Report: Atari CEO Fred Chesnais Confirms Company Is Working On New Console

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by Elise Favis on June 18, 2017 at 11:30 AM

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Earlier this month, Atari released a cryptic video on its website, showing off sleek visuals of new hardware with a wood-grain design. The video doesn't show much, but it teased that Atari is returning to the console market. Now, in an exclusive interview with VentureBeat, CEO Fred Chesnais confirms Atari is making a console comeback.

Atari's last console to release was the Atari Jaguar in 1993. Although the company played a big part in making video game history, it is barely present today in the industry. Chesnais told VentureBeat that, "We’re back in the hardware business."

Details are slim, but Chesnais confirmed that the upcoming console, codenamed the Ataribox, is PC-based and that the design of the hardware is not yet finalized. He says more information will come at a later date. For more on Atari, read our feature where we speak to Pitfall creator David Crane.

[Source: VentureBeat]

Our Take
Atari played a huge role in video game history, but I'm skeptical about whether this comeback will succeed. Entering the console market successfully is a difficult feat, especially for a company that hasn't been in that business for decades. The Ouya tried and failed, but Atari at least has the recognizable brand name. Atari filed for bankruptcy back in 2013, and came out of it soon after, newly focusing on social casino games. It's unclear just how powerful this upcoming console is, and what kind of library it will have, but it sounds like we'll find out more down the road.

I guarantee that whatever it is, it's going to be TRASH. The last time I bought an Atari product, it was their "Alone in the Dark: Illumination" game on PC earlier this year and it's literally THE WORST GAME I've ever played. And I mean that LITERALLY. Like the game will spawn random objectives in inaccessible portions of the maps, making the levels unbeatable. Enemies make no sound and there's no hit sound. Story is told through lame text boxes. Controllers can be mapped but you CAN NOT re-map the "use" button from the "F" key (used for opening doors, and flipping switches, which makes up 66% of the gameplay). Everything about it is just so amazingly bad. This is NOT a company that would be able to make anything but a NES-mini-esque Atari multi-game retro console.

Comments

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by TheodoricFriede Sunday, June 18, 2017 at 11:12 PM

All i know is that it had better be backwards compatible with previous Atari software or im not interested.
by williamthewise Monday, June 19, 2017 at 04:02 AM

Does PC-based mean it's going to require some connection to a PC? Or will it be a stand-alone system?
by BethesdaWare Monday, June 19, 2017 at 05:36 AM

If Atari is considering competing against Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, I think they are in for a world of hurt. That's not to say that I'm against them creating their own hardware. The problem will be how powerful the hardware is, what exclusives will the console have, and what kind of online service can Atari make to compete with everybody else.

Atari is going to have invest billions if they are serious about this. I'm not sure they have the money nor the capabilities to pull this off, unless they try to do something unique like Nintendo. Even Nintendo is able to rely on their oldest properties when everything else fails.
by nyarth Monday, June 19, 2017 at 05:38 AM

I guarantee that whatever it is, it's going to be TRASH. The last time I bought an Atari product, it was their "Alone in the Dark: Illumination" game on PC earlier this year and it's literally THE WORST GAME I've ever played. And I mean that LITERALLY. Like the game will spawn random objectives in inaccessible portions of the maps, making the levels unbeatable. Enemies make no sound and there's no hit sound. Story is told through lame text boxes. Controllers can be mapped but you CAN NOT re-map the "use" button from the "F" key (used for opening doors, and flipping switches, which makes up 66% of the gameplay). Everything about it is just so amazingly bad. This is NOT a company that would be able to make anything but a NES-mini-esque Atari multi-game retro console.
by musicalham Monday, June 19, 2017 at 06:39 AM

I thought it was just going to be like the NES classic edition and just have throwback games.
by bOObies Monday, June 19, 2017 at 07:15 AM

Wish them all the luck in the world. I hope whatever they make is awesome. Just don't be some dumb Android-based system that runs modified mobile games ala the Ouya. Even still it will be an uphill battle.
by Kenji Monday, June 19, 2017 at 09:19 AM

With decent tech, they can attack the market with quality service that serves the interests of the gamers and if they have partnership they have a chance. Microsoft and Sony are strugling to stand out rn because their platform tries to milk money out of people as much as possible and people turn to PCs instead.
by divergence Monday, June 19, 2017 at 02:07 PM

wood. I'm in. Can I refinish it every couple years or so?
by Jonathan Peterson Monday, June 19, 2017 at 02:21 PM

Interesting that they want a piece of the pie again. Is Sega next?
by RezidentHazard (Skeptical Inquirer) Monday, June 19, 2017 at 09:07 PM

I'm curious to see what it is, but skeptical that it can succeed.

Also: Insert "already has better 3rd party support than Switch" joke here.
by dumbstruck Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 12:55 AM

What. *heavy breathing*
by chrishaney23 Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 01:57 AM

Just remake KABOOM! And this is beyond laughable! Going for bankruptcy 2 out of 5 years? You're gonna get it!
by HORDAK Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 05:41 AM

they should team up with Sega and make a bunch of rad games for their console

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Report: Atari CEO Fred Chesnais Confirms Company Is Working On New Console