To the surprise of many, Atari revealed in June that it was working on a new console. This system, known as Ataribox, will be based on the PC technology and will run both old and current games. If you were thrilled by this announcement we have some excellent news for you, as the company has already confirmed the price of the console, some of its specifications and its launch window.
According to Feargal Mac, the creator and general manager of Ataribox, there will be an Indiegogo financing campaign before the end of this year. Thus, they estimate that the first Ataribox units will be available by the spring of 2018. The manager also confirmed that they expect to market the system at a price between $250 USD and $300 USD.
As for technical specifications, Mac said that the console will have a custom AMD processor with Radeon graphics and a Linux-based operating system. In addition, it will have a simple interface and access to all types of users. “It’s a very flexible product, and you won’t need to spend more money if you don’t want to,” he said. “In some ways, you are buying some freedom,” Mac said about the new console to VentureBeat.
“People are used to the flexibility of a PC, but most connected TV devices have closed systems and content stores. We wanted to create a killer TV product where people can game, stream and browse with as much freedom as possible, including accessing pre-owned games from other content providers,” Mac said.
Later, the manager talked about the financing campaign for the product: “We’ve chosen to launch Ataribox with Indiegogo given their focus on delivering technology products, and their strong international presence in over 200 countries, allowing us to reach and involve as many Atari fans around the world as possible,” the manager stated.
In addition to the above, Ataribox will have an SD slot, HDMI video output, and 4 USB ports. Atari recently revealed that it is working on a new IP and a new version of one of its most popular and beloved titles. Thus, it would not be unusual for such games to be designed for this new system.
