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The Atari VCS Controversies Thread


Mockduck

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1 hour ago, racerx said:

I've got to hand it to Atari...most companies can only dream of attracting loyal customers with zero expectations.

 

Where else can you get such an iconic over priced under powered door stop? The VCS really is the best value in gaming ever. They may as well stop making gaming, streaming unconsoles after this. We have clearly hit the apex of human development with the VCS...

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I’m a little surprised that it appears as though ATARI has gone through all of their public statements and removed any specific mentions of dates.

 

perhaps I have imagined it, but I am certain they had made statements of specific dates for launch in November - these seem to have now disappeared.
 

if true, this is beyond ethically questionable, it is deliberate and systematic deceptive conduct.

 

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6 hours ago, Chopsus said:

I’m a little surprised that it appears as though ATARI has gone through all of their public statements and removed any specific mentions of dates.

 

perhaps I have imagined it, but I am certain they had made statements of specific dates for launch in November - these seem to have now disappeared.
 

if true, this is beyond ethically questionable, it is deliberate and systematic deceptive conduct.

 

As every day goes by, it seems more likely Atari is using the controller issue as an excuse to withhold the system.  Is it really a controller issue, or is Atari using that as cover to stall for time? Deceptive conduct isn't exactly out of Atari's wheelhouse. 

 

If the modern style controllers are ready,  just ship the consoles to backers now and sent the retro ones later.  I get the cost issue, but this is just sad.

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I figured something was up with this cause you can't find it on Wal Mart anymore.  I pre ordered mine from Wal Mart. It's really just about zero risk to do it that way they made a pre approval charge to see if the funds are available when I pre order a few months ago but it went away after a couple of days never came out of pending. 

 

No big issue if you use a credit card. To get the page to load I have to go to my orders on Wal Mart  and find the pre order then load it up. It says out of stock when you do get the page up. So I figure I can save the money and if it gets cancelled no biggie it forced me to save some money.

 

I will say the lack of any new games does totally kill my excitement for the console. I'm pretty much only getting it as a collector item and so I can unbox it on my youtube channel.

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7 hours ago, Oneinchbiceps said:

I figured something was up with this cause you can't find it on Wal Mart anymore.  I pre ordered mine from Wal Mart. It's really just about zero risk to do it that way they made a pre approval charge to see if the funds are available when I pre order a few months ago but it went away after a couple of days never came out of pending. 

 

No big issue if you use a credit card. To get the page to load I have to go to my orders on Wal Mart  and find the pre order then load it up. It says out of stock when you do get the page up. So I figure I can save the money and if it gets cancelled no biggie it forced me to save some money.

 

I will say the lack of any new games does totally kill my excitement for the console. I'm pretty much only getting it as a collector item and so I can unbox it on my youtube channel.

The argument is that it doesn't need exclusive games since it's a set top POS PC.  Which begs the question - why not just plug a PC into your tv?

 

In terms of Walmart, our optimistic friend. PDubs believes this is because the units are all sold out.  Wow!  Must be quite the hot ticket item for Christmas.   Looks like I'll have to buy one from an Ebay scalper.

 

Anyway, the claim is that Atari didn't promise backers would have their systems in October, only that shipping would begin in October.   Putting systems in boxes counts as a start, right?

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On 10/11/2020 at 6:20 AM, Chopsus said:

Release dates at Walmart and Gamestop appear to have disappeared, as have any promises about guaranteed delivery dates.

 

Wikipedia now says Backers will be getting theirs at the same time as the Walmart release:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_VCS_(2020_console) Release date November 27, 2020 (Walmart & Indiegogo backers) December 24, 2020 (Gamestop)

 

It looks like these consoles are not going to be in stores in time for Christmas shoppers. Releasing a consumer product in January (or February) is not a great idea. I wonder if the VCS will ever be available at retail (in the sense that I can actually walk into a store and buy one off the shelf). 

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^ Here in Canada?! No way, BUT... we do still have Toys R Us here, and EB games (Gamestop) so perhaps those retailers but forget Walmart. We see time and time again what happens to these niche systems, they get dumped on the liquidation racks.
I do not think Canada has the population density to attract Atari sales, this system is already a product for a small userbase. They could set up an Ebay store and sell it there ??? I don't know... but more importantly... I dont care! ?
Perhaps They can convince these retailers to carry it to increase foot traffic. LOL

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One thing is certain: French ATARI are very good at saying one thing, then reinterpreting it to mean the opposite later.  They never correct the record or respond to a specific question ... I am also starting to wonder if the dedicated few are actually on ATARI‘s payroll in one way or another ... social media consultants or similar.

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On 10/11/2020 at 6:20 AM, Chopsus said:

Release dates at Walmart and Gamstop appear to have disappeared, as have any promises about guaranteed delivery dates.

 

Wikipedia now says Backers will be getting theirs at the same time as the Walmart release:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_VCS_(2020_console) Release date November 27, 2020 (Walmart & Indiegogo backers) December 24, 2020 (Gamestop)

Group Laugh GIF - Group Laugh GroupLaugh GIFs

 

 

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1 hour ago, OCAT said:

Anyone still peeved that they called this thing "VCS" to deliberatly screw over Google searches...

All it means is that Atari will never be able to hide from this failure now.  "Ataribox" would have eventually been buried.   "Atarivcs", not so easily. 

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12 hours ago, OCAT said:

^ Here in Canada?! No way, BUT... we do still have Toys R Us here, and EB games (Gamestop) so perhaps those retailers but forget Walmart. We see time and time again what happens to these niche systems, they get dumped on the liquidation racks.
I do not think Canada has the population density to attract Atari sales, this system is already a product for a small userbase. They could set up an Ebay store and sell it there ??? I don't know... but more importantly... I dont care! ?
Perhaps They can convince these retailers to carry it to increase foot traffic. LOL

I hardly see any atgames or any of those little mini arcades or even the arcade1ups in my area, Windsor Ontario. It doesn't bother me because personally I think all that stuff is a bunch of cheap crap,  but that's just my opinion so sorry to those out there that love it. 

 

Point is, yes, it seems Canada isn't a high priority for some of these retro companies which have relative success in the marketplace, something new Atari will struggle with in the US market, let alone Canada so I don't see much penetration, if at all, here at the retail level.

Edited by AtariLeaf
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3 hours ago, AtariLeaf said:

I hardly see any atgames or any of those little mini arcades or even the arcade1ups in my area, Windsor Ontario. It doesn't bother me because personally I think all that stuff is a bunch of cheap crap,  but that's just my opinion so sorry to those out there that love it. 

 

Point is, yes, it seems Canada isn't a high priority for some of these retro companies which have relative success in the marketplace, something new Atari will struggle with in the US market, let alone Canada so I don't see much penetration, if at all, here at the retail level.

Obviously the US market is always going to be top priority, but it's not as simple as just wanting to get into other territories. Getting into retail in Canada can be a surprising challenge for many companies, especially those with retail expertise mostly in the US. At AtGames, we released the Legends Ultimate in the US in October of last year and only just now have a Canadian retail partner. There's a whole different set of regulations, requirements, and costs. Same with retailers in Europe, which again, we only just recently started releasing into.

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It is sometimes necessary to wait for stuff to "drift" across the border(s) as personal imports if it is never officially sold here in Canada. There is a thriving grey market for some things, but, sadly, not video games.  

 

It took me 10+ years(!) to finally find an Atari Flashback 2 at a Canadian thrift shop. (In the same province, though not at the same shop, I also found a Sears Video Arcade console and some Japanese PS 2 games.) 

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^ Yea, I always take a few minutes to walk through my local goodwill store but since the plague, I stay far away. I am not saying you have more of a risk but it always had that "smell" also it is not a necessity to score an old console/ games but it is fun to dream and try and find that old discarded "Air Raid" or NWC or Stadium Events" NES cart that somehow got passed everyone. I pass & just get my hoarding supplies stuff at the dollar store next door (ie snacks & candy). I am waiting until i see flashbacks at the dollar store one day :) they already have old videogames in the movies section.

Edited by OCAT
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5 hours ago, Bill Loguidice said:

At AtGames, we released the Legends Ultimate in the US in October of last year and only just now have a Canadian retail partner.

That actually might be something I'd be interested in. If you could point me in the right direction for that information that would be appreciated 

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On 10/11/2020 at 8:17 PM, racerx said:

I've got to hand it to Atari...most companies can only dream of attracting loyal customers with zero expectations.

I don't know about being loyal I just hate to see the money be 100% wasted. Even 1% of fun is something after all these years. 

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39 minutes ago, Matt_B said:

They're still taking pre-orders in Australia. At $849 a pop, I'm guessing they'll probably be the ones they want to fulfill first.

I think they have sucked the Australian distributor right in to their little con-sole Ponzi scheme ... it will be interesting to see how slow on the uptake they will be.

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Just to clarify,

 

I'm very much an optimist in this life.  I was optimistic that ATGames would eventually release a Flashback with an SD card slot...And they did!  WooHoo!

 

I'm optimistic there will be a vaccine for COVID, that maybe one day Google Maps will just work without telling me I've "dropped a pin" whatever the F that means, and that someday they'll cure cancer...

 

But to imagine that this nutari VCAss will be 1% Fun?   

 

4ihfe2.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by GoldLeader
I like to think of myself as a Smartass not a Dumbass, wait,...What was the question?
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On 10/11/2020 at 11:52 PM, Chopsus said:

I’m a little surprised that it appears as though ATARI has gone through all of their public statements and removed any specific mentions of dates.

 

perhaps I have imagined it, but I am certain they had made statements of specific dates for launch in November - these seem to have now disappeared.
 

if true, this is beyond ethically questionable, it is deliberate and systematic deceptive conduct.

 

Do you have a source for this or any evidence? I've gone through all of the links over the past two years that had specific mentions of dates and have not found any adjustment to the copy. As far as I can tell this is incorrect.

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32 minutes ago, Mockduck said:

Do you have a source for this or any evidence? I've gone through all of the links over the past two years that had specific mentions of dates and have not found any adjustment to the copy. As far as I can tell this is incorrect.

As I said:

 

perhaps I have imagined it, but I am certain they had made statements of specific dates for launch in November - these seem to have now disappeared.

 

The only definitive statement I could find was an email on 12th July 2020. Atari VCS Team: “ Indiegogo backers will receive their Atari VCS orders in October. Stay tuned for more updates regarding a ship date.”

 

... and even that quote is attributed to someone else, even though reproduced by French ATARI ... 

 

I am interested to hear of those, date specific, communications that have had no adjustment to copy (as far as you can tell).

 

My point being that, either way, F-Atari seem (to me) to have either avoided or sanitized any commitment to a delivery date for Backers.

Edited by Chopsus
You can’t prove what’s not there
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