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Issue 26: Dec 2002
Features
- | Foreword
- | ARAnyM: Atari Running on Any Machine
- | Tip of the day
- | The Future of Atari Computing
- | Back There...
- | MyIDE Interface Part 2
- | Christmas Labels
- | Pulsar: Pulse to a different drummer
- | Atari UK 3
- | Festive Networking
- | A Room with a View
News
M@ilbox
| M@ilbox Article Feedback Hi Larry, I read your review of Atari 7800 history (in Issue 25). Well written, just had a few corrections via Leonard Tramiel (whom I'm currently interviewing for my Atari historical book). "The 7800 would've crushed every other system in its path, but one thing held it back from gaming glory: the infamous video game crash of 1984 [screams in the background]. Because of this, the 7800 was put on hold. Well, let's jump ahead to 1985. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was released [in the US], and was a mega hit. Games like Super Mario Bros. brought gaming back, and soon video games were returning to homes. Atari, seeing the success of the NES, decided to release the 7800." Actually, this is not the case. All projects were put on hold when the Tramiel's took over, so they could look over what they had all inherited, what employees they were going to have for support or expansion of any past and present projects, etc. The 7800 was not canned and suddenly brought out again because of the NES. In actuallity, they were planning on still bringing it out yet in '84. However, Jack wanted to re-negotiate the original deal with GCC to be more in his favor pricewise. This resulted in on again and off again talks (mostly off again according to Leonard) with GCC until they finally reached an agreement at around the same time the NES was being test marketed in New York during Winter '85-'86. "Ol' Jacky was more interested in the home computer division of the company, and so the 7800 got little attention. Marketing was dismal, and the games were rehashes of old arcade games." This is not the case either. Atari was certainly initially bought for it's manufacturing and distribution facilities. However, the Tramiels low advertising budget and presence has always been across the board and is more or less a family philisophy. It had little to do with only caring about the computer division. Marty Atari Gaming Headquarters, www.atarihq.com ClassicGaming.Com, www.classicgaming.com E-mail update Matthew writes: It has been drawn to our attention that Mathy van Nisselroy, the author of an article in our May 2001 issue has changed his e-mail address. His new address is mathy.van_nisselroy@post.rwth-aachen.de. Please update your address books.
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