Atari’s New Console Is Confirmed, Based On PC Technology

It’s been a long time since Atari quit the hardware game after losing to Nintendo and Sony, but that long hiatus is about to end. The company officially confirmed that it’s back in the physical product market and thanks to some hints that Atari dropped, it’s a new console is the most likely project. What’s more, the company’s CEO himself said that it’s going to be based on PC technology.

The official confirmation came by way of Atari CEO Fred Chesnais when speaking to VentureBeat during E3. Days after the appearance of a mysterious website named AtariBox that also features a short clip of what looks like a console, the publication asked Chesnais to clarify what it all means.

“We’re back in the hardware business,” Chesnais said.

The Atari boss refused to provide more details regarding the console aside from sharing that it’s going to be based on the same technology that runs the PC. The implications of such a hint can go all over the place since such a technology involves multiple components. Saying that it could be based on the PC might even mean that the console has specialized upgradable parts.

On the other hand, some publications prefer the more straightforward route in trying to guess the eventual product, with Gizmodo saying that it could be like the NES Classic Edition. The Nintendo classic revival was meant to be a limited offer but exploded so much that the company had to extend it by a few months and made millions as a result. Atari could very well do the same thing.

Then again, Chesnais did say that the new console was actually in the works for years, so this might not be right. What’s more, suggesting that it’s based on PC technology hints at more power than a retro gaming unit would actually need.