Atari VCS, First New Atari in Decades, Raises $2 Million in one Day

Atari’s love letter to retro gaming, the Atari VCS, was up on Indiegogo for a day before it nearly crashed the site. The retro-inspired console pulled in over $2 million in pledged funding. The Atari VCS is a system unlike most we’ve seen in the past, in that it’s a hybrid of the micro-consoles Nintendo has been releasing, and a more traditional console like the PS4. It is slated to come pre-loaded with over 100 Atari games, making it sort of like the SNES Classic. It is also going to offer more modern gaming experiences, more comparable to a full console. 

Crowdfunding? 

The console was sure to release with or without the crowdfunding campaign, but the Indiegogo success indicates something else. Developers can rest easy knowing that there is ample excitement for Atari’s first console since the 90’s. Additionally, this helps Atari gauge interest and produce enough units to meet demand. This allows them to avoid a Nintendo-like situation where their console proves more popular than anticipated and supply runs out too quickly. 

Worlds Collide 

The VCS is going to have a price tag of $299. That puts it in the same league as the Switch, the PS4 and the Xbox One. This is a very bold move for a video game maker who hasn’t been in the mix for 25 years. The last time Atari made a console was the Jaguar, released in November of 1993. The VCS, however, is looking to be a modern device with streaming and online play in mind. Atari is marketing the console’s open Linux OS, making it highly customizable and open to user software. As mentioned earlier, the console will also come with a wide library of older Atari games.  

The main draw, however, will certainly be the newer games living in harmony with their older cousins. Atari promises favorites from PC and indie games will be on the console. The VCS sports a modern looking controller, in addition to a classic-looking input. 

When Can I Get My Own Atari VCS? 

If the promise of a modern console with classic sensibilities sounds your speed, then you’ll be pleased to know the Atari VCS hits store in June of 2019. You’ve still got time to head over to their Indiegogo page and pledge and check out Atari’s videos and descriptions of the console. What do you think, could this be the return of Atari? Or is this idea too weird, and doomed to fail?