The Atari VCS is a brand new video game console with a retro-style design and support for both new and classic video games. It’s expected to ship in December to backers of last year’s Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, but if you weren’t a backer you’ll be able to pre-order one starting today.
The system goes up for pre-order for $249 and up at Walmart, GameStop and the Atari VCS website starting today, and new customers should get their systems starting in March, 2020.
The hood, the Atari VCS is basically a compact computer with an AMD Ryzen Embedded R1606G processor and support for 4K60 video output. It runs a custom Linux-based operating system called Atari OS and ships with more than 100 classic games pre-installed, but it’ll also support new titles.
Users will also be able to run other apps — there’s an “Atari Sandbox Mode” that “unlocks an open and expandable multimedia PC enabling complete freedom and versatility,” whatever that means.
There are three prices/configurations available:
- Atari VCS 400 with 4GB of RAM for $250
- Atari VCS 800 with 8GB of RAM for $280
- Atari VCS 800 “All In” bundle with joystick and gamepad for $380
The Atari VCS also comes in a few different color/design options. If you buy from the Atari VCS website you’ll get a black walnut design, while GameStop will have an all-black “Onyx” model, and Walmart will have a “Kevlar Gold” version.
Is there a working demo unit?
None yet. The demos came from a black box.
https://i.ibb.co/ZGFQjHL/blackbox.jpg
What’s the point in a “bundle” that costs as much as the pieces broken out, or as in this case, 2 cents more.
Do not preorder from Atari. Until working units are sitting in people’s hands its just as much vaporware as the Atari Gameband, the smartwatch they licensed out that ended up being a scam.
Pure vaporware. Have not shown any working units yet.
So it looks like they’re starting to give limited demos — CNET and Tom’s Hardware have some details. But I haven’t seen more than a few seconds of gameplay at a time on video yet.
https://www.cnet.com/videos/the-new-atari-vcs-console-is-more-than-a-retro-game-box/
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/atari-vcs-raspberry-pi-gaming-desktop-pc,39647.html
The demos are running from a black box. No working prototypes but pieces of plastic and 3D prints. Anyone can clearly see fake components inside that clear transparent case. Just another showcase of mockups.
https://i.ibb.co/ZGFQjHL/blackbox.jpg