is a elder newsman who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things digital since he was a kid.
Following a decade lengthy saga of delays, name changes, and Atari having to justify backers of a crowdfunding campaign that its retro console wasn’t doomed, the Atari VCS phase is being former first next year. On February 1st, 2027, the Atari VCS application shop is shutting down, according to an notice posted to the Atari Club Discord and shared by Tom’s Hardware.
With a scheme loosely inspired by the first Atari 2600 — minus a cartridge slot — the VCS was a Linux-based, AMD-powered mini PC that could emulate a ample gathering of pre-loaded traditional Atari games, but its functionality could be expanded through an online application shop that included admission to streaming platforms, and in latest years, equivalent streaming platforms akin Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now.
Atari VCS owners volition motionless be capable to download and add application to their libraries through Atari’s authoritative online shop up until January 31st, 2027. After that the shop volition officially close down, but earlier downloaded apps and games volition motionless be usable. Atari says that following the store’s closure it plans to “make an OS update accessible that allows you to migrate all functionality to your local machine, removing any requirements on Atari infrastructure for authentication and software.” The business additionally plans to publish an Atari Home Brew app allowing owners to continue to add new games to their console’s archive shared to the community by third-party developers who motionless desire to create and assistance the VCS.
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