art review 1 - atari vcs
DESCRIPTION
A brief review of the Atari VCSTRANSCRIPT
ART REVIEW 1Megan Cary | ITGM 705-OL | Art Review 1 | January 18, 2011
The Atari VCS
Megan Cary
ITGM 705-OL
Winter 2011
Prof. Meyers
Art Review 1: Atari VCS
Video arcade games hit the big time in the early 1970s. Popular interactive games like
Pong infiltrated American society in dedicated arcades, restaurants and bars. By the mid-1970s
companies began to turn their interest to home-based versions. In 1975, Atari released a home-
based version of Pong that flew off the shelves. While innovative, this “console” gaming device
was limited to only one game and even though Atari and other companies were releasing
different titles, each one required its own system. A revolution was on the horizon, however.
Though Atari can’t claim to be the first to introduce cartridge based video game systems
(that honor belongs to the Fairchild Channel F). In October 1977 Atari released the Atari VCS
(Video Computer System), which used microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges that
contained game code. It featured a
MOS Technology 6507 CPU and
had only 128 bytes of RAM. The
console was packaged with two
joysticks and a set of paddles,
which were used for games with
one-dimensional movement.
During the first year of production,
the VCS was manufactured with
six prominent aluminum slide
switches on the control panel,
heavy aluminum radio frequency
shielding and a ½” thick plastic bottom half – these early units are known as “Heavy Sixers.” In
1978 the design was revised to reduce the weight of the system.
Figure 1 The Original Atari VCS "Heavy Sixer"
The Atari VCS launched at a price of $199. According to the Consumer Price Index,
$199 in 1977 is roughly equal to $716 today. The price was quite high for a console that was
targeted for the average consumer, even by today’s standards – consider the Sony Playstation 3,
which launched at $499 for the cheapest
model. Because the market was already
saturated with freestanding Pong units
and the like, during the first two years
the sales of the VCS were slow and in
1977 they sold only 250,000 units. It
was however enough to keep them
afloat, and by 1979, after a redesign and
a competitive round of price-cutting, the
public began to warm to the system. By Christmas 1979, the Atari VCS sold 1 million units,
making it the best-selling Christmas gift that year.
Overall, the historical contribution of the Atari VCS is significant. While it was not the
first home console system, it was the home console system that revolutionized the video game
industry. Over 30 years later, the video game console is still one of America’s favorite pastimes.
67% of American households play computer or video games; the average game player is 34
years old and has been
playing games for at least
12 years. Additionally, the
video game industry feeds
the economy – with
software sales generating
over $10.5 billion in 2009.
Even though Atari is no
longer producing consoles, the VCS paved the way for today’s Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation 3
and Microsoft Xbox 360, influencing game makers and gamers alike, worldwide.
Figure 2 Renamed Atari 2600 Version (1980)
Figure 3 Nintendo Wii, Sony Playstation 3 & Microsoft Xbox 360
References
“Atari 2600” Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed January 17, 2011.
“Atari 2600 Consoles and Clones” Atari Age.
http://www.atariage.com/2600/archives/consoles.html
“Atari 2600 History” Atari Age.
http://www.atariage.com/2600/index.html?SystemID=2600
“Atari 2600 Teardown” IFixIt. http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Atari-2600-Teardown/3541/1
“Atari VCS (Atari 2600)” Business Week.
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/10/game_consoles/source/3.htm
Godinez, Victor. “Once a Pong a time, Atari ruled;
Games of yesteryear revived in anthology and whiz‐bang joystick” The Dallas
Morning News. January 2, 2003. Lexis‐Nexis – Accessed January 17, 2011.
Barton, Matt. “A History of Gaming Platforms: Atari 2600 Video Computer System/VCS”
Gamasutra.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3551/a_history_of_gaming_platforms_.
Php
“Industry Facts” Entertainment Software Association. http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp
Measuring Worth. http://www.measuringworth.com/uscompare/