Author: Enix (s22-56.resnet.ryerson.ca)
Date: 02-24-2000 13:56
The fact is, Atari won't and can't become much of anything under the ownership of Hasbro. Besides that, Hasbro barely has any experience in producing interactive electronics like video game consoles or computer-related hardware.
For Atari to become anything, it will have to be bought out by a another electronics company. Such a company -MUST- have some sort of experience in the gaming industry, one way or another. And such a company -MUST- be able to have the funds available to restablish Atari across the world, and more importantly in Japan and North America. In terms of what hardware to look for, I firmly believe that there is no market out there which will accept a ressurrection of such consoles as the Jaguar or the older consoles, such as the VCS, 5200 and 7800.
If you really think about it, there really is no need to bring back the older consoles, as any Atari game an easily be reproduced onto a next generation Atari console (simular to what Namco did with their Arcade Classics series for the PlayStation..). The only real reason individuals want their Jaguar to be supported, is because the Jaguar is the last piece of functional hardware to be built by Atari, and as a result, people demand that it be supported. However, if Atari was to build new hardware in the future, the need for the Jaguar would be eliminated.
Ironically, it is the Lynx that may have a future. But alas, with the arrival of the Neo Geo Pocket II and the new Game Boy console will easily be able to eclipse the abilities of the fading Lynx and it's software.
A new Atari must begin with a new console in order to compete with the industry. There could always be room in store for additional technologies to be made, but emphasis in the end will have to be placed squarely on formulating a new 256-bit console; one that would be able to compete with the likes of the Nintendo Dolphin and PlayStation 2.
Only then will we see the ressurection of Atari, and the full circle of it's life.
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