The nice firm Atari, arguably answerable for the popularisation of dwelling videogaming, was based in 1972. However after its heyday issues went badly flawed, and the unique Atari could be acquired, break up, merged, declare chapter, and undergo numerous company shenanigans, such that the present Atari is an iteration based in 2001. Over that point it has had some less-than-ideal custodians, however the temper music beneath present CEO Wade Rosen has modified.
There’s been some excellent software program, an elevated deal with preserving the corporate’s legacy, and even a restricted return to {hardware} with the attractive however underpowered Atari VCS. Now two extra bulletins have arrived in brief order, each in-keeping with its trajectory beneath Rosen.
Firstly, Atari is to accumulate AtariAge, which you could possibly name a retro discussion board although that may vastly undersell what it’s: over time this has grown into the perfect repository for every thing Atari (in addition to another corporations), each {hardware} and software program, in addition to being a significant writer for homebrew software program.
“Atari is now taking its retro-related IP critically and is creating a wide selection of {hardware} and software program primarily based on that IP, whereas additionally creating new, authentic content material,” mentioned the location’s founder Albert Yarusso. “[…] Atari, for the primary time in years, is concentrating on and embracing lovers like ourselves, whereas additionally making merchandise that enchantment to those that grew up with Atari and have a fond nostalgia of the model, however aren’t steeped in retro gaming as we’re.
On high of this Yarusso is to develop into Atari’s inside historian, which appears reasonably a superb match, and the location will get the funding it wants for some long-mooted ecommerce performance. The information has been acquired by the world’s largest collective of Atari lovers with principally enthusiasm. The principle grumble is about whether or not Atari may be trusted to handle the location correctly, as a result of it’s genuinely the #1 supply for Atari stuff and Atari has an extended historical past of mismanagement, which isn’t unreasonable. There are additionally considerations the corporate might attempt to crack down on dissent or be extra heavy handed.
“All we will do is ask you to maintain an open thoughts and provides us time to show you flawed,” mentioned an Atari rep in response. “After we acquired MobyGames a 12 months and a half in the past we heard loads of the identical issues. What we’ve achieved is give Jeremiah, who runs MobyGames, extra sources to spend money on enhancing the location and left the day-to-day administration in his fingers, and within the fingers of his volunteer admins. And naturally, simply maintain asking Al [Yarusso] how issues are going as a result of the location will stay in his very succesful fingers.”
The acquisition makes explicit sense within the mild of Atari’s different current announcement, which is that it is bringing again the 2600, probably the most profitable console within the firm’s historical past as the Atari 2600+. It is an up to date model of the {hardware} that retains the long-lasting wood-panelled look, performs each Atari 2600 and 7800 cartridges, and options HDMI output and a widescreen mode. For the whole nostalgia hit it comes with a 10-in-1 sport cartridge together with classics like Missile Command and Yars’ Revenge. At $130 it is hardly an impulse purchase, and that is clearly a nostalgia machine above all else, however there isn’t a doubt a market on the market for one thing precisely like this.
A variety of what Atari has achieved beneath Rosen is sensible, with the acquisition of Nightdive a very spectacular transfer (although it was humorous once they needed to deny that Soulja Boy owned Atari). It is an organization that has at instances over its historical past resembled nothing a lot as a shambling zombie, and at one level it seemed like the one future Atari had was promoting emblem t-shirts. Nostalgia is clearly a distinct segment, and Atari’s focus will want extra vary for it to develop into a vibrant presence within the up to date video games business as soon as extra. However it is a firm with actual historical past and, as its present custodians do extra to honour that than any of their predecessors, that is no dangerous basis.
