#atari corporation

🇺🇲 52 Years Ago, on June 27, 1972, Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney founded Atari, Inc. This groundbreaking company became a pioneer in the arcade video game industry, home gaming consoles, and personal computers. Atari's first major success was the arcade game "Pong," released in 1972. It became the first commercially successful video game and launched the arcade gaming era.

🕹 In 1977, Atari released the Atari 2600 (originally known as the Atari VCS), which popularized home video game consoles and sold over 30 million units. The Atari 2600 boasted a library of over 900 games, including classics like "Space Invaders," "Pac-Man," and "Pitfall!"

💾 Atari was one of the first companies to develop and distribute microprocessor-based gaming systems, which were a significant technological advancement at the time.

Robo-Squash

Exclusive titles are the backbone of a console’s legacy, and they should ideally bring something noteworthy to the table. While the Lynx’s handful of exclusive titles don’t get much in the way of recognition, they all made a strong effort to try and provide the underdog console with interesting games even in the face of stiff competition. Robo-Squash, developed and published by Atari Corporation itself in 1990, was actually something of a trailblazer among the Lynx’s early lineup. It was the second sports title to appear on the Lynx, one of the first games to make use of the ComLynx cable for multiplayer, and it was even an early example of the Lynx’s notable pseudo-3D graphical abilities. 

Blue Lightning / ブルーライトニング - 1989 - Atari Lynx Developer: EPYX Publisher: Atari Corporation / Mumin Corporation

🇺🇲 Let's explore the captivating rise and fall of Virtuality Group, a pioneering force in virtual reality gaming that made a lasting impact on the industry!

📑 Virtuality Group was originally founded in October 1987 as "W Industries", named after Dr. Jonathan D Waldern, and later rebranded as Virtuality in 1993. The company quickly became a trailblazer in VR technology, crafting immersive gaming experiences that ignited the imaginations of players worldwide. Their innovative arcade systems offered unprecedented levels of interactivity and immersion.

🚀 Virtuality's timing was impeccable, coinciding with a surge in public interest in virtual reality technology in the early 1990s, fueled in part by the film "Lawnmower Man." Recognizing gaming as the primary market for VR devices, Virtuality released the 1000CS arcade variant of the 1000SU in 1991, leveraging the "cyberspace" branding that resonated with the era's VR buzz.

💰 Virtuality's groundbreaking VR systems found diverse applications, from networked telepresence experiments at British Telecom Research Laboratories to corporate use by companies like Ford, IBM, Mitsubishi, and Olin.

🎮 The mid-1990s marked a pivotal moment for Virtuality Group with collaborations alongside gaming giants Sega and Atari, resulting in groundbreaking products such as Sega's VR-1 motion simulator and Atari's Jaguar VR headset. These partnerships underscored VR's potential for mainstream gaming audiences.

💔 Despite early success, Virtuality Group encountered significant challenges that led to their bankruptcy. Factors like high production costs, limited consumer adoption of VR technology, and fierce competition in the gaming market contributed to their decline. The shift towards home gaming systems accelerated the decline of arcade sales, and Virtuality's attempts to penetrate the home VR market fell short, ultimately leading to bankruptcy in 1997.

🇺🇲 Dive into the realm of computing nostalgia with a look back at the Atari Corporation's iconic personal computers—the Atari 400/800, Atari 520ST, and Atari Falcon! Introduced by Atari Corporation, a pioneer in the world of gaming and computing, these machines left an indelible mark on the landscape of home computing during their respective eras.

⌨️ The Atari 400 and Atari 800 made their debut in 1979, offering users a glimpse into the future of personal computing. With their sleek design and innovative features, including custom graphics and sound capabilities, these machines quickly gained a dedicated following among early computer enthusiasts.

🚀 Fast forward to 1985, and Atari unleashed the Atari 520ST—a groundbreaking computer that revolutionized the industry with its impressive performance and affordability. Boasting a powerful Motorola 68000 processor and advanced graphical capabilities, the 520ST became a favorite among musicians, artists, and gamers alike, earning a reputation as a versatile and reliable machine.

💻 In 1992, Atari continued its legacy of innovation with the introduction of the Atari Falcon—a high-performance computer designed for the next generation of computing enthusiasts. Featuring a Motorola 68030 processor, enhanced graphics and multimedia capabilities, and built-in MIDI support, the Falcon pushed the boundaries of what was possible in home computing at the time.

💾 The Atari 400/800 series was known for its distinctive membrane keyboard and cartridge-based software, while the Atari 520ST gained popularity for its compatibility with industry-standard software and peripherals, earning it a place in the hearts of musicians and creative professionals.

Chip’s Challenge - Atari Lynx - 1989 Developer: EPYX Publisher: Atari Corporation

Gates of Zendocon - 1989 - Atari Lynx Developer: EPYX Publisher: Atari Corporation