Atari Launches 'Flashback' Retro Console

For the first time in over a decade, a new console has been launched under the Atari brand. This new console, named the Atari Flashback, will be a variant of the popular all-in-one retro 'TV game' concept, popularized by JAKKS Pacific and its Namco and Activision models. This machine will be produced by the current Atari rights-holder, the company formerly known as Infogrames, who own the name and much of the classic Atari content. The new console will feature two joysticks, twenty classic Atari 2600 and 7800 games, and will retail for $45, relatively expensive compared to the single-joystick JAKKS 'TV games'. No doubt influenced by the success of the Famicom Mini/Classic NES series and other recent retro releases from companies such as Midway, the company is also releasing a budget-priced compilation of eighty-five classic titles, called Atari Anthology, for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.