Atari is planning a return to the video game console market, having previously teased a brand new machine called the Ataribox. Though details remain thin, the first images and details of the machine have now appeared online, showing off a retro-inspired box with "modern internal specs".
In an email to fans late on Monday, Atari said the Ataribox "stays true to our heritage while appealing to both old and new fans of Atari". The design of the console features a ribbed black enclosure and a raised back, echoing the iconic lines of the original Atari Video Computer System. It will come in two editions, a black console with a wood grain front panel, or black and red console with a glass front.
Unlike the Atari Flashback series from AtGames — the only hardware to carry the Atari name for over 20 years — the Ataribox is a PC-like machine with "modern internal specs", according to Atari. Players will get access to classic games, as well as "current gaming content".
Backing up that claim, the images shared in the newsletter (likely computer renders of what the device will look like) reveal HDMI output and an ethernet port for internet, as well as four USB ports and an SD card slot, presumably for expandable storage. Though not confirmed, it's safe to assume the console also has wireless capabilities for internet and its (yet-to-be-revealed) controllers.
It's unlikely that the next Assassin's Creed or Call of Duty would come to this box, but its PC-like internals means it could be ideal for indies, especially those with an old-school bent. An all-you-can-eat service of old Atari games paired with modern throw-backs like Shovel Knight, Shantae or Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap could help the device find an audience that's not all that interested in the big AAA games you find on other systems.
Of course it's also possible Atari is referring to the "current gaming content" it produces itself, namely various iterations of Rollercoaster Tycoon, or it could go the route of the ill-fated OUYA by offering small-scale original games and Android ports. Only time will tell.
Atari finished its note by acknowledging its own lack of clarity, saying "we're not teasing you intentionally; we want to get this right, so we've opted to share things step by step as we bring Ataribox to life, and to listen closely to Atari community feedback as we do so".
It's hard to tell the scale of the project or how far along it is by the details and images released, and so while the prospect of a fully-fledged new commercial console produced for a broad audience is exciting, it's entirely possible the Ataribox will only ever exist as a limited run for enthusiasts. Eurogamer claims to have seen an investor note suggesting Atari will initially crowdfund the device.
The Atari of today, of course, is barely recognisable from the Atari Inc of the 70s which created Pong and the original Atari VCS (later renamed the 2600). The Atari name has been bought and sold countless times since then, currently owned by a subsidiary of French game publisher Atari SA (formerly Infogrames). The company has been on a campaign to find new audiences and reinvent its products since SA and its Atari-branded subsidiaries emerged from bankruptcy in 2014.
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