Atari's take on retro console rehash, the Atari VCS, just had more games added to its library. Breaking radio-silence on its crowd-funded console, Atari today announced its partnership with retro game streaming platform Antstream in the form of an enhanced and exclusive “Atari Edition” of Antstream’s streaming service to the Atari VCS console.

Available at launch, the exclusive Antstream Arcade Atari VCS app will offer 50 classic Atari titles, with additional games added on a steady basis (the full list of games has not been made available at the time of writing but some titles to expect are Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja, Double Dragon, Jumpman, Metal Slug, Adventure, Night Driver, Pong, Tempest 2000, and Yars’ Revenge). In addition to an existing library of 2,000+ officially licensed games, the exclusive Antstream Arcade Atari VCS app will include the largest collection of Atari games available on demand, in both original and enhanced edition formats, curated from across the brand’s many arcade, home, and handheld platforms.

What's interesting is what Atari and Antstream call "enhanced game editions" boasting new functionality such as multiplayer and “pure” unmodified versions of classic Atari games. In addition, Atari and Antstream Arcade will deliver a constant flow of all-new creative social challenges to engage and incentivize fans to experience their favorite retro games "in unique ways".

Antstream Arcade titles will also be compatible with the Atari VCS Classic Joystick and Atari VCS Modern Controller, including rumble and LED lighting effects.

“Antstream Arcade is a perfect partner for Atari and its fans,” said Atari CEO Frédéric Chesnais. “Anstream’s offering lets players instantly access a vast library of games, including many Atari titles that have not been available for streaming before now."

The Antstream Arcade app for the Atari VCS offers a 30-day free trial, with subscription options available for $9.99(US)/month or $7.99(US)/month (total $95.88) for a yearly subscription.

Shipping for the Atari VCS is scheduled to begin March 2020.

SOURCE: GBAtemp Inbox

 

[Reynardine]

I can't get excited over something like this. I'm allergic to streaming.

A poor internet connection and fear of loosing "my" games when the service closes down or they get delisted for licensing issues makes it unattractive to me.

Besides, does this console even exist?
(and who cares about Atari 2600 games in 2019?)

 

[the_randomizer]

well, in particular, the people on the atari team who where made mods where, and when they where found to be doing that they got banned from there own reddit. rightfully so. one should not abuse power to silence criticism

Very pusillanimous of them to censor like that. Glad they were banned as mods.

 

[pedro702]

all this android boxes are crap, i cant beleive they got millions backed on the project, seriously this is nothing diferent from a regular android box, if you want to pay monthly fees to play atari 2600 games you need your head examined imo.

a monthly fee for games where the only porpose is high scroes since 99.9 of them dont have an ending ...

 

[the_randomizer]

all this android boxes are crap, i cant beleive they got millions backed on the project, seriously this is nothing diferent from a regular android box, if you want to pay monthly fees to play atari 2600 games you need your head examined imo.

a monthly fee for games where the only porpose is high scroes since 99.9 of them dont have an edning ...

I hope this is a huge commercial flop. Devs need to stop doing this crap.

 

[pedro702]

I hope this is a huge commercial flop. Devs need to stop doing this crap.

first they said it would get new games and that they would get good hardware and whatnot to play pc games, now its turning into a pay monthly stream machine lol.

 

[the_randomizer]

first they said it would get new games and that they would get good hardware and whatnot to play pc games, now its turning into a pay monthly stream machine lol.

Yeah, screw that, I'd rather pirate them.

 

[Bladexdsl]

O look aother fucking retro console

 

[Rabbid4240]

Misread that as atgames and had a fucking heart attack

 

[Nekomaru]

I think it's still in a further development stage than Smach Z for instance...

 

[pedro702]

Misread that as atgames and had a fucking heart attack

even atgames would be better becuase you arent paying for a streaming subsciption on a android box lol, you pay once and you get what you get, here is 10$ a month to play games that are older than the nes.

 

[DANTENDO]

even atgames would be better becuase you arent paying for a streaming subsciption on a android box lol, you pay once and you get what you get, here is 10$ a month to play games that are older than the nes.

People should stop moaning re the cost of things - more money given to any devs means they can hire better people with better pay which in turn should giv us better talented people involved in making better games

 

[DarthDub]

Everything sounded great until it said streaming...WHY?! What's the point of having that "console" if it only streams? Might as well make an Android/iOS app for phones..

 

[ChibiMofo]

Just know that "Atari" is yet another company that bought the rights to the name and has nothing whatsoever to do with the original Atari. The just as easily could have called the company Fly By Night Enterprises. Of course given how incredibly sleazy the original company was during the Jaguar era, it's probably a good thing the latest Atari has nothing to do with the old Atari.

But again, there's no reason to expect anything good to come from this (re-)announcement. Especially if it eventually requires a monthly fee.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

People should stop moaning re the cost of things - more money given to any devs means they can hire better people with better pay which in turn should giv us better talented people involved in making better games

Or it could just be more money for the talentless execs and early investors without a penny going to hire "better people with better pay" to make better games.

"This project has been promoted by legendary game developer Jon Burton."
So? And no, he's not legendary. Making a few games and then living another 30 years does not make you legendary. That is the most misused term in existence.

 

[DANTENDO]

Or it could just be more money for the talentless execs and early investors without a penny going to hire "better people with better pay" to make better games

Bit silly thinking like tht - I'd rather take the chance of paying extra for stuff and hoping devs do the right thing and money gets shared across the team

 

[DarthDub]

Just know that "Atari" is yet another company that bought the rights to the name and has nothing whatsoever to do with the original Atari. The just as easily could have called the company Fly By Night Enterprises. Of course given how incredibly sleazy the original company was during the Jaguar era, it's probably a good thing the latest Atari has nothing to do with the old Atari.

But again, there's no reason to expect anything good to come from this (re-)announcement. Especially if it eventually requires a monthly fee.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------



Or it could just be more money for the talentless execs and early investors without a penny going to hire "better people with better pay" to make better games.

"This project has been promoted by legendary game developer Jon Burton."
So? And no, he's not legendary. Making a few games and then living another 30 years does not make you legendary. That is the most misused term in existence.

He still makes games to this day..

 

[pedro702]

Bit silly thinking like tht - I'd rather take the chance of paying extra for stuff and hoping devs do the right thing and money gets shared across the team

lol that is not how the world works, devs for those games are retired probably so they just get money through deals so you are just giving afew cents to retired devs that hold the rights and then a huge margin to a team that just built a streaming service.

Srs paying for streaming, and hopping devs make better games lol, people that make streaming services, dont even make games and get almost all the money.


Same with supporting google stadia, they wont make better games becuase they dont make games your just giving money to the streaming service and then afew cents to each studio.

That logic is flawed as hell.

 

[DANTENDO]

lol that is not how the world works, devs for those games are retired probably so they just get money through deals so you are just gibbing afew cents to retired devs that old the rights and then a huge margin to a team that just built a streaming service.

Srs paying for streaming hopping devs make better games lol.

That logic is flawed as hell.

who's to say whoever involved dont make games - more money in the gaming industry is a good thing as makes young people get more involved in a career of making games so whatever the cost of games or products noone should complain if they want future quality products

 

[pedro702]

who's to say whoever involved dont make games - more money in the gaming industry is a good thing as makes young people get more involved in a career of making games so whatever the cost of games or products noone should complain if they want future quality products

streaming is not gaming industry, that like saying, streaming is just technology that was used for movies and tv and such, they just adapted it to games you are just adding money to a technology that will kill any ownership of anything ditaly in the future, where no one will be able to own a song,a movie or a game and will all be monthly rental fees.

 

[the_randomizer]

Streaming only games is just developers being too damn lazy to want to digitally release them to customers who want to download at their own leisure. I hope every single company who decides to go streaming only gets their games pirated.

 

[Plstic]

People should stop moaning re the cost of things - more money given to any devs means they can hire better people with better pay which in turn should giv us better talented people involved in making better games

That is very naive thinking.