Atari CEO Fred Chesnais has told GamesBeat in an interview that his fabled video game company is working on a new game console.
“We’re back in the hardware business,” he declared.
Chesnais declined to describe a lot of details about the console. However, he did reveal that will be based on “PC technology”.
He said Atari is still working on the design and will reveal it at a later date.
The confirmation comes as Atari launches a teaser site for a new mystery product, called the AtariBox.
Previous speculation suggested that the ‘Ataribox’ would be some sort of retro console like last year’s Nintendo Classic Mini. However, the comment by Chesnais that the console will be based on PC technology has led some to suggest the company’s ambitions lie a little closer to the mainstream.
That said, it looks like the company will have a hard time winning over skeptics on this one.
Atari’s reveal has been met with a less-than-stellar reception so far, with Gizmodo’s Rhett Jones saying that a headlong dive by the company into the console market would “almost surely be suicide.”
“The market for consoles is stuffed. Yes, the Nintendo Switch is a big hit, but it offers a simple and practical gimmick along with some quality exclusives and many more on the way.”
According to Jones, “Atari just couldn’t compete and if it’s trying to build some sort of Steam box, it’s difficult to imagine they could succeed while the Steam Machine has failed.”
