Atari Needs to Develop a New Console!

Where is Atari when it comes to new consoles? I just saw the PSP Go in Radio Shack on clearance for $149, which I did not even know existed. For those unfamiliar with the device, the PSP Go uses Wi-Fi to download games and media. You have to download games from the PlayStation Store, and the USB cable is proprietary, which is typical for Sony.

The successor to the PSP Go is the Sony Ericcson Xperia Play and the PlayStation Vita. The Vita is a console, and Xperia Play is a phone that is compatible with Android and certified to play PlayStation Games. It would actually make more sense to purchase the Play, unless you do not need a phone. Both are devices made by Sony. Both have Wi-Fi; it is unclear why both products are in the marketplace, as both have the same fundamentals but one just happens to be a phone.

Atari still makes games, for every platform, but I would like to see hardware from Atari. The last new console Atari put out was the Jaguar, which was an embarrassment, and fell short of gamers expectations. This was back in 1996; the Jaguar was a fifth generation console; the eighth generation of consoles is about to be released, which will include a high-definition Wii that uses a tablet as a controller, a three dimensional portable by Nintendo, and of course, the PlayStation Vita.

Ironically, the Atari Flashback, a proprietary platform that is merely new hardware to play older Atari 2600 and Atari 7800 games, is considered to be a sixth generation console by Wikipedia. This was back in 2004, since then Atari has released two more Flashback consoles, with games built in, reliving the glory days.

Perhaps Atari could release a Flashback with some of their current hits, so that gamers could experience their most popular games, of the twenty-first century, on their own hardware (outside of the arcade). It would be worth paying $150, because Atari does make some very good games. Time will tell, until then, I am keeping my fingers crossed, because I think that Atari may eventually get back into the hardware business.