Who will actually be interested in the VCS?
At GDC this week, I got an up-close look at the Atari VCS. Atari’s upcoming home machine, originally referred to simply as the ‘Atari Box’, is very different from what I was expecting, and it’s likely not what you think it is either.
It’s not Atari’s version of the NES Mini, it’s not a console trying to compete with the Xbox One or PS4, and it’s not really an Atari-Ouya. Put as simply as possible, the Atari Vcs is a Linux-based living room PC, similar to Atari’s take on a Steam Machine. The version I saw was just for display, but I got a rundown of what to expect in the final product.
Running a custom version of Linux, the VCS will have a console-like interface aimed at being accessible and inviting to a wider, non-gaming audience. It will also come with some classic Atari arcade games (though we don’t know exactly what) and have its own store to buy games that aren’t just retro, but modern titles as well.
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Atari Connect Coo Michael Arzt said ‘I don’t think it’s as ambitious as a Steam [Machine].’
That said, the VCS is targeting a significantly lower price point than most modern PCs, between $250 and $300, and will have no dedicated GPU, meaning it will likely also be substantially less powerful. Atari Connect COO Michael Arzt compared it to “a good laptop without a keyboard” — though exactly how good is an unanswered question, and when it comes to modern games there’s a big difference between powering Into The Breach and Assassin’s Creed Origins.
Despite having its own streamlined interface, game store, media apps (like Netflix and Hulu), and internet browser, Arzt says they are more interested in calling the VCS a computer instead of a console. I asked if it was then closer to a Steam Machine than the NES Mini, and he said “yeah, but I don’t think it’s as ambitious as a Steam [Machine].”
Artz explained that “it’s a much more casual device.” Atari wants this to be a system that anyone can easily plug in, understand, and start using right away. He gave an example explaining that they want moms to be able to turn on the VCS and easily find Netflix, but they also want to attract a younger audience that might only know of Atari’s veteran reputation.
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The Atari VCS likely won’t have access to Steam, unless you install your own OS in its sandbox mode.
And for the more hardcore audience out there, there will be a sandbox environment built in that will allow you to run and modify the Linux operating system, making it a more traditional PC if you have the know-how to do so. Since it’s marketed as being usable for modern games too, I asked Artz if you could access your Steam library with it as well, and he said the sandbox mode would likely be the only place to do so unless they strike a deal with Valve.
Honestly, all these different factors have left me wondering who the heck the Atari VCS is actually for. It’s not trying to compete with consoles, but has features and a price point similar to them. It’s less hardcore and ambitious than Valve’s already failed Steam Machines experiment, but invites PC gamers to control and customize its OS despite likely having an underpowered and unchangeable hardware configuration. And it wants to be a casual, easy to use entertainment system option for the masses like a ChromeCast or Roku, but is selling itself as a full PC under a gaming brand.
It’s hard to make any real judgments until we know the final specs of what will actually be inside the VCS’ admittedly lovely shell. It could be that Atari manages to strike some miraculous balance of price and power that makes it a desirable living room PC, but that seems hard to believe. Even if they do, you’ll be beholden to whatever apps, games, and custom UI Atari has made available unless you install your own Linux OS, which isn’t exactly a friendly process.
I’m left skeptical because I genuinely don’t know who the Atari VCS is being made for. There are stronger living room PC options, better consoles, and cheaper ways to get access to entertainment apps on your TV. Atari seems to be leaning into the nostalgia-factor while retreading the same ground as the Ouya and SteamOS, which aren’t exactly the most appealing footsteps to follow in, and the uncertainty of its last-minute cancellation and unfinished spec list don’t instill much confidence.
Tom Marks is an Associate Editor focusing on PC gaming at IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
