In hopes to redeem what was once a legendary video game company, Atari has just been confirmed working on a gaming hardware.
Atari chief executive Fred Chesnais himself revealed that the company is venturing into the gaming console arena. At the recently concluded Electronic Entertainment Expo 2017, Chesnais told Venture Beat that the video game company is "back in the hardware business".
The new console it has been working out in the lab could be the so-called "Ataribox". A wood-grain siding first appeared on a website who described it a "brand new Atari product years in the making". Industry critics were sceptical of the teaser, even calling it bogus. But Chesnais has just confirmed it.
As the physical design of the device has been shown off, the executive, however, refused to go into details, saying the design is still in the process. What is certain for now, the Ataribox is based on PC technology.
This is exactly the path Microsoft and Sony took when Xbox One and PlayStation 4 were still in development. This could mean that Atari is not carving a new path but joining the growing console war instead.
While it remains a mystery in the industry as to how Atari can secure its spot in the gaming hardware sphere, Chesnais is optimistic of its revival in the midst of this competitive console war spectrum. The publication has speculated that Atari "might be cashing in on the popularity of retro games and Nintendo NES Classic Edition". Classic titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Bros. have become so popular these days for its easy and convenient gameplay
Chesnais acquired Atari in 2013 after company executives filed for bankruptcy protection when it became a dying firm. Ever since then, he has been banking on developing mobile games as its core product while licensing its brands more extensively.
