (edited) I would give Atari a $20 and a Taco Kit for the company... they supply the meat for the tacos.. That's just silly. They can't afford meat. Edited March 26, 2019 by Nathan Strum 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaysWithWolves Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 So that "Switch-only" RollerCoaster Tycoon Atari tried to crowdfund has found a space in Epic's store for the PC. This, too, was developed by a company that was not Atari: Nvizzio Creations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 So that "Switch-only" RollerCoaster Tycoon Atari tried to crowdfund has found a space in Epic's store for the PC. This, too, was developed by a company that was not Atari: Nvizzio Creations. So much for "the Epic store won't accept crappy games." https://www.pcgamer.com/the-epic-store-wont-accept-crappy-games-says-ceo-tim-sweeney/ https://www.metacritic.com/game/switch/rollercoaster-tycoon-adventures 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TACODON Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 (edited) I think Atari is hoping to get bought out. Another reason to keep delaying something they clearly can't make. Let that be the next guys problem. The thing is why would anyone buy them right now? They are waiting for this thing to tank so they can buy it even cheaper. They could use pocket change at that point to payoff that power dubs guy. Edited March 26, 2019 by TACODON 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+frankodragon Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 I think that one that got a 100 score for RTA was nothing but Nutari buying positive reviews. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+frankodragon Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 A prototype of the AA soft taco shell. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Wow, look at your rep points, with that like. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+frankodragon Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Wow, look at your rep points, with that like. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woulfe Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 I think Atari is hoping to get bought out. Another reason to keep delaying something they clearly can't make. Let that be the next guys problem. The thing is why would anyone buy them right now? They are waiting for this thing to tank so they can buy it even cheaper. They could use pocket change at that point to payoff that power dubs guy. ! DING ! We have a winner, tell 'em what he's won... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 I'm not sure if anyone saw this analysis of Activision by Christopher Taylor a couple of weeks ago, but it can't be beneficial to be name dropped like this: Activision (ATVI) stock isn’t a “game over” situation like bankrupt 80’s gaming sensation Atari. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/still-game-activision-bears-144023492.html 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerx Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Yeah. Ten years oughta be enough time to figure it out, I reckon. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBerel Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 (edited) I think Atari is hoping to get bought out. Another reason to keep delaying something they clearly can't make. Let that be the next guys problem. The thing is why would anyone buy them right now? They are waiting for this thing to tank so they can buy it even cheaper. They could use pocket change at that point to payoff that power dubs guy. Been lookin' like that from the beginning. Their priority with the thing has always been about generating buzz more than a product. The entire thing was just a facade of bullshit that came crumbling down on them when they were inevitably caught lying and had no answers to questions from anyone. I'm pretty confident there was another story with the whole Feargal Mac debacle other than some crap about a controller design being stolen or not being ready. I think, behind the scenes, they learned about the scam he was running on the game band. They had to know because they "employed him more than full time" while his other thing was still in full swing and operating with an Atari license. The operation was intended to give them a noteworthy press item, a stock boost and position them for sale to unload the worthless stock. It worked to some degree before they got concerned that Feargal's embezzlement on Kickstarter would taint their show for Atari stock. After unloading Feargal, they never seemed to have anybody who had the first clue what to say about the thing because they never intended to have to explain it. It was just a vague notion of a new Atari console meant to boost their value. Ever since, I think it's been nothing but damage control which they continue to fail at. They can't explain the slightest plan to the media or the backers. They can't show progress because they have none. I don't believe this thing has been worked on at all to this day. If they are doing anything, they may be contracting with someone to make some kind of generic Linux box at this point just to get their silly asses out of peril. The thing has never been explained as more than that in any event, so it's asinine that they haven't produced something already. They're screwed either way. If they deliver a generic box, they lose any PR value for the promise of something better. If they don't deliver something, they build up their negative PR even further. Either way, their stock tanks further. They want to stay in this limbo land until they figure out how to cut and run. That dumb box will never see light of day. Edited March 26, 2019 by JBerel 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flojomojo Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 The specs on that thing look really weak and silly now. Ten years from now (when I hope to be retired), they'll seem antediluvian. 10 years ago: iPhone 3Gs, Playstation 3, Nintendo DSi XL ... and those were some successful products that I can remember. Ten years is a LONG time in tech. They're screwed either way. If they deliver a generic box, they lose any PR value for the promise of something better. If they don't deliver something, they build up their negative PR even further. Either way, their stock tanks further. They want to stay in this limbo land until they figure out how to cut and run. That dumb box will never see light of day. Nah, they're a fart in the wind. No one is giving them significant amounts of attention, press, or money. If they do cut-n-run, it will be forgotten, because the larger tale of their 1980s flops will always rule the narrative -- just like that blurb carlsson posted. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 ! DING ! We have a winner, tell 'em what he's won... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBerel Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nathan Strum Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 (edited) Yeah. Ten years oughta be enough time to figure it out, I reckon. I prefer TOS, myself... Anyway, if the Ataribox was ever meant to be anything other than a pricier Speakerhat, they'd have announced games for it by now. Not just Atari's Regurgitated Hits, or a port of Tempest 4000. But some other games of some sort. But on their on description of what Ataribox will supposedly do, Games get the least mention: Three of these imply paid services, and "Connect" and "Curate" explicitly state that Atari wants to sell you services to go along with this thing. Atari has even less experience selling services, than they do making consoles, so clearly they won't be doing that part of it themselves. Just like the hardware, they want to sell people on a vague concept, find a partner to do the actual work, then sit back and collect their cut of it for effectively doing nothing. Apple's entire presentation yesterday was about services. Microsoft's core business is now services. Atari sees other companies making money at it, and figures they can get a piece of it. Just like their wildly successful venture into cryptocurrency. Edited March 26, 2019 by Nathan Strum 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCAT Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 (edited) Maybe they can't go through the development stage because they are being blackmailed by M. Avenatti as well? I think Avenatti was blackmailing Atari, so Atari needed to raise funds to pay him off so that he will not release the evidence about old Atari that put E.T cartridges in a landfill, very serious environmental crime indeed. Atari used some of the 3 million as hush money because if Avenatti had released the proof, then Atari SA stock would have taken a massive hit and wiped $0.10's and $0.20's of the stock market, essentially cutting into Taco money. But now with him being arrested, they can get back to working on the VCS. This is not factual in any way but very very possible explanation. Edited March 26, 2019 by OCAT 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBerel Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaysWithWolves Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Screenshot_20190326-081839~2.png Sung to the chorus of "When Irish Eyes are Smiling". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacman000 Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Maybe they can't go through the development stage because they are being blackmailed by M. Avanetti as well? I think Avenetti was blackmailing Atari, so Atari needed to raise funds to pay him off so that he will not release the evidence about old Atari that put E.T cartridges in a landfill, very serious environmental crime indeed. Atari used some of the 3 million as hush money because if Avanetti had released the proof, then Atari SA stock would have taken a massive hit and wiped $0.10's and $0.20's of the stock market, essentially cutting into Taco money. But now with him being arrested, they can get back to working on the VCS. This is not factual in any way but very very possible explanation. It's not exactly a secret that Atari Inc disposed of a bunch of cartridges by dumping them in a landfill. I'm sure they complied to whatever environmental regulations were there at the time; they had to get permission to use the landfill. Even if they did commit some environmental crime, this is not the same company. It's a French company which bought the name & from Hasbro, who bought the name from JTS, who merged with Atari Corp, who bought the name from Warner Communications. Chances are the trademark's current owners aren't responsible for any cleanup, & if they are good luck proving it in court with so many ownership changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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