Here’s everything you need to know about the Atari VCS system, a retro gaming console with modern features.
The Atari VCS is a fascinating concept. Instead of just being a straightforward homage to the Atari 2600, it’s a PC / console hybrid instead, capable of playing more than 100 home and arcade classic Atari games as well as new titles. In addition, you can also stream your favorite shows in 4K HDR, boot the system into PC mode and install any OS, making it remarkably flexible. The retro-inspired console is set to launch on June 15, 2021, and costs $299.99 or $399.99 depending on the model you choose. If you’re after something different over the PS5 or Xbox Series X (or worse, can’t find any in stock), the Atari VCS could prove to be a popular product, particularly among older generation of gamers. Its ability to stream and play PC games means it won’t only interests retro enthusiasts, either. It could also be a viable option if you’re after a mini-PC. In a recent interview with T3, Atari VCS COO Michael Artz said the console offers «something different» over PS5 and Xbox Series X. «Users can tap into a wide variety of traditional PC functionalities, from office work, to email, to online shopping to PC gaming and much more,» Artz said. «There has been a lot of interest in the VCS as a PC, in part because it provides so much incremental value compared to other mini-PCs in our price range.» The Atari name still carries a lot of kudos with video game fans, given the company’s integral role in creating the home console market, and nostalgia is a powerful emotion. But Atari’s last piece of new hardware,1993’s Jaguar, was a monumental flop. Since then, the company has changed hands multiple times, emerged from bankruptcy, and been used to market social games and online gambling. It’s been a rough couple of decades for Atari, that’s to be sure. But that could all change with the company’s new, crowd-sourced console: the Atari VCS (the console formerly known as the Ataribox), which is due to ship in Spring 2021. In fact, the official Twitter account has said that pre-orders will start shipping «in the coming weeks». The date for a full retail launch is still less clear but «on the horizon». The Atari VCS represents Atari’s hopeful comeback into the console world, promising both access to original Atari games and new experiences, pairing the classic with the modern. Atari first teased the Atari VCS back in June 2017 with a pretty lightweight website and a brief YouTube clip, and then finally spilled the beans back at E3 2017.
