We can certainly say that Atari now exists and it's the Atari that resembles the original one the most. That's good news indeed. As many others, I'm waiting for a Jag mini or Jag+
It still hurts as a life long Atari fan, thinking of all the squandered opportunities Atari had back in the 80's. Atari was on track to become the Nintendo of the west, going down the path of making one of the greatest arcade games of all time (Atari having Crystal Castles, and Nintendo having Donkey Kong), bringing that game to there own home console, then building off that to make a massive franchise based on a company mascot. Had Time Warner not been so short sighted, they could have rebuilt the Atari brand. The 80's could have been Atari vs Nintendo, clash of the titans. But sadly we did not get that. Nowadays, the gaming industry has changed so much, and we now have incredible game developers making new games that look like the old ones, like Donut Dodo. So now is a great time for Atari to bring back it's old systems, and release new games for them. And Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest finally fulfilling the roll of being the pack-in title for the 7800, even if it's 40 years late, still is an amazing thing to see!
Still relatively new to Atari collecting as I grew up with Nintendo and Atari was more or less scrubbed from stores by that point around my parts. This year saw my first dip into the systems and it has been a lot of fun discovering all the different games I missed the first time around, the pick up and play jump in jump out gameplay has been a breath of fresh air compared to games that take over 1 to 2 hours just to get through a tutorial. Plus I've also went into Intellivision and Colecovision as well. What I have been enjoying the most is seeing the creative ways developers were able to get the most out of these systems - I bet nobody who got an Atari VCS in 77 ever thought games like Solaris could be done on the hardware but it is quite amazing what they could get out of them. The new homebrew carts have me excited as well as right now the only game I have from other sources would be Alien Abduction which turned out to be a lot of fun...... your review convinced me to pick it up so thanks for the suggestion.
@@Trialwolf Atari is a lot of fun to explore and there's a lot there too. It can go as deep as you want it to go! I'm glad you enjoyed Alien Abduction and I do think the pick up and play style of games is good. Especially when you don't want to commit to a long adventure or emotional story. In 77 I don't think anybody could've fathomed something like Solaris. To be fair Solaris still impressed people to this day on the 2600!
Great video as always and I like that you took a step back to give perspective of what Atari, and being an Atari fan was like 5 years ago compared to today. Not perfect, but we have so much to be thankful for. I've been an Atari user and fan since 1979 and I can truly say, these are the best of times in 40 years. I'd personally like to see Atari focus as much on brand new material (looking at you VCS) as much as reproduction of golden oldies hardware. On a personal note-Dealing with family illness challenges these days, having Atari and the community as a part of my life has helped in ways I can't even begin to explain. Thanks again for another great video. I'll "forgive you" for not having a review. Lol.
@@adm712 lol thanks for the kind words adm712 and I'm glad this community can be a distraction for us when life gets hard. Atari has yet to perfect their balance of new and old stuff but for the first time in a long time, they're trying. And thanks for forgiving me. I won't let it happen again... Well...
Great video, was big into Atari with Jag late 90s, but fell a bit behind over the years. Getting my VCS a year and a half ago, and finding your channel have made me realize what an amazing community this is! Great time to be an Atari fan! (Jag+ next I hope!)
Hey man I casually watch your channel for some Atari news I was born in the 1990's I did got a chance to play 2600 but my dealings with Atari was when they were publisher during the 2000s and considering that they bought night dive which doing remasters of games I like like what I'm saying is I'm happy that Atari is doing better and it didn't end up like intelevision
100% agree with EVERYTHING you said above! I'm 51, & I'm LOVING this season. We own the Playstation+, & a Nintendo Switch, but I'm VERY tempted to pickup at 7800+... the original 7800 was my favorite old-school console!
Atari seems to have done the right thing to purchase AtariAge, as helping the homebrew community is a must for the company. One thing they could do is to try to play matchmaker between developers and graphical artists. I wouldn't mind working on a homebrew game, but I don't have the skill to come up with great graphical assets, or a cool soundtrack.
Atari has always been the company I love to hate. I played the very first commercial video game "Computer Space" at a pop-up pinball arcade tent at the Ohio State fair. It was by a company called Syzygy and we were pissed that it cost fifty cents a play instead of the quarter we had gotten used to with the pinball games. But this was something shiny and new so we played. We called the game "Rockets and Saucers." It certainly wasn't Space War but it was as close as we were ever going to get to anything like that. Later, the company changed their name to Atari and came out with Pong. I wasn't impressed with that, though it was a cultural event. I was blown away when Asteroids showed up. I couldn't get enough. Later, we had Breakout tournaments at the Resturant I worked at and I went back every day to play Missile Command. I loved that new trackball! When the original Atari VCS hit the home market, I was less than impressed. It didn't have the graphics and animation capabilities of the arcade machines I was shoveling quarters into. I wanted a home computer and only the Atari 400/800 Home Computer Systems fit my criteria. But I couldn't afford one until they went on closeout after the 1200XL was introduced. I learned everything I ever needed to know about computer science on my Atari 800. I was interested in learning how to program computers so I saw games only as graphics demos for me to figure out how they did what they did. Necromancer was fascinating. I did appreciate the home computer versions of the arcade classics I loved. I even got a CX22 Trak-Ball controller for Missile Command and Centipede. Warner Communications never knew how to market a home computer and they finally sold their computer division to "Mad" Jack Tramiel recently from Commodore. I don't know who the games division was sold to. I saw the Atari Flashback joystick, a reproduction CX40 Joystick controller that you hook up directly to your TV to play 2600 games. Not interested. I found the Atari800MacX emulator what would let me relive my Atari 800 days and AtariMania.com to keep well supplied with software and information. Recently I decided that now that I'm retired, I'd like to learn more about video games. I saw the Atari 50th Anniversary Collection and saw what machines it would play on: PlayStation, X-Box, Switch, Atari VCS. Waitaminnit!! After some research I was delighted to find that I wouldn't have to buy one of those other game consoles and could actually stick with Atari. And yes, it didn't go smoothly. But as one video I saw said, "It's just Atari being Atari." I knew I was home again. The best thing about the 2600+ and 7800+ is that they have to play physical game cartridges. Now Atari can sell new game cartridges which was their original home market plan. I didn't care about the 2600+ when it first came out because I never had any 2600 game cartridges. But earlier this year I got ALL my old 8-bit Atari computer stuff back. I also took possession of a 7800 Pro System and about two dozen game cartridges. THAT"S when I learned that the 7800 could also play 2600 game cartridges. I've recently learned that while the 2600's graphics were lame, the playability is still there. Now the 7800+ is a lot more attractive to me, but I mostly need the CX78 Gamepad controllers because my old 7800 joysticks don't work right. I'm mad I missed the original release of the wired CX78+ Gamepad controllers, but now it sounds like these new ones will still do fine.
@@lorensims4846 love to hate is probably how a lot of people feel. What I really like is how your journey with Atari is so different to mine but here we are, sort of in the same boat. And it continues to be a unique experience for both of us but we are bonded by the name and the memories of one company. Thanks Loren you always have well thought out comments
It's hard being a atari fan sometimes since people nowadays mostly associate atari with "the company that crashed the game industry" when there was more to the story, but talking to Atari fans about some of the 2600, 7800, LYNX, and Jaguar classics is always a delight and seeing the passion in the atari age community is always nice. thank you for this channel.
As a fan of classic Atari (despite not growing up with them) I feel that they have the opportunity to really grow as a company thanks to this new direction. The increased collaborations with other companies to make games, as well as buying libraries of retro games for preservation, really shows that they know their audience and can expand to a newer generation. Hopefully they will be able to develop some more games. Not necessarily triple a, more like double a. I also hope they can acquire a few I.P. that could really add a boost to their library. Also in addition to the recent 2600+ and 7800+ systems I do hope we can get both a 5200+ (with working controllers) and an XEGS+.
Nice video! I got into 2600 collecting back in 2016. I had played plenty of atari before that but around 2016 I took major interest in the brand. 2017 I launched my 2600 reviews on my channel and from then on I've just been buried in this company. I got the VCS, I have the atari 50 1up arcade coming. I even got my parents the 2600+ so they could relive their childhoods. I actively collect 2600 games and I love the homebrew scene. It's easy to write off atari now for not being as big as other gaming companies. But they are very dedicated to keeping the brand alive now and it feels genuine unlike the 90s and 2000s. I'm happy to be a part of the atari fan base!
@@TurboZoneGaming very well said! I got my parents and sister av modded Atari 7800s a few years back so they could enjoy the stuff too. Definitely would've been easier and cheaper if 2600+ was out then lol
My local retro gaming store totally boycotts anything Atari. It is really just a Nintendo store. The owner even calls himself Retro ____. I want to ask him what Atari did to him.
@@russellbaxley9934 I know one store around me doesn't carry Atari "because it doesn't sell". Another store told me last year they've been selling a ton of Atari stuff since November for some reason...
as a kid , we had ColecoVision, a PCjr & a Mac (1st gen B&W ) Atari was the pioneer, covering the broadest Markets : Arcade , Home Consoles & Home Computers. it started the Crash, but it was also the ONLY survivor. it went the same "Software Dev" road SEGA did , past 2000. Nostalgia has forced it back to its root; Limited Hardware with Limited Software - in a way FANS can transcend
It's good to be an Atari fan. Some are going to miss the time when you could pick up games for much cheaper prices, but I'm glad there is a bit of an Atari renaissance. Maybe we'ĺl get more developers and games for all platforms.
The prices were going up even before all this new stuff but this also definitely increased the prices of a lot of stuff. Its been such a good year covering Atari on this channel. And even if I wasn't covering Atari for CZcams I'd still love all this new stuff and attention Atari is giving my favorite consoles.
I could see Atari being the real inheritor of the middle market if they just make any systems they make as curated markets for indies. like similar to a steam deck, but made for budget, and yknow actually has standards for the releases they put out. I remember when steam had standards... And lean more into the physicality of owning the hardware, like they have been. "You can spin the stick on this controller" is more of a selling point than people would think actually...I mean it got me. That damn classic controller.
It's been a good year to love Atari. Since last summer, I've acquired a decent collection of original carts, snagging a few bargains before the 2600+ fever ensued.
Do I think Atari is in a better place than what it used to? Yes. But I think it's still way too focused on the VCS. The 7800+ is yet another form factor of the same thing. It might be time to give love to other systems that were sold in the millions, like the 800 XL, the ST line or the Lynx.
@@TheAtariNetwork considering how long it took between the 2600+ and 7800+ (even though they share the same hardware), I'm afraid it's going to take a while until we see other systems covered.
@@TheAtariNetwork I think with the + Platform, they are wanting to give the 7800 the chance it never had back in the day. They say the platform is about compatible consoles, games and accessories so I'm interested how far they can take it. Other systems obviously are not 2600/7800 compatible, so I'm not sure how they will fit in - perhaps down the line there will be a new system (maybe as the VCS is phased out) that will play a range of stuff, maybe new stuff too while being part of the + Platform ecosystem.
Loved seeing this video. Atari certainly hasn't been perfect, but I've really liked the direction that they're taking the company so far. If they can iron out the hiccups that have occurred (ie. hire me to fix up their customer service department) and produce some compelling hardware and software, we could see the resurgence of the brand that we all thought was long dead. P.S. Why'd you remove me from the list of patrons?
Sometimes I wonder, what if Atari had stayed a leader in video games like Nintendo. Or even a larger tech company like Apple. After all they were developing a video phone back in 1983. But they could have ended up like the Fairchild F which is hardly remembered at all. So I think we need to be optimistic on what the “new” Atari is bringing to the scene. We will always have original gear to own and tinker with. I am grateful that many others share this hobby.
@@Jolt7800 good point. The original stuff isn't going anywhere (mostly) so it's nice to have new stuff to add to the pile. Even if you don't like the new stuff, the old stuff is still available for you. That might be a good video idea too! (what if Atari stayed relevant until now)
It's a great time to be an Atarian. The new hardware means I could play the games without having to keep old consoles and I look forward to whatever is next. I never thought Atari would be back like this, it won't last forever - I won't be around forever, but while it is I'm gonna enjoy as much of it as I can.
My cousin owned a 2600, 5200, & a 7800 - we owned a Sega Genesis. We'd bike back & forth between our houses all Summer long... I loved the 7800 & the Genesis!
The real "tragedy" is how the US invented the video game, but fell into an artificial "crash" while the Japanese took the art-form to a whole new level.
Atari was the 1st home video game console I ever played in the early 80's. However, I never owned my own game console until the NES in the late 80's, and like most of my friends, weren't much interested in Atari anymore. It's interesting, wouldn't have thought a few years ago that I'd become a big fan of Atari in 2024.
0:00 Before watching the video... If by "Atari fan" you mean a fan of the game systems, it's been a great time to be a fan in the last 8 years or so, the best in decades. Lots of new releases, many of them very good and even many outstanding. If by "Atari fan" you mean of the company and ecosystem, things are much worse. But, at least it hasn't been all bad. You had the PNP releases and now the new company wearing the Atari Skinsuit is pumping out product to get those nostalgia bucks.
@@tarstarkusz Atari could've gone into hotels and cryptocurrency. They would be the premier seller of NFTs. I think we lucked out but that's just my opinion. It could always be better too
@@TheAtariNetwork When you say Atari, what you really mean is atari. Atari is dead and has been dead since the mid 90s. Atari doesn't exist anymore. Given the MSRP for the 7800+ and since it is emulation anyway, I think what they should be doing is selling the 7800+ with a VCS inside that autodetects a cartridge at startup and launches the emulator. But that when no cartridge is inserted, boots to VCS (the new VCS console) to play VCS games. The board can't be more than 40 bucks. It was obsolete years ago when the VCS was first announced. This would put the VCS into many more households.
Well it almost ended up being atari vs nintendo in the 1980’s. That’s because atari used many adds by using nintendo’s ip’s against them along with nintendo games on the atari 7800 and the atari XEGS, that’s because atari did got the rights for certain nintendo games to be put on (their) consoles or computers, because of a deal with nintendo in the past😁 I assure you such thing will never happen again.
That seems really silly and short sighted. More like driving a classic Bellaire while all these young kids are pushing Kias that won't be running in 10 years anyway. One is a classic and the other doesn't matter. Thanks for taking the time to help me come up with that analogy
So let me get this straight, you're saying giant block graphics with two channels of out of tune saw tooth and noise wave sound, and like 128 bytes of ram is classic? Please! You're killing me!!!! 😂
Probably availability of the original chips, parts and not to mention improvements to how things are done and changes to standards. I also imagine that the way the original hardware outputs video signals isn't compatible with HDMI. Lots of reasons I suspect
9:00 I couldn't disagree more. We are worse off than we were 4 years ago. Sure, "Atari" is releasing stuff, but they have also killed the homebrew scene by purchasing Atari Age. 80% of the homebrews were discontinued and there is likely to be far fewer homebrews in the future with the primary distribution channel shut down. Unless they start selling Atari cartridges in Walmart and Target, which is extremely unlikely, no homebrewer will ever be able to get a license to do ports.
@@tarstarkusz homebrew hasn't slowed down. The stuff that was removed had to be removed legally. You can be upset about it but I don't see any decline in what's being made. There are still stuff being programmed and released on the forums that can't be released on cart. Nothing was lost that can't be digitally sold direct from the devs and nothing has slowed down.
@@TheAtariNetwork Not yet. Anything that was in the works already is getting virtual releases or just given away on the forums. I think in another year, all the stuff that was being developed when the sale happened will be released, and that is when we will see the slowdown. Also, most original games just aren't very good. The arcade ports are much better and those are the ones that will be drying up. I know they didn't do it for spite or something, that being "atari" they would have been open to lawsuits. That said, it's still a downside.
6:40 There has been a HUGE downside to this. Sure, Atari is releasing homebrew, but they also massively downsized the homebrew available at Atariage. It's not like they got rid of a bunch of crappy original games, they got rid of the best unlicensed clones.
@@tarstarkusz I have word that Atari is talking to owners of properties about licensing them the right way. There was one unsuccessful negotiation but they are attempting it. So you might see a pac collection on ataris website if things go well, man.
I was really skeptical about the VCS when it was first announced and finally bought one on sale. Between Atari 50, Atari Vault 1&2 the Recharged series and the 2600 & 7800 homebrews released for the system I’ve actually put more time into playing that than my much more expensive Xbox Series X. I also love the classic controllers and bought a second one. I wish they released more homebrews on it though that’d be awesome.
![Atari's CEO Wade Rosen on the Past, Present and Future of Gaming's Oldest Company [NWRTV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8NPEtR8rfts/mqdefault.jpg)
Guys I somehow missed @saurondp in the credits section. I appreciate his and everybody's support and if I ever do miss a name, please call me out!
We can certainly say that Atari now exists and it's the Atari that resembles the original one the most. That's good news indeed. As many others, I'm waiting for a Jag mini or Jag+
It still hurts as a life long Atari fan, thinking of all the squandered opportunities Atari had back in the 80's. Atari was on track to become the Nintendo of the west, going down the path of making one of the greatest arcade games of all time (Atari having Crystal Castles, and Nintendo having Donkey Kong), bringing that game to there own home console, then building off that to make a massive franchise based on a company mascot. Had Time Warner not been so short sighted, they could have rebuilt the Atari brand. The 80's could have been Atari vs Nintendo, clash of the titans. But sadly we did not get that.
Nowadays, the gaming industry has changed so much, and we now have incredible game developers making new games that look like the old ones, like Donut Dodo. So now is a great time for Atari to bring back it's old systems, and release new games for them. And Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest finally fulfilling the roll of being the pack-in title for the 7800, even if it's 40 years late, still is an amazing thing to see!
@@KrunchyTheClown78 excellent comment! Well said
@@TheAtariNetwork 🙂
Still relatively new to Atari collecting as I grew up with Nintendo and Atari was more or less scrubbed from stores by that point around my parts. This year saw my first dip into the systems and it has been a lot of fun discovering all the different games I missed the first time around, the pick up and play jump in jump out gameplay has been a breath of fresh air compared to games that take over 1 to 2 hours just to get through a tutorial. Plus I've also went into Intellivision and Colecovision as well.
What I have been enjoying the most is seeing the creative ways developers were able to get the most out of these systems - I bet nobody who got an Atari VCS in 77 ever thought games like Solaris could be done on the hardware but it is quite amazing what they could get out of them.
The new homebrew carts have me excited as well as right now the only game I have from other sources would be Alien Abduction which turned out to be a lot of fun...... your review convinced me to pick it up so thanks for the suggestion.
@@Trialwolf Atari is a lot of fun to explore and there's a lot there too. It can go as deep as you want it to go! I'm glad you enjoyed Alien Abduction and I do think the pick up and play style of games is good. Especially when you don't want to commit to a long adventure or emotional story.
In 77 I don't think anybody could've fathomed something like Solaris. To be fair Solaris still impressed people to this day on the 2600!
Great video as always and I like that you took a step back to give perspective of what Atari, and being an Atari fan was like 5 years ago compared to today. Not perfect, but we have so much to be thankful for.
I've been an Atari user and fan since 1979 and I can truly say, these are the best of times in 40 years. I'd personally like to see Atari focus as much on brand new material (looking at you VCS) as much as reproduction of golden oldies hardware.
On a personal note-Dealing with family illness challenges these days, having Atari and the community as a part of my life has helped in ways I can't even begin to explain.
Thanks again for another great video. I'll "forgive you" for not having a review. Lol.
@@adm712 lol thanks for the kind words adm712 and I'm glad this community can be a distraction for us when life gets hard. Atari has yet to perfect their balance of new and old stuff but for the first time in a long time, they're trying.
And thanks for forgiving me. I won't let it happen again... Well...
I’ve been a Jaguar fan for many years and that’s the first time I’ve seen an ad for Iron Soldier! Woah!
@@derekdash2179 I stumbled across it and was like, yeah I have to use this somewhere
Great video, was big into Atari with Jag late 90s, but fell a bit behind over the years. Getting my VCS a year and a half ago, and finding your channel have made me realize what an amazing community this is! Great time to be an Atari fan!
(Jag+ next I hope!)
@@C_Money206 lots of good people around these parts! Glad to have you in the community c money
Hey man I casually watch your channel for some Atari news I was born in the 1990's I did got a chance to play 2600 but my dealings with Atari was when they were publisher during the 2000s and considering that they bought night dive which doing remasters of games I like like what I'm saying is I'm happy that Atari is doing better and it didn't end up like intelevision
@@quentinrountree3435 absolutely. God Intellivision fans have had it rough
@@TheAtariNetwork yep Tommy talerico's wild ride
100% agree with EVERYTHING you said above! I'm 51, & I'm LOVING this season. We own the Playstation+, & a Nintendo Switch, but I'm VERY tempted to pickup at 7800+... the original 7800 was my favorite old-school console!
Atari seems to have done the right thing to purchase AtariAge, as helping the homebrew community is a must for the company. One thing they could do is to try to play matchmaker between developers and graphical artists. I wouldn't mind working on a homebrew game, but I don't have the skill to come up with great graphical assets, or a cool soundtrack.
@@ecdhe that's not a half bad idea
@@TheAtariNetwork on top of best homebrew they could add a best graphics and/or best sounds award
Atari has always been the company I love to hate.
I played the very first commercial video game "Computer Space" at a pop-up pinball arcade tent at the Ohio State fair. It was by a company called Syzygy and we were pissed that it cost fifty cents a play instead of the quarter we had gotten used to with the pinball games.
But this was something shiny and new so we played. We called the game "Rockets and Saucers." It certainly wasn't Space War but it was as close as we were ever going to get to anything like that.
Later, the company changed their name to Atari and came out with Pong. I wasn't impressed with that, though it was a cultural event. I was blown away when Asteroids showed up. I couldn't get enough.
Later, we had Breakout tournaments at the Resturant I worked at and I went back every day to play Missile Command. I loved that new trackball!
When the original Atari VCS hit the home market, I was less than impressed. It didn't have the graphics and animation capabilities of the arcade machines I was shoveling quarters into.
I wanted a home computer and only the Atari 400/800 Home Computer Systems fit my criteria.
But I couldn't afford one until they went on closeout after the 1200XL was introduced.
I learned everything I ever needed to know about computer science on my Atari 800.
I was interested in learning how to program computers so I saw games only as graphics demos for me to figure out how they did what they did. Necromancer was fascinating.
I did appreciate the home computer versions of the arcade classics I loved. I even got a CX22 Trak-Ball controller for Missile Command and Centipede.
Warner Communications never knew how to market a home computer and they finally sold their computer division to "Mad" Jack Tramiel recently from Commodore. I don't know who the games division was sold to.
I saw the Atari Flashback joystick, a reproduction CX40 Joystick controller that you hook up directly to your TV to play 2600 games. Not interested.
I found the Atari800MacX emulator what would let me relive my Atari 800 days and AtariMania.com to keep well supplied with software and information.
Recently I decided that now that I'm retired, I'd like to learn more about video games.
I saw the Atari 50th Anniversary Collection and saw what machines it would play on: PlayStation, X-Box, Switch, Atari VCS. Waitaminnit!!
After some research I was delighted to find that I wouldn't have to buy one of those other game consoles and could actually stick with Atari. And yes, it didn't go smoothly. But as one video I saw said, "It's just Atari being Atari." I knew I was home again.
The best thing about the 2600+ and 7800+ is that they have to play physical game cartridges. Now Atari can sell new game cartridges which was their original home market plan.
I didn't care about the 2600+ when it first came out because I never had any 2600 game cartridges.
But earlier this year I got ALL my old 8-bit Atari computer stuff back. I also took possession of a 7800 Pro System and about two dozen game cartridges. THAT"S when I learned that the 7800 could also play 2600 game cartridges. I've recently learned that while the 2600's graphics were lame, the playability is still there.
Now the 7800+ is a lot more attractive to me, but I mostly need the CX78 Gamepad controllers because my old 7800 joysticks don't work right. I'm mad I missed the original release of the wired CX78+ Gamepad controllers, but now it sounds like these new ones will still do fine.
@@lorensims4846 love to hate is probably how a lot of people feel. What I really like is how your journey with Atari is so different to mine but here we are, sort of in the same boat. And it continues to be a unique experience for both of us but we are bonded by the name and the memories of one company. Thanks Loren you always have well thought out comments
It's hard being a atari fan sometimes since people nowadays mostly associate atari with "the company that crashed the game industry" when there was more to the story, but talking to Atari fans about some of the 2600, 7800, LYNX, and Jaguar classics is always a delight and seeing the passion in the atari age community is always nice. thank you for this channel.
As a fan of classic Atari (despite not growing up with them) I feel that they have the opportunity to really grow as a company thanks to this new direction. The increased collaborations with other companies to make games, as well as buying libraries of retro games for preservation, really shows that they know their audience and can expand to a newer generation.
Hopefully they will be able to develop some more games. Not necessarily triple a, more like double a. I also hope they can acquire a few I.P. that could really add a boost to their library.
Also in addition to the recent 2600+ and 7800+ systems I do hope we can get both a 5200+ (with working controllers) and an XEGS+.
Nice video! I got into 2600 collecting back in 2016. I had played plenty of atari before that but around 2016 I took major interest in the brand. 2017 I launched my 2600 reviews on my channel and from then on I've just been buried in this company. I got the VCS, I have the atari 50 1up arcade coming. I even got my parents the 2600+ so they could relive their childhoods. I actively collect 2600 games and I love the homebrew scene. It's easy to write off atari now for not being as big as other gaming companies. But they are very dedicated to keeping the brand alive now and it feels genuine unlike the 90s and 2000s. I'm happy to be a part of the atari fan base!
@@TurboZoneGaming very well said! I got my parents and sister av modded Atari 7800s a few years back so they could enjoy the stuff too. Definitely would've been easier and cheaper if 2600+ was out then lol
@@TheAtariNetwork I have a 7800 I use but it's not av modded sadly. Excited to see what the 7800+ brings though!
THANK YOU with all the typical click bait negative whining this is a breath of fresh air.
@@Boswd I try. I've tried the click bait stuff too but it's exhausting really lol
It's pretty fitting for the simple gamers who enjoy games that aren't too deep to understand.
@@Monhamd1000 I like simple
@@TheAtariNetworkSimple is king which is why I love Atari. One button and exciting gameplay.
My local retro gaming store totally boycotts anything Atari. It is really just a Nintendo store. The owner even calls himself Retro ____. I want to ask him what Atari did to him.
@@russellbaxley9934 I know one store around me doesn't carry Atari "because it doesn't sell". Another store told me last year they've been selling a ton of Atari stuff since November for some reason...
as a kid , we had ColecoVision, a PCjr & a Mac (1st gen B&W )
Atari was the pioneer, covering the broadest Markets : Arcade , Home Consoles & Home Computers.
it started the Crash, but it was also the ONLY survivor.
it went the same "Software Dev" road SEGA did , past 2000.
Nostalgia has forced it back to its root;
Limited Hardware with Limited Software - in a way FANS can transcend
Not disappointed about the opinion piece rather than a review. Good to see Atari on the Evercade.
It's good to be an Atari fan. Some are going to miss the time when you could pick up games for much cheaper prices, but I'm glad there is a bit of an Atari renaissance. Maybe we'ĺl get more developers and games for all platforms.
The prices were going up even before all this new stuff but this also definitely increased the prices of a lot of stuff. Its been such a good year covering Atari on this channel. And even if I wasn't covering Atari for CZcams I'd still love all this new stuff and attention Atari is giving my favorite consoles.
I could see Atari being the real inheritor of the middle market if they just make any systems they make as curated markets for indies. like similar to a steam deck, but made for budget, and yknow actually has standards for the releases they put out. I remember when steam had standards...
And lean more into the physicality of owning the hardware, like they have been. "You can spin the stick on this controller" is more of a selling point than people would think actually...I mean it got me. That damn classic controller.
What's it like being a modern Atari fan, running an excellent channel, and being admired by many people?
@@cyrollan well we need to ask somebody who runs an excellent channel and is admired by many people. Genx maybe?
@@TheAtariNetwork I heard a rumor that he doesn't even pet dogs who are walking past him 😬
@@cyrollan what a monster!
It's been a good year to love Atari. Since last summer, I've acquired a decent collection of original carts, snagging a few bargains before the 2600+ fever ensued.
Do I think Atari is in a better place than what it used to? Yes. But I think it's still way too focused on the VCS. The 7800+ is yet another form factor of the same thing. It might be time to give love to other systems that were sold in the millions, like the 800 XL, the ST line or the Lynx.
@@ecdhe there's a rumor that they will be giving love to another system this time next year. But it's just a rumor and not confirmed
@@TheAtariNetwork considering how long it took between the 2600+ and 7800+ (even though they share the same hardware), I'm afraid it's going to take a while until we see other systems covered.
@@ecdhe yeah but it always could be worse. Atari could go back to just producing GTA clones and licenses software
@@TheAtariNetwork I think with the + Platform, they are wanting to give the 7800 the chance it never had back in the day. They say the platform is about compatible consoles, games and accessories so I'm interested how far they can take it. Other systems obviously are not 2600/7800 compatible, so I'm not sure how they will fit in - perhaps down the line there will be a new system (maybe as the VCS is phased out) that will play a range of stuff, maybe new stuff too while being part of the + Platform ecosystem.
Great piece man.
Thanks bud!
Another great video !
@@OGHUGO thanks Hugo!
I watch in replay , thanks for the stream Jon
Loved seeing this video. Atari certainly hasn't been perfect, but I've really liked the direction that they're taking the company so far. If they can iron out the hiccups that have occurred (ie. hire me to fix up their customer service department) and produce some compelling hardware and software, we could see the resurgence of the brand that we all thought was long dead.
P.S. Why'd you remove me from the list of patrons?
@@saurondp I'm so sorry! It wasn't on purpose I was trying to push this video out and just missed you! You'll be on the next list twice!
@@TheAtariNetwork Don't worry about it, was just wondering if my subscription didn't go through correctly or something.
you’re literally my comfort person i love you kislux !
Sometimes I wonder, what if Atari had stayed a leader in video games like Nintendo. Or even a larger tech company like Apple. After all they were developing a video phone back in 1983. But they could have ended up like the Fairchild F which is hardly remembered at all. So I think we need to be optimistic on what the “new” Atari is bringing to the scene. We will always have original gear to own and tinker with. I am grateful that many others share this hobby.
@@Jolt7800 good point. The original stuff isn't going anywhere (mostly) so it's nice to have new stuff to add to the pile. Even if you don't like the new stuff, the old stuff is still available for you.
That might be a good video idea too! (what if Atari stayed relevant until now)
It's a great time to be an Atarian. The new hardware means I could play the games without having to keep old consoles and I look forward to whatever is next. I never thought Atari would be back like this, it won't last forever - I won't be around forever, but while it is I'm gonna enjoy as much of it as I can.
Enjoyed the video. Nice retrospective of the new Atari. They’ve got me hooked. I just wish for the day of the mini Atari 5200… I can dream can’t I?
I play old school Atari 2600 Activision in a modern world.
Thanks for the video Jon
@@pierregareau6590 thanks for watching
Im a Sega fan. It has been fun to help resurrect a dormant brand during the Atari dark ages. Welcome back friend.
Enter the matrix, driv3er, and aitd are fun triple b games
@@metronome8471 nothing wrong with those games I should say but many of us wanted something different I guess
Wait, Sega's getting resurrected? 😋
@@RetroJack Sonic 3 this December.
My cousin owned a 2600, 5200, & a 7800 - we owned a Sega Genesis. We'd bike back & forth between our houses all Summer long... I loved the 7800 & the Genesis!
The real "tragedy" is how the US invented the video game, but fell into an artificial "crash" while the Japanese took the art-form to a whole new level.
Atari was the 1st home video game console I ever played in the early 80's. However, I never owned my own game console until the NES in the late 80's, and like most of my friends, weren't much interested in Atari anymore. It's interesting, wouldn't have thought a few years ago that I'd become a big fan of Atari in 2024.
Great job this week!
"Atarian". I love it! I'm a proud Atarian!
I'M not happy with the videogame business is going anymore. They're not even trying.
I only recently became an atari fan, and I couldn't have better timing.
The XE mini is next. ;-)
And it'll have exactly the same circuitry inside as the 2600+ and the 7800+, but you'll buy it anyway!
@@VEGANVANIA yes I probably will lol
Love your attitude about this bag and not caring about what people will say. kislux You are right keep your head up and no your priorities.
0:00 Before watching the video... If by "Atari fan" you mean a fan of the game systems, it's been a great time to be a fan in the last 8 years or so, the best in decades. Lots of new releases, many of them very good and even many outstanding.
If by "Atari fan" you mean of the company and ecosystem, things are much worse. But, at least it hasn't been all bad. You had the PNP releases and now the new company wearing the Atari Skinsuit is pumping out product to get those nostalgia bucks.
@@tarstarkusz Atari could've gone into hotels and cryptocurrency. They would be the premier seller of NFTs. I think we lucked out but that's just my opinion. It could always be better too
@@TheAtariNetwork When you say Atari, what you really mean is atari. Atari is dead and has been dead since the mid 90s. Atari doesn't exist anymore.
Given the MSRP for the 7800+ and since it is emulation anyway, I think what they should be doing is selling the 7800+ with a VCS inside that autodetects a cartridge at startup and launches the emulator. But that when no cartridge is inserted, boots to VCS (the new VCS console) to play VCS games. The board can't be more than 40 bucks. It was obsolete years ago when the VCS was first announced. This would put the VCS into many more households.
Well it almost ended up being atari vs nintendo in the 1980’s.
That’s because atari used many adds by using nintendo’s ip’s against them along with nintendo games on the atari 7800 and the atari XEGS, that’s because atari did got the rights for certain nintendo games to be put on (their) consoles or computers, because of a deal with nintendo in the past😁
I assure you such thing will never happen again.
@@johneygd I like your icon
Being an Atari fan in 2024 is like still riding a pedal bicycle when everyone else's rides in interstellar flying saucers.
That seems really silly and short sighted. More like driving a classic Bellaire while all these young kids are pushing Kias that won't be running in 10 years anyway. One is a classic and the other doesn't matter. Thanks for taking the time to help me come up with that analogy
So let me get this straight, you're saying giant block graphics with two channels of out of tune saw tooth and noise wave sound, and like 128 bytes of ram is classic? Please! You're killing me!!!! 😂
Why can't Atari just release original hardware again but with HDMI out?
Probably availability of the original chips, parts and not to mention improvements to how things are done and changes to standards. I also imagine that the way the original hardware outputs video signals isn't compatible with HDMI. Lots of reasons I suspect
Being a modern Atari fan in 2024=sad. Sorry I grew up with Atari and Nintendo destroyed them and Atari never came back every again
Cool
9:00 I couldn't disagree more. We are worse off than we were 4 years ago. Sure, "Atari" is releasing stuff, but they have also killed the homebrew scene by purchasing Atari Age. 80% of the homebrews were discontinued and there is likely to be far fewer homebrews in the future with the primary distribution channel shut down. Unless they start selling Atari cartridges in Walmart and Target, which is extremely unlikely, no homebrewer will ever be able to get a license to do ports.
@@tarstarkusz homebrew hasn't slowed down. The stuff that was removed had to be removed legally. You can be upset about it but I don't see any decline in what's being made. There are still stuff being programmed and released on the forums that can't be released on cart. Nothing was lost that can't be digitally sold direct from the devs and nothing has slowed down.
@@TheAtariNetwork Not yet. Anything that was in the works already is getting virtual releases or just given away on the forums. I think in another year, all the stuff that was being developed when the sale happened will be released, and that is when we will see the slowdown.
Also, most original games just aren't very good. The arcade ports are much better and those are the ones that will be drying up.
I know they didn't do it for spite or something, that being "atari" they would have been open to lawsuits. That said, it's still a downside.
6:40 There has been a HUGE downside to this. Sure, Atari is releasing homebrew, but they also massively downsized the homebrew available at Atariage. It's not like they got rid of a bunch of crappy original games, they got rid of the best unlicensed clones.
@@tarstarkusz I have word that Atari is talking to owners of properties about licensing them the right way. There was one unsuccessful negotiation but they are attempting it. So you might see a pac collection on ataris website if things go well, man.
I like what Atari is doing, but I don't like how Atari is doing it.
Lol yeah right
I was really skeptical about the VCS when it was first announced and finally bought one on sale. Between Atari 50, Atari Vault 1&2 the Recharged series and the 2600 & 7800 homebrews released for the system I’ve actually put more time into playing that than my much more expensive Xbox Series X. I also love the classic controllers and bought a second one. I wish they released more homebrews on it though that’d be awesome.