this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2023
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It really does look cool. π But two things have me worried...
One, it's not an FPGA with "Atari hardware" inside (sorry, I don't fully understand these things...) which makes it less like the Analogue Pocket / Game Boy cartridges and more like an emulator.
Two, Atari has released the similar "Atari Flashback" console in recent history promising advanced features that turned out to be overpriced, half baked, and barely functional.
I hope that's not the case this time.
While Analogue is very cool, itβs actually a really inefficient way to release a product and will never happen at scale.
A software emulator can be an excellent user experience.
I mean, does it need to happen at scale? How many people are clamoring to replay Atari games with real cartridges who haven't been satiated by the many previous releases at much cheaper price points? FPGA would at least make them stand out from those other attempts and might have gotten me to bite the bullet.
Analogue seems to do OK and has a much larger built-in audience (more nostalgia for NES era and newer). And their 16-bit consoles have been around the same price point as this.
This looks well-designed, but I think it's a misfire at the conception stage based on its (presumed) intended audience.
Atari wants higher profit margins, it wouldnβt be realistic in any capacity.
Also Analogue has had a hard time shipping any units. An FPGA is the wrong product for a large company making a simple product.
Not to mention projects like the analogue pocket were a huge undertaking of many talented and dedicated individuals with the goal of fufiling a dream product. This works for a small team but not so much for a large corporation who's only motivation is profit.
Last year they released the 50th anniversary edition flashback, which included 130 games, 2 joysticks, and 2 paddle controllers. It's currently selling for $70.
https://www.atgames.us/products/atari-flashback-gold-50th-anniversary-edition
I'm really struggling here... What is this 2600+ offering? Only 1 joystick controller and a measly 10 games. I guess the ability to play 2600 and 7800 cartridges? Are they going to re-print some? How much would those be?
For $30 you can get the Atari 50 collection for whatever console you have it Steam. 103 games, including 5200, 7200, Lynx, and Jaguar, plus tons of bonus content.
What could they possibly add to make this thing worth $130? This feels like something that should be $40-$50.
Company releases low volume collectors item to make a profit. How confusing? Just buy the game if you like it more.
To answer one question, they've already released reprint cartridges in original-style packaging, and they have special edition versions of some games coming out with new features and bug fixes. You can go onto their website to check them out.