In mid-June, Atari shared the teaser for its upcoming console Ataribox. A month later, it published the first renders of the casing and some basic technical details. Today we're looking at real images of the console, more precise hardware data, and even an estimated price. That sounds pretty good... except that several companies have already tried to follow the same path and failed spectacularly. As if that weren't enough, the Ataribox will seek financial support on Indiegogo, and that sets off all alarms.
The Ataribox at a glance
Let's do a quick recap: The current version of Atari (technically 'Atari, SA', with its three subsidiaries Atari London Studio, Atari Interactive and Atari, Inc.) is working on a new console. Its name is Ataribox, and it bets heavily on nostalgia, with a classic wood design and the inclusion of retro games. At first we all thought the company was looking to replicate Nintendo's success with its NES Classic and bring something similar to market. However, CEO Fred Chesnais revealed last June that the system would be based on "PC technology", which drew a lot of attention. Could it be planning to compete with Microsoft and Sony even knowing they are about to launch new hardware?
Honestly, I have no idea, and I think Atari doesn't either. In its latest round of hype, the company published images of real prototypes. The console isn't very large compared to the television next to it, but the novelty is that inside it will house "custom AMD hardware", with a Radeon graphics module. On the software side, Atari confirmed the adoption of Linux as the operating system, and announced that it will allow users access to other digital stores, as long as they are compatible. That would leave a small door open for Steam, but it all comes down to a matter of interest.
Crowdfunding raises doubts
And that's what worries us. The Ataribox could mark the "return" of a gaming classic to the hardware market. However, there are plenty of reasons to doubt this project. The concept of a "gaming platform with Linux" is nothing new. Valve tried it with its Steam Machine - Steam OS combo, and it was a failure. Then we discovered another detail that basically plunges our interest into liquid nitrogen: Atari will launch a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. The hypothesis is that with crowdfunding there will be discounts, special editions, and other rewards for those who participate early... in other words, nothing new on the radar. Atari will forgive me, but the ghost of the Ouya still terrifies me. The Ataribox is supposed to be available "in the spring of 2018", with a price between $249 and $299. The Xbox One S already costs $250 today. Atari needs to do its homework, or it will have another Jaguar on its hands.
