Atari is one of the worlds most recognized video game publishers, producers, and supporters of the gaming industry. They widely saw that home consoles grew when they released their first string of home consoles under their Atari trademark name including the Atari 400 and Atari 800, respectively. It wasn’t until 1993 that we formally saw the company take a leave of absence from the industry as a hardware developer when the Jaguar home console didn’t do as well as expected.
Today, however, marks a day of change for the company since 1993. Atari has finally unveiled the Atarbox with a few more details. These details prove that this is a console that brings promise of gaming, media, and more in our homes.
The console will sound off Atari’s first home console release since the Jaguar days. The console will offer a eco-system of accessories, content, and a PC-like experience to your home TV. The company has announced that their device will allow for gaming, streaming, applications, social media, internet browsing, and music to consumers.
Their new hardware will be running an AMD customized processor while utilizing an AMD Radeon GPU. The company has confirmed that the Ataribox will be powered by Linux OS, using its own customized user interface that will support the use of TVs. The console will feature a rather sizable amount of Atari Classics, but will also feature a library of current games from a variety of today’s studios. While the company hasn’t disclosed any names, it can be assumed that some of them may be indie developers, with a few big-names tied in.
Since Linux is a rather open-natured OS, the company has stated that users will be able to access Linux compatible games, while also accessing games and content from other platforms. Fred Chesnais, the CEO of Atari, stated that the “with Ataribox, we wanted to create an open system, a killer product where people can game, stream and browse with as much freedom as possible. Atari games and content will be available as well as games and content from other providers. We also wanted to launch Ataribox with our community, and reward our fans with exclusive early access, special editions, and include them as active participants in the product rollout.”
With the release of the Ataribox, the company confirmed that Ataribox will first be made available via the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, this fall, and will be expected to launch in the Spring of 2018 with the price range of $249-$299, putting it comfortable in position to compete with Nintendo’s portable console, the Nintendo Switch. The company stated that the price will be dependent on the editions that consumers purchase, but also memory configurations.
To support their approach, Feargal Mac, Ataribox’s GM commented that the modern world is used to the flexibility of PCs. That we are also quite used to our connected devices such as Smart TV’s. To help suppor this approach, the “Ataribox is an open system, and while our user interface will be easy to use, people will also be free to access and customize the underlying OS. We’ve chosen to launch Ataribox with Indiegogo given their focus on delivering technology products, and their strong international presence in over 200 countries, allowing us to reach and involve as many Atari fans around the world as possible.”
While his approach is rather forthcoming, the Ataribox comes in at a peak where the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One have been duking it out in a reignited console war. While their approach is truly unique, we won’t know much more about it until later this year.
About the Writer:
Dustin is our native console gamer of 31 years. He’s a dedicated PlayStation and Nintendo reviewer who has an appetite for anything that crosses the boarders from across the big pond. He has a keen love for all things DOOM and a profound love for Pizza, JRPGS, Anime, and handheld gaming. His elitist attitude gives him direction, want, and a need for the hardest difficulties in games, which is fun to watch, and hilarity at its finest. You can find him over on Twitter or Facebook.