Following the footsteps of Nintendo, video game company Atari is going to be selling an Ataribox before the year ends. The Ataribox is the Atari's modern take on the classic console. It will be the latest in the trend of reviving retro gaming machines.
The Ataribox was first unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) last June, and its exact specifications were revealed the month after. It was recently reported that the console would be officially available to pre-order on Thursday, Dec. 14.
The company has hinted on using Indiegogo for the pre-orders, but it is not yet confirmed that they will use this crowdfunding platform. When Atari accepts pre-orders for the Ataribox on Thursday, it will either be with traditional retailers or through the launch of an Indiegogo campaign.
The Ataribox comes in two custom variants. Users can order the console with a more modern look, sporting sleek black and red colors. Or they can choose to stick with a more retro feel, with a box that has a wood-like finish.
The console will run a Linux operating system with a custom AMD processor. Not only will it run classic Atari titles but some low-end to mid-tier PC games as well.
The Ataribox is priced anywhere around $250 to $300. People on Atari's mailing list will get a discount on the console. However, according to an e-mail sent by the company to its subscribers, this discount deal is "insufficient."
Pre-ordering is expected to open on Thursday, but the console has no specific launch date yet. Atari only said that the gaming console would be launched in the spring of 2018.
Atari is not the first to offer revivals of classic gaming consoles. Nintendo has similar products in its catalog. The gaming company launched the Nintendo Entertainment System Classic (NES Classic) last year and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES Classic) earlier this year.
