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Atari Box update

Posted: September 26th, 2017, 8:10 am
by pacman000
Got an email. The Atari Box will be based around an AMD processor and will run Linux. Will be an open system instead of a closed system like most game systems. Will launch on Indigogo for 250-300 dollars this fall.

http://mailchi.mp/ataribox/first-look-a ... 806f84ef27

Re: Atari Box update

Posted: September 26th, 2017, 9:59 am
by scotland
Thanks for posting this.

I like how it says "the wood edition has real wood". I'm not sure if that's a good thing, but either way, we're talking not much more wood than in a dozen matchsticks. It looks like another tiny thing - somehow I would like it to be a bit bigger.

What do you think of the price? Does it come with a controller?

Re: Atari Box update

Posted: September 26th, 2017, 11:07 am
by pacman000
Price sounds about right; better than a cell-phone. If it can deliver a good experience for that price it might just do well.

Don't know if it comes with a controller. It should; if it doesn't that'll be a major turn-off.

I like the idea of a more open game system, but I'm afraid that'll make them keep the console's price relatively high; they can't make money selling license fees for each game. Probably will be good for emulation tho.

Still don't know if it accepts external media or if it's download-only.

I like how it says "the wood edition has real wood".
Was the 2600's case even real wood? I always thought it was a decal or sticker.

Re: Atari Box update

Posted: September 26th, 2017, 3:11 pm
by eneuman96
This strikes me as the Ouya 2.0.

Unless they somehow get some utterly mindblowing exclusives, I don't see this being anything other than a flop.

Re: Atari Box update

Posted: September 26th, 2017, 5:18 pm
by pacman000
eneuman96 wrote:This strikes me as the Ouya 2.0.

Unless they somehow get some utterly mindblowing exclusives, I don't see this being anything other than a flop.

I can see that too. But sometimes when the first person to try an idea fails, the next person can learn from their mistakes and succeed. Like the De havilland Comet vs the Boeing 707 or the LaserDisk vs the DVD, if Atari SA can improve on the Ouya's basic idea they might have a shot.

I have a feeling the Ouya failed because of under-capitalization anyways; they had $10 million; they needed $100.

Re: Atari Box update

Posted: September 27th, 2017, 6:12 pm
by VideoGameCritic
The more I read about this, the more I think it will be a huge flop. I read they are trying to be an all-in-one set-top box.
Haven't they learned ANY lessons from the past? Probably not, because this Atari isn't the same people.
Sounds like these people don't understand games but want to make a quick buck on the Atari logo.

Re: Atari Box update

Posted: September 28th, 2017, 1:02 am
by Paul Campbell
With the number of people on this site who thought the Switch was overpriced, I thought I would have heard alot more protests about that ridiculous price by now.

Re: Atari Box update

Posted: September 28th, 2017, 9:12 am
by pacman000
VideoGameCritic wrote:The more I read about this, the more I think it will be a huge flop. I read they are trying to be an all-in-one set-top box.
Haven't they learned ANY lessons from the past? Probably not, because this Atari isn't the same people.
Sounds like these people don't understand games but want to make a quick buck on the Atari logo.

Possible. Also possible it could become the next GP32. Even if it does fail in the mass market I can see a homebrew market developing for it.

Re: Atari Box update

Posted: September 28th, 2017, 10:18 am
by scotland
Paul Campbell wrote:With the number of people on this site who thought the Switch was overpriced, I thought I would have heard alot more protests about that ridiculous price by now.


I am one of those people on the Switch. After you buy the unit, a set of accessories, and a game or two, thats an expensive Christmas. We'll see how it does this holiday season. Honestly, I have sticker shock on the price of new smartphones, so relative to those, the Switch pricing seems less outrageous.

The price of this - say its $300-$325 once you put in shipping, an SD card, a cable, and a controller or second controller. However, it comes loaded with lots of games (which? I don't know), and you can load more. It may also have other capabilities, like downloading new games, internet browsing, etc - but lets say all that is crap.

Is $300-$325 too much? Given we are seeing a SNES classic at a fourth of that (if you get one) then yes, it is. However, Nintendo is a big company, and this is just a indiegogo thing. I've paid a premium for things (like homebrew 2600 carts on Atariage, or hobbyist hardware projects, hobbyist written books, etc) to support hobbyists making niche retro videogame products. I want these products to continue to be made.

So, I will give a hobbyist a lot more leeway on pricing than a big company. However, this is still way above impulse buying levels for me. I'd have to be pretty sure its something I would enjoy for awhile.

Re: Atari Box update

Posted: September 29th, 2017, 3:00 am
by Paul Campbell
Fair enough.