This seems random, yet here we are! Atari has unveiled what their Ataribox system will look like. What they forgot to tell everyone is exactly what the box is. So leave it to us to speculate.
It’s 2017 and the current console behemoths are the PlayStation 4 from Sony’s camp and the Xbox One from Microsoft. Let’s not forget Nintendo’s hugely successful Switch. For those of you older gamers, you will remember Atari as the grandfather of console gaming some 30 odd years ago. But let’s face it, the company has been a dead zombified rotting corpse of its former self. Holding on to the gaming industry like a has-been boxer going on about its glory days. Every time it does the young ones roll their eyes as they refuse to believe what this grandpa is on about. So it’s shocking news when they announced their Ataribox. But what does Atari really have to offer in 2017 with this upcoming product?
First of all, we don’t actually know what the Ataribox is. Atari failed to give everyone details about what this box can do and the type of games you can play. All they’ve really revealed is that it will offer classic games and new games. So if you read between the lines, I’m getting an NES Classic/Ouya hybrid console. A quick look at the images released for the box and you immediately see there’s no Disc drive. That rules out it being able to play things like Bluray or having Disc published games. This puts it squarely in the realm of an Android box. Let’s face it, Atari as a company doesn’t have the R&D budget to even consider taking on the big 3 console makers.
So we’re probably looking at a niche “Classic” market. As for the new games. Do you really see any big publishers spending any amount of money and resources on this niche market? I think it will make more sense for indie Devs to get in on this box. It’s hard enough for them on Steam, this smaller system would give their games more visibility than something like Steam/PSN or Xbox Store where the small games are drowned by the heavy hitters. Now you see the Ouya comparison I was talking about. Also to think about, that very concept is whats keeping the PS Vita alive today as Indie Devs flock to release their games on the system. And we flock to buy those games just to have something to play on the device. The same could work in Atari’s favour.
In conclusion, kerb your enthusiasm just a bit about this new device. I have no doubt it won’t be in the realm of PS4/Xbox One. Heck, I don’t even think it will be a Steam machine either (though that’s possible as those are just off the shelf PC parts). I’ll be keeping up with news of the Ataribox, but I honestly couldn’t be more “meh” about granddad’s attempt to get back into the ring. He’s gonna get slaughtered by the young ones.
Recent Comments