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Atari VCS will feature Google Chrome as its built-in browser
The Atari VCS retro console will also feature Chrome as its built in browser.
A mini 'Pong' arcade machine is on the way
The Mini Pong Jr has dual dial controls, so you can play with a friend.
Atari VCS backers should get their consoles 'very soon'
More than two years and multiple delays after its original announcement, the Atari VCS is finally making its way to people who helped crowdfund the console. In an update over on Medium, Atari says it's putting the "finishing touches" on the first batch of production VCS units. It also shared photos from the factory floor to prove manufacturing has been coming along.
The first Atari VCS units should be ready by mid-June
The first production Atari VCS units are leaving the factory in mid-June, or close to two years after the crowdfunded project began.
![[UNVERIFIED CONTENT] Atari 2600 VCS console, close up of inserted cartridge and central switches. Space Invaders game is inserted. Difficulty switches visible. Narrow depth of field. Dust visible.](https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/YOS6aaj2wynuI26U7tgVlQ--~B/Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTQ2ODtweW9mZj0wO3c9ODMyO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com/creatr-images/2020-04/8f3ed930-8a57-11ea-9eff-3f7b8dfa6da0.cf.jpg)
Uber AI plays any Atari 2600 game with 'superhuman' skill
A new approach has led to AI that can play many Atari 2600 games better than any human.
Alphabet’s DeepMind AI is better than you at Atari games
Having AI agents learn how to play simple video games is an ideal way to test their effectiveness, thanks to the ability to measure success via a score. Alphabet's DeepMind designated 57 particular Atari games to serve as a litmus test for its AI, and established a benchmark for the skills of an average human player. The company's latest system, Agent57, made a huge leap over previous systems, and is the first iteration of the AI that outperforms the human baseline. In particular, Agent57 has proven its superhuman skills in Pitfall, Montezuma's Revenge, Solaris and Skiing -- games that have been major challenges for other AIs.
Evercade’s cartridge-based retro handheld makes more sense than you think
Retro gaming has arguably existed ever since there was a second generation of consoles. Today’s gamer seeking a shot of nostalgia has almost as many ways to play vintage titles as there are platforms to collect for. Evercade adds one more to that list.
Atari's latest attempt at milking nostalgia is a 'Pong' RPG
Atari is trying themed hotels, retro consoles and other efforts to reel in nostalgic gamers, but its latest may be its oddest yet: turn Pong into a one-of-a-kind role-playing game. It's developing a Pong Quest game that has you guiding a heroic paddle through dungeons based on (what else?) Atari games like Asteroids and Centipede in a campaign to save Pong World. You'll fight in "RPG-esque" battles wielding customized Pong balls and adorning your paddle in clothing and other gear.
Atari classic 'Missile Command' is coming back as a mobile game
Atari has been milking Missile Command nostalgia for a while with re-released games and even plans for a movie (not that it has materialized), but its latest may be appealing for its relatively straightforward appeal. It's developing Missile Command: Recharged, a slightly modernized version of the classic base defense game for Android and iOS. The touch input is the most obvious update, but you'll also see an upgrade system, power-ups, achievements and online leaderboards to keep things fresh. There's even an augmented reality mode -- you can play on a virtual cabinet in your room if you have memories of spending all your quarters at the arcade.
Atari-themed gaming hotels are coming to eight US cities
Atari doesn't have the cultural cachet it used to. After an industry-crashing downfall in the '80s, the video game pioneer has been unable to find its niche, and recently, its oft-delayed retro console has had a troubled development. Atari hopes to find some success by lending what gaming cred it has left to the hospitality industry. The company signed a contract that see Atari license its name and branding to a real estate developer, which will build eight hotels across the US. The first location will break ground this year in Phoenix. Others in Austin, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Jose and Seattle will follow.
The architect behind Atari's VCS retro console just quit
Atari's long-delayed retro console may be in trouble, because according to The Register, its lead architect has left the project. Rob Wyatt, who was also a founding Xbox team member, told the publication that he "officially resigned as the architect of the Atari VCS" on October 4th. He said Atari hasn't paid his design consultancy Tin Giant, which has been behind the console's development, for the past six months. The crowdfunded retro console was supposed to be released last June, but the company pushed its release back to March 2020 due to a series of delays and revisions.
Atari's VCS will offer 'thousands' of retro games through a subscription
The Atari VCS is still months off (barring more delays), but it should at least have a healthy selection of retro games when it does arrive. Atari has forged a deal that will offer an optimized and expanded version of Antstream's Arcade game subscription service exclusively on the VCS when it launches. You'll have access to Atari's full library of 300-plus games, plus "thousands" more titles from other vintage platforms -- you could be playing a Nintendo 64 or Neo Geo game if Asteroids is no longer scratching your itch.
The Atari Lynx’s 30th birthday gift is a bunch of new games
1989 was a year of revolutions. The Berlin wall fell, protesters rallied in Tiananmen Square and Neneh Cherry was taking a Buffalo Stance. This was also the year that portable gaming had its own revolution. The Game Boy launched in the spring, and, 30 years ago this weekend, we were introduced to the world's first true color hand-held console -- the Atari Lynx.
Pre-orders for Atari's retro VCS console start at $249
If you're tired of hearing about delays and revisions to the Atari VCS and just want to know when you can buy the damned thing as an everyday customer, you're in luck. The retro console will be available for general pre-order today from both the company site as well as GameStop and Walmart, with orders from the last two expected to ship in March 2020 (crowdfunding backers may get theirs in December 2019). How much you'll pay will depend on just how nostalgic you are, though.
Atari shows off joystick and controller for its retro VCS console
When the Atari VCS team decided to remake the retro console, it knew the controllers would be just as important as the box itself. After all, there's no gaming accessory quite as iconic as the Atari CX40 joystick. Earlier this spring, we got a glimpse of what the VCS will look like, and now, the company has revealed more details about the Atari VCS Classic Joystick and Modern Controller. Both are a carefully crafted mix of essential features, both old and new, the company said in a blog post.
Tesla adds '2048' and Atari’s 'Super Breakout' to its dashboards
Tesla is adding more free games to the dashboard display on Model S, Model X and Model 3 cars. Super Breakout and 2048 are joining other Atari classics Missile Command, Asteroids, Lunar Lander and Centipede, which Tesla added in August. To date, hundreds of thousands of people have played those games, according to the automaker.
Finished Atari VCS design pays homage to its 2600 roots
Now that the Atari VCS team has once again delayed its retro console to give it more powerful innards, it's ready to show what that redesign looks like. The developers have unveiled what they say is the "production-ready" system design, and it pays even more of an ode to the Atari 2600 than before. The main body now floats above the base like the 2600 did, and addresses multiple "practical considerations" in the process. To start, two of the USB ports are now front-facing -- it's much easier to plug in a controller or keyboard.
Atari VCS gets a spec boost and another delay
The nostalgic Atari VCS console has been delayed yet again, but at least this time you're getting more for your money. The creators have pushed back the system's launch to the end of 2019 in return for an upgrade to an as yet unannounced embedded AMD Ryzen chip, complete with Vega-based graphics. It'll offer more power for games, of course, but it'll also pull off feats you might not expect in a retro box, like native 4K video playback and support for protected streaming video services like Netflix.
Tesla is adding classic Atari games to its cars
Tesla isn't limiting its fun-oriented EV updates to its upcoming party mode. Elon Musk has promised that "some of the best" Atari games will be playable in Tesla cars as part of a version 9.0 software update coming in roughly four weeks. The exec didn't provide a full list of titles, but he indicated that Missile Command, Pole Position and Tempest would ideally be part of the release, which will make them available as Easter eggs. And crucially, you won't just be tapping the screen or twiddling thumbwheels. For Pole Position, you'll use the car's steering wheel to drive in the game.
Recommended Reading: The rise of 'Desus & Mero'
How 'Desus & Mero' conquered late night Jazmine Hughes, The New York Times It's nothing new for a popular podcast to make the leap to a television show or movie, but that's not stopping Showtime. This week, the network tapped Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, the stars of the Bodega Boys podcast, to host a weekly late-night show. The New York Times offers a look at how the comedic duo and what makes their work so unique.
