Atari's Next Steps

A few weeks back, we highlighted the release of a documentary called Atari: Game Over that digs into one of the biggest game-related urban legends ever: Did Atari really dump hundreds of thousands of copies of E.T.: The Game into a landfill? It turns out that, yes, they actually did do that, though that's not the only question answered by the film. Others, such as "why?!", come up as well, and they got us thinking: What about Atari itself? How has it changed since the days of E.T.? Quite a bit, it turns out, and here's a look at where the brand once known for some of the most groundbreaking games is right now.
Check out more after the jump...

What you know about Atari's stance in the gaming world all depends on whether or not you have kept up with them since the '80s. It almost feels like an understatement to say that a lot has changed, because, well, it has! Like, they haven't made a console since the '90s, which is when their Jaguar system failed miserably. Some will argue that something like the Atari Flashback is, in fact, a console, and they'd be right to an extent. However, it does not require the loading of cartridges like the old-school Atari and instead is like a mini-computer dedicated to playing the company's classic games.
In place of putting out new consoles, Atari has shifted its focus to releasing more installments in series such as RollerCoaster Tycoon, which is easily one of their most popular and successful. The company has also begun working on breaking into new territory to increase revenue.

In an interview HITC Tech, Atari CEO Fred Chesnais revealed that he believes the company's latest move is one that's a "natural extension of the business." It's a full-fledged jump into the realm of online casinos with options that allow users to revisit their favorite games of old while putting money on the line. While this may seem like an odd choice for Atari, the connection between video games and gambling is closer than you think. That's clear in browsing through the games available at the Betfair platform, where you can find pop culture icons all over the place along with to a game themed after classic arcade fighter Street Fighter II.
And despite the fact that Atari clearly has some competition in online gaming, such as the aforementioned platform, Chesnias is confident. He told HITC that the response so far has been positive and that it's "a long-term venture and we will introduce new games as we grow."
Now, with all that being said, Chesnais remains committed to the people who made the company what it was in the beginning—the gamers. In addition to launching a new online multiplayer battle arena gam called Minimum, Atari will soon release a mobile game called Pridefest that's aimed at the LGBTQ community. Also, you can fully expect more games in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series and, hopefully, new titles on their online arcade.

Atari: Game Over - The Documentary About That Time A Major Corporation Buried Hundreds of Thousands of Copies of E.T.: The Video Game Cause It Sucked Reese's Pieces...

One of the greatest video game Urban Legends ever had to be the one about E.T.: The Game... you know, the terrible movie adaption of a video game for the Atari system that was so bad the company buried hundreds of thousands of unsold copies rather than ruin the rep of the brand. Did it really happen? One never can tell... however, last year the supposed burial ground was to be exhumed, and low and behold it was REAL!!! Yup, Atari did bring all those games out to the middle of the desert... as well as many other secrets they wanted to hide. Terrible console ideas, bad port versions of classic games, and the tons of the 'dreaded alien that stole the box office but sunk the video game company' cartridges were found. In the documentary Atari: Game Over famed Hollywood writer Zak Penn (of X2 and X3: The Last Stand) tagged along, and the results look pretty fantastic. The doc is available free on the X-Box Live website. Check out the trailer after the jump...

'I'd Buy That...As a Tee!' Vol 35

Always on the look out for inspiring art... emblazoned across the chest of humanity. Here's some of the t-shirts I have my eye on to do just the trick but, there's only one problem....they aren't for sale yet! Please click each of the links below to the Threadless.com voting pages and give these beauties '5' ratings so I can throw 'em on my charge card one day.

**Please click READ MORE for tee-licious tees!**

'O Captain, My Captain' or shall I says Captains...all 15 of 'em...in a cute 'Terrence & Philip' sort of style. Can you name 'em all? Captain Hook...Captain Planet......Captain Crunch.............

Looks like our favorite intergalactic Wookie gave himself 'A Very Bad Shave'. He's such the metrosexual these days.

...And speaking of Chewbacca, the everpopular Wookie/Cookie Monster mash-up gets another redo in 'Cookie War'. I like the addition of a more-than-fully operational Chocolate Chip Death Star in this one. 

'Space Invaded' takes minimalistic design in the opposite direction and adds an intergalactic twist! Your favorite 8bit Atari invaders have shifted into high gear to attack a town near you.

'Ninja Panda' ...like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, only, cuddlier. Everybody's Kung Fu fighting these days. Hyeee-Yah!

'Gotta Catch 'Em All'  imagines biblical folk hero, Noah, as possibly the worlds first Pokemon trapper. I choose you...um....Elephant of the Serengeti. 

'The Baby's Gun' doesn't look like it should be toyed with. Love the colors and want to kill something with it! Yep...it's a keeper! 

'SUPER Mario!' is a funky Dragonball Z/Super Mario Bros. mash-up. Watch out...this plumbers gone Super Saiyan!

'About to Blue' is an homage to one of the greatest comedic TV shows in the history of television...'Arrested Development'. Be careful not to blue yourself in public. 

Skeletor, The Dungeon Master, Shredder, Magneto, and.....Mumm- Ra ..the eveeeeer.....liviiiiiing have aligned forces in a small way to take on the forces of good in 'Minimalist Villains'. Like?...or Hate?

And my favorite, original design this week is 'Killer in the Sky'. I'd rock the shit out this one when I go shooting birds in the park at midnight. Blam! Blam! Blam! .....caaaaw

See ya next week folks! Thursday is always tee-time!

'I'd Buy That...As a Tee!' Vol 26

Always on the look out for inspiring art... emblazoned across the chest of humanity. Here's some of the t-shirts I have my eye on to do just the trick but, there's only one problem....they aren't for sale yet! Please click the links below to the Threadless.com voting pages for each and give these beauties '5' ratings so I can throw 'em on my charge card one day.

**Please click READ MORE below..for Mo' Tees...Mo' Tees....Mo' Tees!**

'The Doctor vs. Sheldon Cooper' Geek Alert! Geek Alert! Geek Alert!

You PUNKS will love this Marvel comics/Ramones band mash-up 'Fantastic One..Two...Three...FOUR' !! (I don't wanna be bu-ried...in a Pet...Cem-e-teh-he-ry!)

'Hurry Up Someone is Coming'....you know you've been there. Vending machine, arm up the slot, grabbing what you can with your friends before someone spots you. This is that...only with zombies.

'QR Space Invader'

The 80's meet Generation-Y in this clever, bar code alternative, Atari attack.

Star Trek and Star Wars purests will hate this 'Millenium Enterprise' mash-up...but, I say job well done. Would love to see a Romulan/Slave-1 mash-up as well ...and all the characters that go along with this otherworldly abomination.

if you remember buying a ton of books from that 'Scholastic Reader' flyer they'd hand out in school each month as a kid, than you'll remember Clifford...the Big Red Dog. This homage does that big lug justice...after death. The attention to the storybook artist's style is impeccable....and just look at the size of his turd. I give you...... 'Clifford the Big Dead Dog' 

'The Bat City' Arkham...within the silhouette of the bat signal? I'd wear the bat-shit out of this tee. (check out the teensy weensy Batman atop the building!)

The king has returned....whoops! 'There Goes the King'

'Adventure' offers the top half of the Indiana Jones Underoos that never was. Put some bottoms on will you...Indy hates snakes!

'Toadette Pin-Up'...It's apparent that Toad from the Super Mario Bros. was a chubby chaser. Who isn't?! Mario, go find YOUR princess in another castle. This one's aaaallll mine!

By the gods...I love this 'Olympian Free-For-All' ! Mythological titans in the artistic style of the 'Power Puff Girls'? By Hera...Yes! YES!! (Click on the link for full image)

Finally, a tie for my favorite tee this week....

Thunder...Thunder Thundercats...They're Greeeeeat! 'Breakfast of Omens' successfully mashes up the iconic Kellogg's cereal with one of my favorite childhood adventure cartoons.

And......

'The 8bit Hurt Locker' which successfully mashes up the successful Nintendo/Hudson title 'Bomberman' with an iconic sequence the gripping Kathryne Bigelow film 'The Hurt Locker'! Steady there...hot shot!

Til next time tee-m! Remember to vote!

Penney Design Takes Modern Properties And Blasts Them Back To The Past

Penney Design is a very talented graphic design firm from jolly 'ole England and they have organized a project that caught my attention when surfing the 'Net. They took modern film & TV show properties and re-imagined them as Atari 2600 era video games (the CVS, or Cartridge Video Game system... very clever), both boxes & cartridges. Check 'em all out after the jump.

I really like all of the details, such as the level information on the front of the boxes and the handwritten notes in pen that show the years of ownership that these items would have gone through. Beautifully done.

First, the box art:

And now the games themselves:

Two More Star Wars Name Brands From Barn Bocock

We posted a bunch of these last week, but here are two that were not in the original batch. I give you a Vader/Atari mashup and Yoda's credit card logo. These are done by Barn Bocock and can be bought on a vary of mediums by clicking here.

'Consume Conspicuously' by JediRob

All the good geek swag you can’t live without.

All products are out this week or very soon, and are from trusted vendors I have used before.

These are all items I do own, will own or would own.


Toys


"Allo." The squishy cuteness (or incredible creepiness) of the worm from Labyrinth available for $29.99. "YEAH, as'right." Have a nice cuppa tea with him (nerd not included).




I was never really able to make much more than a square on my Lite Brite, but now I can make FOUR SQUARES!! (wait, because I said that, does that mean people know where I am right now? That's how it works right?) Perfect party entertainment for coffee table or a bar for $17.99.




I have great affinity for the high priest to the Great Old Ones. My eyes bleed at even a hint of his visage, but I just can't get enough of his cuteness! This trio of Lovecraftian hugability is available for $10.72, $23.58 and $14.99 respectively.

***Please clcik Read more below to see more of Jedi Rob's cosumer choices***

These have been around forever now, but this latest addition has some different games. Nowadays you can probably play most of these games on your phone, but that's never the same. Add the fact that's it's so easy to use and completely housed in the Atari branded controller, which has such great value to 30-40+ crowd and you can't go wrong. Ten games including Centipede, Breakout, Asteroids and Pong for $28.99.



I have a strange obsession with the 'Bat Boy'. I had a t-shirt version of of the famous newspaper headline that I loved. When I worked as a stagehand, for some reason I started wearing it for every performance and other cast and crew members would rub it for luck. I loved the musical and saw it multiple times from various companies and own the soundtracks. This little guy will be adorning my desk very soon. $12.99.




There have been many version of the 'Star Trek' communicator. I originally had blue walkie talkie version from the 70's, but it didn't do nearly half the cool stuff this one does. It's a spot on replica with all the TV sound effects programmed in. There are versions of the classic communicator that run upwards of $1000, but this little guy looks perfect to me and is only $29.99.




This is probably the best looking version of Mr. Benjamin Grimm we've seen to date. I was always quite partial to the 1990's Fantastic Four line version, but the Marvel Select figures are just so wonderfully done. The ever lovin blue eyed Thing is yours for $17.99.




"Okay, who brought the dog?" Who doesn't love Louis Tully? A buddy of mine actually dressed up as the lovable Keymaster this past Halloween. There's been a lot of great Ghostbusters toys these last few years, but this one in particular is going to go very fast. It looks like a great sculpt and has excellent nerd accessories. I love that it's identified on the package as "Vinz Clortho Keymaster of Gozer." Many Shuvs and Zuuls will know what it was to get this toy this day, I can tell you! $20.00

Decor



Keeping with the paranormal eliminator theme, this little guy would look great up on a shelf, behind a bar or in a firehouse somewhere. Or stick it in your window and let your geek flag fly. Provided people can see it. $109.




For seasonal decorating needs, or if you're into year round oogie boogie goodness, these two pillows should come in handy. I'm especially fond of the Jack one. Simple but impressive. Look for these sometime in March $24.99 & $16.99.




My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my......eeehhh you know the rest. This is definitely not for the cost conscious, but this 1:1 scale replica of the famous blade from The Princess Bride is perfect for anyone on a lifelong revenge quest. I have never seen it's equal. $309.99




One day, ONE DAY I tell you I'm going to buy a Delorean and trick it out to be just like the one in the movie. For now though I can start by sticking this puppy in my Civic and maybe getting up to 28mph on the Gowanus Expressway. $229.69


Gear


This is the kind of thing that makes me want kids. So I can stick them in Ninja Turtle towel hoodies. For now I'll have to settle for getting one of my heavier set friends inebriated and convincing him it's a good idea to try on. $11.99




I'm not quite sure exactly what this would be used for, but I can think of several females who would love to have this Maleficent headdress to prance around in from time to time. Hmmmm, I'm sure I could come up with SOME kind of use for it. $15.99




This may be too geeky, even for me (yeah sure). Available in 3 colors (I dare you to get red) with embroidered cuffs and chest insignia. These should be available early April for $49.99.


Books




For all of our 80's obsessed friends (ie: everyone) David Sirota takes a look at our favorite decade. A look back at the pop culture that informed the time and a look forward to the influence the plastic era had. It's a different spin on a very common theme. $13.15




Female fans have long been obsessed with the incomparable Joss Whedon. A collection of essays from female authors recounting and explaining their love for the worlds he created. $10.17




From the golden to the silver age, Steve Bowden takes a look at some of the all time greats in this fun guide. Probably not for the hardcore gamer, this is great for a casual look at this most important chapter in games. $11.01





Two great looks at pop culture and women. From the comic book perspective and beyond, the role of a strong woman in various media has gone through many different phases. These books examine how reality shaped the fantasy, and how now the fiction informs our day to day. $21.99 & $47.22





And my #1 pick is this great title from Eisner award winner Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka. Just when I think people have taken Gotham to as dark and gritty a place as humanly possible, this book takes us even lower. There are several volumes of this out now and it's a must read. $10.52