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AtGames 2019 speculation thread


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edit again- and after the fact I see the reply to the same question on the other thread. Sorry.

 

Is it 400 games or simply 'more than 250?' Saw another press release (apparently Oct 17) saying the former . I realize 'more than 250' isn't contradictory, just wondering what the end target number will be closer to, if that isn't privileged info at this point. Thank you.

 

Dang it, I replied to myself instead of editing. ed-Think I got it fixed now.

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I think it just needs to be looked at as making products that appeal to the broadest range of people and including whatever other extras are practical within those considerations to appeal to more of a niche audience like dedicated classic gamers. Targeting the dedicated classic gamer reaches a point of diminishing returns where you can't possibly accommodate every need/desire/requirement since you won't sell enough extra units - and the main target audience won't care - to justify whatever extra might be involved to get it there. From a behind-the-scenes standpoint I can say there are tremendous demands and considerations from licensors, retailers, production, etc., all with very specific timetables. That all works against products like these.

The home arcade machine will be a chance to work with fewer such restrictions since that's going to be at a much higher price point. That product will naturally have, and should have, much higher expectations than something selling for $20 or less.

Even considering those things I still feel like I'm missing something. The Flashbacks have been out as long as the original Atari 2600(15 years). During Atari's 15 years they were able to create with 1980's technology a fairly decent budget model(Junior) that in today's money would be around $100. With today's much more advanced technology it seems like it should be possible to make a model of similar quality but much cheaper and still be able to afford to make it a plug and play with built in games while being able to sell enough over time because apparently Flashbacks can sell as long as the original and soon even longer. I mean, an Atari 2600 is closer to a calculator than it is to a crappy $20 cell phone. It can't be too expensive to clone something that primitive just like calculators are dollor store cheap now.

 

Anyway, is there a thread and a post I should start reading about this arcade unit?

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edit again- and after the fact I see the reply to the same question on the other thread. Sorry.

 

Is it 400 games or simply 'more than 250?' Saw another press release (apparently Oct 17) saying the former . I realize 'more than 250' isn't contradictory, just wondering what the end target number will be closer to, if that isn't privileged info at this point. Thank you.

 

Dang it, I replied to myself instead of editing. ed-Think I got it fixed now.

 

Like I was saying before, don't read too much into minor variations of what's been revealed to date. Everything that was previously stated is still happening. The really cool thing is that not all of the hardware or software features or capabilities have been revealed yet.

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Even considering those things I still feel like I'm missing something. The Flashbacks have been out as long as the original Atari 2600(15 years). During Atari's 15 years they were able to create with 1980's technology a fairly decent budget model(Junior) that in today's money would be around $100. With today's much more advanced technology it seems like it should be possible to make a model of similar quality but much cheaper and still be able to afford to make it a plug and play with built in games while being able to sell enough over time because apparently Flashbacks can sell as long as the original and soon even longer. I mean, an Atari 2600 is closer to a calculator than it is to a crappy $20 cell phone. It can't be too expensive to clone something that primitive just like calculators are dollor store cheap now.

 

Anyway, is there a thread and a post I should start reading about this arcade unit?

 

Here's the arcade machine thread: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/284076-atgames-officially-unveils-legends-ultimate-home-arcade-full-size-machine/

 

And yes, $50 in 1988 is about $106 in today's dollars, but we're not playing in the $99 console space with the Flashback consoles and handhelds. It's a different market and competitive landscape. I do get what you're saying that we should be able to replicate 1970s technology with something you include with a box of cereal, but it's really not that straightforward. You can see that by the fact that no one else is really doing anything different in this space, and those that try to target for a more premium product at a more premium price point can get badly burned (see The64 Mini in the US, which is down to $50, and the PlayStation Mini, which dropped down to $40).

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Even considering those things I still feel like I'm missing something. The Flashbacks have been out as long as the original Atari 2600(15 years). During Atari's 15 years they were able to create with 1980's technology a fairly decent budget model(Junior) that in today's money would be around $100. With today's much more advanced technology it seems like it should be possible to make a model of similar quality but much cheaper and still be able to afford to make it a plug and play with built in games while being able to sell enough over time because apparently Flashbacks can sell as long as the original and soon even longer. I mean, an Atari 2600 is closer to a calculator than it is to a crappy $20 cell phone. It can't be too expensive to clone something that primitive just like calculators are dollor store cheap now.

I'm not sure where you're coming from. There's a portable Atari Flashback with its own screen and a slot for more games that I've seen for as little as $24 (which is like $9 in 1982 bucks). There are Atari Flashbacks at different price points as well; the wired-up version is about $40 (which is $14 in 1982 bucks). The bundled controllers are probably worth more than the logic board in these things, and the licensing/packing/shipping more than the controllers. How low would you have them go?

 

There are disposable little calculators in the dollar store, and there are $75 scientific calculators in the big box stores for kids to use in school.

 

Are you saying that you want the Flashback line to be even more inexpensive? Personally, I'd rather they went higher end into "keepsake" territory.

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I'm not sure where you're coming from. There's a portable Atari Flashback with its own screen and a slot for more games that I've seen for as little as $24 (which is like $9 in 1982 bucks). There are Atari Flashbacks at different price points as well; the wired-up version is about $40 (which is $14 in 1982 bucks). The bundled controllers are probably worth more than the logic board in these things, and the licensing/packing/shipping more than the controllers. How low would you have them go?

 

There are disposable little calculators in the dollar store, and there are $75 scientific calculators in the big box stores for kids to use in school.

 

Are you saying that you want the Flashback line to be even more inexpensive? Personally, I'd rather they went higher end into "keepsake" territory.

 

No, I'm not saying that at all. I'm saying that if a budget Atari that is already plug and play sized from the 80's could be done for around $100 then the same quality should be able to be achieved today for cheaper. A Flashback isn't even in the ballpark of the same quality.

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Maybe. "Should" without all the info, though? I would assume these are the way they are for real reasons.

 

I wouldn't be so keen on duplicating Atari's business decisions, knowing how all that turned out.

 

The atgames devices aren't dependent on add-on cartridge software sales, they're standalone purchases.

 

The electronics market is now /very/ different from the "Junior" days. These are more like toys than anything else.

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Here's the arcade machine thread: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/284076-atgames-officially-unveils-legends-ultimate-home-arcade-full-size-machine/

 

And yes, $50 in 1988 is about $106 in today's dollars, but we're not playing in the $99 console space with the Flashback consoles and handhelds. It's a different market and competitive landscape. I do get what you're saying that we should be able to replicate 1970s technology with something you include with a box of cereal, but it's really not that straightforward. You can see that by the fact that no one else is really doing anything different in this space, and those that try to target for a more premium product at a more premium price point can get badly burned (see The64 Mini in the US, which is down to $50, and the PlayStation Mini, which dropped down to $40).

I don't think looking at the C64Mini and PS Classic and concluding that the market doesn't want premium products at a premium price is a reasonable conclusion.

 

First, the C64 Mini was a poor implementation. They tried to "console-ize" a home computer. They did a poor job at it. The quality of the included joystick is abysmal but required due to the proprietary buttons for navigating the console. Game selection was hit-and-(mostly)-miss. Even with updated firmware to support additional games, the hoops that one needs to go through to play multi-disk games is not for the mainstream.

 

I own the C64 Mini and I would not consider it a "premium product".

 

The greatest issue with the PS Classic is the quality of the included games. They weren't really a good representation of what the console had to offer. Had they had a better selection of preloaded games, it would've been a hit... even at the full MSRP.

 

Is there a market for a more premium product at a more premium price point? Answer: We don't know because there hasn't been one released to the market to gauge how the public would respond.

 

If you're not playing in the $99 console space but in the $50 disposable market, why are you moving into the home arcade market? Why should someone spend far more on a home arcade system from a company that specializes in disposable electronics? Unless you secure the favor of influential reviewers to prime the pump for sales, I can't see anyone buying a disposable arcade system... and if it isn't going to be "disposable" like the flashbacks, then what in AtGames trackrecord would convince a consumer to consider buying a "quality" arcade system?

 

I am a reasonably content owner of an Atari Flashback 9 and the latest FB portable but I would need a lot of convincing to buy a home arcade system from AtGames.

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Well, whether a product is premium or not is arguably determined by the price point as much as it is the build quality. That's why whatever your thoughts are on the PlayStation Mini, The64 Mini, Neo Geo Mini, etc., they are still in a higher price tier with higher expectations. I really don't think there are too many viable mass market vintage gaming products, as opposed to niche products, at these higher price points. There's not enough of us out there and I'm not sure the general public with limited nostalgia has a huge enough appetite to justify the higher outlays.

 

Anyway, of course the AtGames arcade machine product line is going to be under suspicion. The product line will have to perform at or better than the price point it's being sold at and of course relative to how it's going to be used (like an arcade machine). Of course, warranties will be different as well, etc. There are definitely different requirements and expectations at hundreds of dollars versus tens of dollars.

 

By the way, we should have another partnership press release out soon that will also reveal an as-yet-unannounced feature of the machine. It's one of my favorite features.

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Just got the Atari Flashback Portable 2018, Legends Flashback Blast! and Atari Flashback 9 Gold.

 

I'm pretty satisfied with all three, I've noticed some things that maybe could be addressed in future versions of these consoles:

 

* The D-Pad in Atari Flashback Portable 2018 is way more sensitive than 2017 version, making some games slightly more difficult to play. I don't think I've big hands but maybe a solution would be making it slightly bigger. (I liked sooo much the battery duration!)

* Legends Flashback Blast! no place in documentation says that you need to put a power supply to the HDMI dongle or it doesn't work. But in a second thought I think this one won't have so much success because that thing of inserting it in your TV isn't good for connectors of the expensive big screens! and there are too few games integrated to make it worthwhile to insert it.

* Atari Flashback 9 Gold! the scanline filter is way too big for darkened lines, these should be thinner. For some reason the 4 separate joystick buttons for menu and restart some times are irresponsive and I need to approach the console to press the buttons. In Breakout the paddle moves so fast with a slight press in joystick that it's hard to center it properly. The Frogger game certainly is disappointing because it's not the original and doesn't have any music (my bigger daughter already was expecting the music and it really let it down)

 

I'm very impressed by Atari Flashback 9 Gold and Atari Flashback Portable 2018.

 

I'm impressed by the responsive controller in Legends Flashback Blast! but at same time I preferred the Atari-style joysticks of the 9 Gold (nostalgia effect!). The inalambric connection is simply amazing and the stick and button is very responsive.

 

For Frogger it really would be better to include another game in its place, because it's a negative point when you run it and it has the Atari 2600 cover but no Atari 2600 gameplay, music or sound.

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For Frogger it really would be better to include another game in its place, because it's a negative point when you run it and it has the Atari 2600 cover but no Atari 2600 gameplay, music or sound.

 

Unfortunately, you won't find any original versions of Frogger, arcade or otherwise, on anything anymore because of music rights issues. Fortunately, this AtGames-created version of Frogger, although not designed for the Atari 2600, has been well-received. You can put the Parker Brothers version on via SD card, so you get the best of both worlds there (unfortunate the Supercharger version doesn't work). It's the same deal with Taito's Space Invaders, just for different reasons.

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Unfortunately, you won't find any original versions of Frogger, arcade or otherwise, on anything anymore because of music rights issues. Fortunately, this AtGames-created version of Frogger, although not designed for the Atari 2600, has been well-received. You can put the Parker Brothers version on via SD card, so you get the best of both worlds there (unfortunate the Supercharger version doesn't work). It's the same deal with Taito's Space Invaders, just for different reasons.

 

Couldn't it have been patched the original to not include the music but look like the Atari 2600 version?

 

If AtGames has the authorization to include the original Frogger, I would be more than happy to replace for free the music with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at least!

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Couldn't it have been patched the original to not include the music but look like the Atari 2600 version?

 

If AtGames has the authorization to include the original Frogger, I would be more than happy to replace for free the music with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at least!

 

Like with Space Invaders, there was little reason to pretend to make it like the Atari 2600 version. In terms of patching the original game, we went down that route years back and it didn't work out in time. Now that ship has sailed. Again, if you want the originals, the SD card slots are there.

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Meh! After the whole Flashback Blast! mess, the best thing that could happen to AtGames in 2019 is to go belly up and out of business.

 

Can't respect a company that scams and lies to customers. And when AtGames is called out on their deceptive scam using NES ROMs instead of arcade ROMs, they block all negative comments and negative reviews of their products. Yeah, nice professional "Damage Control" there!

 

And when asked why Sega cut partnership with AtGames for the Genesis Mini, they refuse to say why. Of course we all know why Sega dropped AtGames like a hot turd. AtGames Sega products are total CRAP.

 

And now AtGames wants to go up against Arcade 1 Up and bring out their own home arcade product. Bet that'll end up being another AtGames crap product dumpster fire. Wouldn't put it past AtGames to pull another deceptive scam with the home arcade product. Bet AtGames won't send John Hancock a free unit to review after Hancock turned on them and called them out on the Blast! products.

 

AtGames is just going to be pumping out the same old crap. They'll be putting out countless crap Blast! units like they do the Flashback systems. Rehashing and reselling the same old tired and played out Atari 2600 games, handful by handful, for each new Blast! system. Just milking their Atari 2600 games license as much as they can.

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Meh! After the whole Flashback Blast! mess, the best thing that could happen to AtGames in 2019 is to go belly up and out of business.

 

 

If you were really a retrogames fan, that would be the worst phrase that you could choose because AtGames helps to keep our hobby in the radar of the mainstream consumer, and it's doing a good work, not perfect, but good.

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We'll announce the new products for this year when the time is right. Right now, we're focusing on the arcade roll-out.

Alright. I was trying to determine if I should bother with the 2018 genesis console or wait it out a bit further. I like how it has that SD card slot on it and the other improvements.

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Agreed. AtGames has stepped up their game and this past year really did release some good products. Personally, I bought the 2018 FB portable and got the SD card loaded up with ROMs to boot. While it is not the best or greatest handheld, I paid a little under $40 for everything. Not a bad deal at all. Now, should AtGames try and do a better job of QA? Sure. But, they don't deserve the hate they have been getting. There are far grander and bigger travesties in the gaming world that what happened with the one Blast unit.

The AtGames Blast deal, while bizarre and something I still don't understand, was hardly the travesty some wanted to portray it as. Hardly just cause to wish the company would go under.

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