The so-called Ataribox was renamed the Atari VCS earlier this year. The company’s retro console is meant to evoke the nostalgic memories of classic Atari games from its halcyon days. However, it looks like even Atari didn’t expect it to blow up like it did. The pre-orders for the Atari VCS has caused the IndieGoGo site to crash due to overwhelming demand.
At the time of writing, IndieGoGo seems to have returned to operating normally. According to the IndieGoGo page, the Atari VCS is described as a “gaming and home entertainment streaming device with open platform for creativity and customization.” The campaign was supposed to fulfill its funding goal when it hits $100,000. After only several hours of going live, the total backing currently stands at a whopping $1,696,426, with an entire month left to go.
Atari VCS: Features
The Atari VCS features more than 100 classic Atari games pre-loaded on the machine, including Asteroids, Centipede, Breakout, Missile Command and Yars’ Revenge. Atari promises “new and exclusive” games for the machine by the time it finally launches.
It also features an open platform dubbed the Linux Sandbox, which budding programmers can customize to their heart’s content. The company claims that its the first Atari device capable of going online. However, it should be noted that “advanced services” and cloud storage would require a paid subscription.
Atari VCS: Prices
There are multiple purchasing options to choose from, with various price ranges. The Atari VCS can be purchased at the price of $249, with no controllers included. A classic Atari joystick will set gamers back $29 while the modern Atari controller will be available for $49. The most expensive available set at $339 is the Atari VCS Collector’s All In bundle, which comes with a Collector’s Edition Atari VCS machine, a classic joystick, and a modern controller.
Atari expects the Atari VCS to start shipping in July 2019, which is about a year from now. The reason why Atari chose to crowdfund the Atari VCS through IndieGoGo is that the company wanted to “reach out to and connect with highly-engaged community members” and that the site is the “perfect vehicle to directly involve both existing and new Atari fans.”
