Another new Atari VCS update

Atari VCS Structural Improvements and Feature Adjustments





Hello Backers!

With the March AMD Ryzen upgrade announcement still fresh, the Atari VCS team spent four days at GDC in San Francisco where we met with numerous content providers and creators, distributors and others, before heading south to spend a full day with our engineering team to review and discuss the latest project developments, manufacturing schedules and status updates for the VCS.

Now that the AMD news and broader schedule change has been revealed, there is other news that we can now start sharing!

First up today is an all-new Official Atari VCS blog entry featuring a comprehensive overview of the updated industrial design architecture of the Atari VCS. The team is incredibly excited about the design and feature changes that have been made to prepare the VCS for final production. As we provide additional updates over the next few weeks and months, we think that fans and backers will appreciate all the thought and care that went into shaping our decisions.

One important thing to clarify for everyone right now is that all Atari VCS products are on the same timeline. Joysticks, Controllers and VCS systems ordered through the Indiegogo campaign and Backerkit platform will all ship to backers on the same schedule, regardless of whether they are standalone units or part of a bundle. This also applies to the rollout of retail product what it happens.

Thanks again for the ongoing support, kind words, and to the many new contributors to the Atari VCS campaign in recent months. It’s truly humbling that so many Atari fans around the world are not only excited about our first new game and entertainment system in decades, but willing to get behind it and help make it a reality. We appreciate all our passionate fans and are grateful to have each and every one of you on this journey with us!

And now, for the latest amazing new Atari VCS hardware news, check out the newest below.

Link to the latest Atari VCS project blog at Medium.com.

Thanks again!

— The Atari VCS Team

I do like that look for the system, but until they publicly show actual, working, units I'm going to classify the VCS as "vaporware". The entire campaign has been a shitshow from the beginning and I do not trust Atari at all.

Good move on upgrading the hardware, let's just hope they actually deliver.

Rather than make a new thread... another update.


Atari VCS 2019: AMD Unveils new Ryzen Embedded Products




Hello Backers!

In case you missed it: AMD has now officially announced its new Ryzen™ Embedded R1000 SoC in a press release on April 16th, 2019. They proudly mention the Atari VCS partnership and included the following quote from Atari:

“With the AMD Ryzen Embedded R1000 powering the Atari VCS, we can support the 4K 60fps HDR content that users expect from a modern, secure gaming and entertainment system.” said Michael Arzt, COO of Atari Connected Devices. “AMD’s new Ryzen Embedded SoC will also help protect the VCS’ environment and content as we support an unprecedented open-access model that allows Atari’s highly-creative community to install any other operating system side by side with the Atari OS.”

You can also check out AMD’s Ryzen Embedded R1000 release trailer here:

Watch on YouTube

Below are the specs straight from AMD:



We are thrilled to be among the first companies to utilize this exciting new AMD product. We are also honored to be partnered with AMD and incredibly pleased with how well everything is proceeding with the Atari VCS project thanks to their assistance.

The team really appreciated all the great feedback regarding the updated design of the Atari VCS after our last update! Stay-tuned for a deep-dive into all the details of the final Classic Joystick and Modern Controller designs in our next Medium blog coming soon.

Thanks again!

— The Atari VCS Team

Isn't that just Raven Ridge with two CPU cores, and most of the GPU disabled.

Pretty much..... lol

Snowdog said:

Isn't that just Raven Ridge with two CPU cores, and most of the GPU disabled.

Click to expand...

Right, you can buy a faster-clocked version right now for $52.

https://www.amazon.com/AMD-4-Thread-Processor-Graphics-YD200GC6FBBOX/dp/B07HJWVJDN

Hope the case is worth it, because without that, you're getting an overpriced PC.

Actually it is a new die. - Banded Kestrel

https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/amd/cores/banded_kestrel

Still basically the same as the Raven Ridge though. But ultra low power at just 15 W TDP.

I'd argue that the value proposition is much more than just the physical hardware component costs. There is a wide market of people who are old enough to actually remember the old 2600 when they were new and will place some nostalgia value on that by itself. Much of these same buyers also do not want to bother with building a PC from scratch nor will they want to customize Windows (or Linux). They just want to plug it in and it works, has a nice interface, can stream and play movies, and comes with and plays many of the original old Atari games as well as many newer games. No worries about Windows updates, loading emulators with hacked games, command line updates, viruses, etc. I think the main target market is also not looking to play the latest and greatest most intense games either. The hardcore gamer crowd is looking for something a bit more powerful.

MixManSC said:

Actually it is a new die. - Banded Kestrel

https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/amd/cores/banded_kestrel

Still basically the same as the Raven Ridge though. But ultra low power at just 15 W TDP.

I'd argue that the value proposition is much more than just the physical hardware component costs. There is a wide market of people who are old enough to actually remember the old 2600 when they were new and will place some nostalgia value on that by itself. Much of these same buyers also do not want to bother with building a PC from scratch nor will they want to customize Windows (or Linux). They just want to plug it in and it works, has a nice interface, can stream and play movies, and comes with and plays many of the original old Atari games as well as many newer games. No worries about Windows updates, loading emulators with hacked games, command line updates, viruses, etc. I think the main target market is also not looking to play the latest and greatest most intense games either. The hardcore gamer crowd is looking for something a bit more powerful.

Click to expand...

"Wide market" seems like a bit of the stretch. Unless they're going to release a bunch of games that have never been in any of the 50 or so Atari collections over the years the only selling point here is that it looks slightly like a 2600 but only if you pay extra for special edition.

MixManSC said:

Actually it is a new die. - Banded Kestrel

https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/amd/cores/banded_kestrel

Still basically the same as the Raven Ridge though. But ultra low power at just 15 W TDP.

I'd argue that the value proposition is much more than just the physical hardware component costs. There is a wide market of people who are old enough to actually remember the old 2600 when they were new and will place some nostalgia value on that by itself. Much of these same buyers also do not want to bother with building a PC from scratch nor will they want to customize Windows (or Linux). They just want to plug it in and it works, has a nice interface, can stream and play movies, and comes with and plays many of the original old Atari games as well as many newer games. No worries about Windows updates, loading emulators with hacked games, command line updates, viruses, etc. I think the main target market is also not looking to play the latest and greatest most intense games either. The hardcore gamer crowd is looking for something a bit more powerful.

Click to expand...

There is no press indicating that Banded Kestrel is a native dual-core or new die, in which case it's just rummaged from the same Picasso dies the rest of the Raven Ridge refreshed mobile dies are.

I.e: the Athlon Pro 300U = R1505G, except the latter has wider TDP options.

So of course the VCS has a big press release - the part that they need to build the thing may finally ship this month.

This thing is going to make the Atari Jaguar look like a success story.

Are people this nostalgic for the old Pong game that some $300 (or whatever it costs) console is going to sell? Who actually cares about any old Atari game? I mean, it's not Legend of Zelda (in gameplay quality) so...