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Atari To Release Old Games and New Console System
GrueMaster writes "Atari is announcing the re-release of their older games for the PS2 & Xbox. They are also talking about releasing a new console, which is a miniaturized version of the 7800 with built in games. Check out the story here. Being a collector of old Atari stuff, I'll be in line to get mine."
On Sunday, at Futureshop (a friend wanted to go) we saw a PC cd of 80 classic Atari games, some of the ones that jump to mind are: asteroids, defender, combat, circus, joust. It was about $20 (CDN) The screenshots looked like the games I remember playing as a kid. I love some of those games, but I'm scared to play them again as I wonder if I'll ruin my memories where I actually enjoyed these games.
These games should be public domain already... Patents and copyright are supposed to increase innovation, but they are doing the exact opposite. When a company can simply repackage and sell the same ol' stuff over and over again, why should they invest their money in new (potentially risky) endeavors?
2600, 5200, Intellivision, Coleco nostalgia I can see... As well as NES, of course... But wasn't the 7800 a terrible flop?
Eh. Good luck, Atari. You'll need it. Nintendo can sell us Excitebike, Zelda and Super Mario again because they always were and will be great games. Anything that could be considered "great" on the 2600 was only because we didn't have anything better.
OK this is strictly a nostalgia thing. I found my 2600 a few years ago. I played it a bunch for a few days. It sucked. It was a lot of fun to break out the old classics that I grew up on but after a while it still only has one button and honestly combat SUCKS. I'll take Unreal of Counter Strike out whatever over Combat any day. -Anyone remember Keystone Coppers that game rocked.
I boycott signatures
Abandonware sites work on logic somewhat like: "Well, you have this car, but since you've left it parked in the driveway for 6 months without using it, you shouldn't complain if we hotwire it and go joyriding in it... we'll return it so you don't lose anything!"
The logic is more something like, "Well, you have this classic car parked in the driveway, and since it isn't made anymore, I am going to duplicate the plans and build one for myself. Your car still works."
Big difference there.
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On the contrary! The reason why these games are still popular is because of the abandonware sites. These sites kept the market alive, and now the companies see that there is still a demand. If these sites had never existed, the games would truly be dead, and the companies would see no reason to bring them back.
So you see, the companies should be thanking the abandonware sites.
And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
> The logic is more something like, "Well, you have this classic car
> parked in the driveway, and since it isn't made anymore, I am
> going to duplicate the plans and build one for myself. Your car
> still works."
Or, more accurately still,
"Well, you have this classic car parked in the driveway, and since it isn't made anymore, I am going to duplicate the plans and build one for myself AND give one free to whoever wants one. Your car still works, and good luck trying to sell it."
Another big difference.
They or whoever owns Atari's corpse in 20 years will just keep re-releasing this stuff on new systems forever. And of course Congress will oblige with copyrights that never expire. Sorry but I already shelled out for the real catridges once I'm not doing it again. Emulation is the only way to go IMHO. I don't begrudge anyone who wants to buy this but let's not turn this thread into a emulation users are stealing from the artists thread. I doubt most of the original programmers are even getting a dime from this.
"But Bonnell downplayed the impact bootlegging could have on sales for "Atari Anthology" and the Atari Flashback console."
"You're right to say that a lot of them are bootlegged, and the code is not the right code, and the color is not the right color."
Uh sure buddy. Whatever you say.
If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
Instead of an 7800 console, how about bringing the yesteryear's arcade experience at home? A good opportunity is for Atari to make a 'console' that looks exactly as an arcade box, complete with monitor, joysticks, coin slot, sound system etc. The arcade box could be marked as a piece of furniture that fits nicely in the living room or play room.
Of course underneath it would be a console that has the capability of providing a diverse arcade experience from the days of Space Invaders to Virtua Striker. The main selling point would be not the quality of graphics and all, but the quality of the arcade experience, something that it is solely missing from today.
Atari could also sell development systems for PCs that could allow the back bedroom programmers to make their own arcade games.
The above described box could be sold as max versions, midi and mini portable versions. The max version would have a 19" monitor, big arcade quality joysticks, the same size and outfit of an arcade box. The midi version could be the same, although scaled down, and the mini version would be a miniature coin-op box that could be carried over in a bag.
Another version could be the coctail one, sold also as a table for the living room.
Finally, a version without a TV and coin-slot should be available, for those that want a console in the traditional sense.