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Onyx All In Bundle only $99.99 on GameStop


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9 hours ago, suspicious_milk said:

Congrats for y'all that got it at 99.

 

Just picked one up on eBay for ~200 and ordered 16gb of faster RAM and a 500gb m.2 from amazon.  I'll tinker with "Atari OS", but it's just gonna be my daily (stylish) Linux box. Hopefully the upgrade goes smooth.

Yeah, I went the same route and snagged one off Ebay as well for $215.  After all the GS hype, I really started looking at the YT reviews and I can see where I can get my money's worth out of it.

 

I'm also going to do the upgrades, but I'm gonna run it stock at first.  If it performs well for what I intend to use it for, I may not even upgrade it at all.  We'll see what happens!

 

And, congrats to all that got it for that amazing price.!  :)

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11 hours ago, suspicious_milk said:

Yeppers.  I've plenty of good thermal paste and am very experienced in this sort of upgrade.  I'm not too aweful experienced in upclocking RAM, but found a good YT video specifically for doing so on the VCS.  I just hope I can figure out the Firmware password (I understand some have had issues with that).

The issue is basically if it doesn't accept the known passwords,  there's a recovery image floating around that will take the OS down to a level where it will get the correct password upon next update.    I have not needed to go through the recovery procedure myself,  but my understanding is there are some addition instructions you need to do in addition to the ones provided with the image.   If you run into the issue, search this forum you should find what you need.

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On 5/2/2022 at 4:45 PM, Djmicklovin said:

Oh really so you run Gamestop? Why would they raise the price back up if they don’t plan to restock the VCS? That doesn’t make any sense… If they were done with the VCS they would have removed it from the website.

 

Or maybe because their 50th anniversary is coming and they’re working on a special edition VCS for Gamestop. Not that crazy of an idea…

 

While we're on the topic of not making any sense, why in the world would they sell all of their existing stock at a loss, only to restock them and start selling them at MSRP again? That, IMHO, makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

 

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1 hour ago, bfollowell said:

While we're on the topic of not making any sense, why in the world would they sell all of their existing stock at a loss, only to restock them and start selling them at MSRP again? That, IMHO, makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

clearing out one SKU but continuing to stock another SKU of the same product isn't unheard of.   Can't say if that's what's going on here though.   They still do sell the Onyx base system SKU which is listed on their site at $149 at the moment

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3 minutes ago, zzip said:

clearing out one SKU but continuing to stock another SKU of the same product isn't unheard of.   Can't say if that's what's going on here though.   They still do sell the Onyx base system SKU which is listed on their site at $149 at the moment

Even at 149, that is a great deal for the base. 

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22 minutes ago, leech said:

Even at 149, that is a great deal for the base. 

"Great" is arguable, but it's certainly within range of other compact PCs. It will be interesting to see what Atari's ongoing strategy, if any, will be with the VCS platform. It might behoove them to explore the possibility of licensing out the platform to any and all hardware manufacturers who might be interested (and meet a certain minimum standard) and then trying to make money with the digital stuff. That might be the only way at this point to noticeably increase the user base outside of clearing out their remaining hardware inventory (and that's also assuming most owners don't opt to use their own stuff on it).

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10 minutes ago, Bill Loguidice said:

"Great" is arguable, but it's certainly within range of other compact PCs.

Could you give an example of a compact PC in the same price range with similar specs? I think the only other machines at that price would be ones with integrated Intel graphics which I think the Radeon Vega would outperform pretty easily for gaming.

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52 minutes ago, zzip said:

clearing out one SKU but continuing to stock another SKU of the same product isn't unheard of.   Can't say if that's what's going on here though.   They still do sell the Onyx base system SKU which is listed on their site at $149 at the moment

 

Yeah, but it appears to be unavailable as well, just like every other VCS option that they have. By all appearances, GameStop just no longer has any in stock, at least at the moment.

 

To me, this has all the markings of a fire sale and I'll be shocked to see GameStop get any more in stock, ever. I hope I'm wrong, but that's how it looks to me. I'm just checking all the big retailers (GameStop, Best Buy, Amazon), every day or two, hoping for another great deal, but I'm not necessarily hopeful.

 

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14 minutes ago, stirrell said:

Could you give an example of a compact PC in the same price range with similar specs? I think the only other machines at that price would be ones with integrated Intel graphics which I think the Radeon Vega would outperform pretty easily for gaming.

That's true. You typically get Intel HD Graphics 600 in that price range, so the trade-off for easier expandability might not be worth it for some. I don't think you would really directly play many modern games on either one, though, so who knows? Either way, I do agree when it was available for $149, it was a far better deal than what it was initially and would certainly have been perceived far differently. I think at the time (a few years back) a lot of us were saying $199 would have been a good target to hit rather than what it released at.

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1 hour ago, Bill Loguidice said:

"Great" is arguable, but it's certainly within range of other compact PCs

Not seeing many compact PCs in this price range, I think supply chain issues/inflation have raised prices in that segment.

 

1 hour ago, Bill Loguidice said:

if any, will be with the VCS platform. It might behoove them to explore the possibility of licensing out the platform to any and all hardware manufacturers who might be interested (and meet a certain minimum standard) and then trying to make money with the digital stuff. That might be the only way at this point to noticeably increase the user base outside of clearing out their remaining hardware inventory

Not sure how much Atari wants to be in the Online Digital store business,  but if they do and want to open it up, what they really should do is specialize in PC games that run in a console form factor (i.e. games where KB/mouse not required to play or traverse menus),    So anyone who wants to run a living room console style gaming PC would have an easy place to go to find games.

 

Other than that I don't see a huge value in the Atari store.   I suppose its good for people with VCS who don't want to mess with PC mode,  otherwise Steam/GoG is a better source of games, but you have to self-curate to find the ones that are 100% KB/mouse free

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The VCS console itself without any controllers is easily worth $200 for it's specs, Atari OS, mini pc versatility and build quality.

 

$250 with 1 Classic Joystick controller would seem to be the perfect price point to me.

 

The Classic Joystick Spinner function is the exclusive feature for the VCS that many people seem to be overlooking the importance of.

download (2).jpg

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I've long beat the drum of $300 with an included Classic myself, but that has been a lost cause. It seems clear that if Atari felt they could take a price cut they would, but for whatever reason (presumably actual cost of production) the idea of a price drop seems to be a nonstarter. It's also the number one reason why the console hasn't sold, although even with a price drop most of the negative folks on the Internet would just find another reason to bash it. Still, doing something to change Internet minds is dumb, doing it to actually start selling through to customers who then buy games in AtariOS is the reason to do it.

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8 minutes ago, Mockduck said:

I've long beat the drum of $300 with an included Classic myself, but that has been a lost cause. It seems clear that if Atari felt they could take a price cut they would, but for whatever reason (presumably actual cost of production) the idea of a price drop seems to be a nonstarter. It's also the number one reason why the console hasn't sold, although even with a price drop most of the negative folks on the Internet would just find another reason to bash it. Still, doing something to change Internet minds is dumb, doing it to actually start selling through to customers who then buy games in AtariOS is the reason to do it.

The other reason is just availability.   For whatever reason Atari was fine with it selling at just three retailers with it being an online-only product at two of them.  Only Microcenter seemed to have it in store, and Microcenters are far less common than Best Buy or Gamestop.

 

With games and music/movies increasingly going digital, stores like Best Buy and Target have extra space in their electronics sections and I've seen an increase in these stores carrying more niche retro products.   Seemed like VCS would fit nicely next to mini arcade cabinets and other such things,  they could make a nice impulse Christmas present for say a gen-X dad who has everything and remembers Atari from his youth.  Maybe the price was a little high,  but in 2020 and 2021 gas prices were low and govt stimulus checks were coming in on top of your salary so it didn't seem like obtaining the money for one was a real hurdle.   Now that inflation is becoming a problem it might be a harder sell again.

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57 minutes ago, E. King said:

The Classic Joystick Spinner function is the exclusive feature for the VCS that many people seem to be overlooking the importance of.

download (2).jpg

Is the spinner really that important to the average consumer? I've heard mixed things about the joystick.

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40 minutes ago, Bill Loguidice said:

Is the spinner really that important to the average consumer? I've heard mixed things about the joystick.

The joystick with spinner function could be a selling point if implemented properly and advertised.  There are a few games on the VCS that use the spinner with great success however Atari needs to promote that function more (advertise and communicate better as they need to do with all things).  The joystick is a good quality unit, although I wouldn't hammer on it like a CX40.  You should try one before passing judgement.  They are currently on sale at Game Stop for less than $30.  You could probably get one for the same price through Best Buy with price matching.

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49 minutes ago, Bill Loguidice said:

Is the spinner really that important to the average consumer? I've heard mixed things about the joystick.

I don't think the average consumer is aware that the Atari VCS exists. I personally like the joystick and for games that use it well (Thrustlander) it really adds a unique element to the gameplay. Atari supporting the Classic on their Recharged series is one big reason to choose those versions over the PC in my opinion. That won't sell systems, of course. From what I have heard from developers programming for the spinner is a pain and seems like a lot of trial and error. I think it would be good if Atari would come up with some open source tools for developers to make it easy to utilize the Classic controller in their games (including Windows and Linux games or maybe even some applications). Surely there are some really cool uses for the spinner that developers could dream up.

The Classic stick definitely doesn't feel like the classic 2600 joystick. I could see people not liking the feel of the stick especially if they are expecting a CX40. But I love having a joystick option for games.

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1 hour ago, Bill Loguidice said:

Is the spinner really that important to the average consumer? I've heard mixed things about the joystick.

In this case the average consumer is a retro games enthusiast with a history and knowledge of old Atari games, so yeah, I'd actually say the spinner is critical to reaching the VCS' audience.

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23 minutes ago, Mockduck said:

In this case the average consumer is a retro games enthusiast with a history and knowledge of old Atari games, so yeah, I'd actually say the spinner is critical to reaching the VCS' audience.

I don't know about that. I'm not sure how much the VCS appeals to those interested in retro gaming. In any case, I guess we'll see if the VCS remains a going concern or not soon enough.

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1 hour ago, Bill Loguidice said:

I'm not sure how much the VCS appeals to those interested in retro gaming.

Really? I'd say nearly all of the VCS user base is made up of retro gaming enthusiasts. On the Atari OS side of things, that's a huge focus, what with the Atari 2600, Atari 7800 and DOS emulators to go with the weekly retro releases, Atari Vault 1 and 2, and Antstream Arcade is also featured prominently. Many retro gamers are also "tinkerers" and have delved into maxing out the VCS' specs and added Windows, etc. to build legit retro gaming rigs. Pretty sure retro gamers are nearly the entire market for the VCS, frankly.

 

1 hour ago, Leonard Smith said:

How many games use the spinner anyway? 

Most of the Recharged series of games take advantage of the rotary control, including Black Widow, Breakout and Tempest. The forthcoming Gravitar, will, too. There are also other select games in the Store that use the rotary control, including Thrustlander and Guntech 2.0, to name a couple.

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9 hours ago, E. King said:

The VCS console itself without any controllers is easily worth $200 for it's specs, Atari OS, mini pc versatility and build quality.

 

$250 with 1 Classic Joystick controller would seem to be the perfect price point to me.

 

The Classic Joystick Spinner function is the exclusive feature for the VCS that many people seem to be overlooking the importance of.

download (2).jpg

I actually just made a new account on here just to echo this point. This is the FIRST time I've seen anything mentioned about this feature ANYWHERE and it's actually pretty amazing. I didn't even realize it had the feature until my friend was using it like that for tempest and I was like WHAT IT ACTUALLY DOES THAT! I'm going to try to score some more of these if I can figure out how to make them work in other environments like they do in the Atari OS.

 

Atari isn't even broadcasting the feature enough to have you aware of this point. I'm just dreading having to figure out how to get it to work with MAME and all the other guys...

 

The other thing nobody mentions is how all the games in the VCS "OS" has all that force feedback going on and it even works in this joystick and the modern one. These things seem subtle, but it's actually very cool.

 

While I ramble on, I'm one of the folks who scored one of these at $100 on gamestop and got it a couple weeks ago. I've been working on it and you are going to likely have to crank back the bios so you get a known bios pass... unlock the bios, relaunch that AtariOS stuff and upgrade... I'm not liking the cat-and-mouse thing going on with that bios password to be honest. They really should just tell you what it is and just have you acknowledge that if you break the thing it's not their fault for using it.

 

Another annoying thing is that I've installed Windows 10, it's not installing all the drivers. You can seek "R-Series R1000 with Radeon™ Vega Graphics Drivers & Support" and get and install both packages that you'll wind up finding to get all the hardware drivers working. I think knowing all this and unlocking the device, the sky's the limit on what you can wind up doing with this thing.

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14 hours ago, bfollowell said:

 

While we're on the topic of not making any sense, why in the world would they sell all of their existing stock at a loss, only to restock them and start selling them at MSRP again? That, IMHO, makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

 

Maybe they worked a deal with Gamestop or whoever runs Gamestop is an Atari fan and is doing them a favor. Retailers sell products at a loss all the time and continue to stock the products. It’s not uncommon. Whatever loss they took on it is probably minor since Atari didn’t produce that many to begin with.

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13 hours ago, zzip said:

Not seeing many compact PCs in this price range, I think supply chain issues/inflation have raised prices in that segment.

 

Not sure how much Atari wants to be in the Online Digital store business,  but if they do and want to open it up, what they really should do is specialize in PC games that run in a console form factor (i.e. games where KB/mouse not required to play or traverse menus),    So anyone who wants to run a living room console style gaming PC would have an easy place to go to find games.

 

Other than that I don't see a huge value in the Atari store.   I suppose its good for people with VCS who don't want to mess with PC mode,  otherwise Steam/GoG is a better source of games, but you have to self-curate to find the ones that are 100% KB/mouse free

Or just slap this on it.

 

https://github.com/bhaiest/holoiso

 

Hopefully full SteamOS downloads appear soon that will make it a little easier to put on the AtariVCS.  But considering Valve is already curating their library for Verified/Playable/Unsupported for their users... Hopefully this weekend I'll remember to put aside some time to install this on the VCS.

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9 hours ago, Leonard Smith said:

How many games use the spinner anyway? 
I mean, apart from the obvious Tempest?  

Are rotary style games such as Ikari Warriors and Heavy Barrel on the VCS? 

Dude.  Ikari Warriors and Heavy Barrel would rock with it!  I've been meaning to build an arcade machine, but keep getting hung up on how I'd get the correct controls for these games... and still have everything else playable... one day...

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