How many times now has "Atari" come back as an investor stripping scam, based on nothing but memories of the one time there was a real company using that name?
If you want an Atari, buy a real console. Better yet, build a MAME cabinet. You can run all the 2600-7800 games in there, with much better controls. CRT emulation (raster and vector) is pretty impressive on a 4k monitor.
https://www.reddit.com/r/cade/ has a lot of people building/rebuilding cabinets.
Of course you need a real CRT also. The Flashback also works with paddle controllers (which are necessary for several built-in games) although they can be hard to find.
I think at this point the company will work best for just selling merchandise, Atari T-shirts and stuff. Maybe mobile versions of their games like they did recently with Missile Command. But that would be purely financial, definitely nothing revolutionary.
Here is my take on it:
- Gameplay was superior to other offerings and compared to other entertainment of the day exciting enough to draw an audience.
- It was niche. Yes, a niche in a growing field: "the digital revolution" if you will, but a niche.
- Competitive. Highscores were a zeriou$ thing in the arcardes.
I would say, therefore, the //new Atari// has to be a esports league, the best, which produces it's own games. Focus on a few but well-balanced games. Focus on 1-2 types of sports. "Space Invaders", "Pac Man" and a "3D" thing, to speak in old-Atari terms. Quality. Like StarCraft.
Sell a special .MOD to "professional" players. Have exclusive deals with YouTubers who do the "broadcasting". Have the league finals in Las Vegas with many exciting things!
If you're not in the loop, do note that the "Atari VCS" referenced in the article is not the original 70's console but a recent, crowdfunded console that has nothing to do with the original Atari except trying to capitalize on brand nostalgia.