Atari has revealed an expanded version of its fantastic Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration collection will release this October for PS5 and PS4, bundling in an extra 39 games on top of what was already available in the base package. With the official title of Atari 50: the Anniversary Celebration Expanded Edition, the new games are split across two additional timelines: "The Wider World of Atari" and "The First Console War".
There's no complete list yet of all the new games bundled in with the new version, but we know the timeline focusing on The Wider World of Atari comprises 19 games and eight video segments that provide a deep dive into the firm's history and its influence on other creators. "New interviews, vintage ads, historical artifacts, and more have all been researched and presented with Digital Eclipse’s signature style."
Some of the highlights in this timeline are a deep dive into Berzerk, the Atari logo artist Evelyn Seto, and an interview with Al Alcorn to explain the beginnings of Breakout. They're joined by "unusual and underappreciated innovations and hidden gems from the late 1980s" as well as "an exploration of the fan base’s role in discovering unreleased prototypes, creating 'homebrew' games, and preserving Atari history".
As for the timeline all about The First Console War, you'll get to experience another 20 games and watch six more video segments focusing on the battle between the Atari 2600 and the Intellivision from Mattel. "The team at Digital Eclipse curates an exploration of the rivalry, including Mattel’s quixotic decision to create games for the competing Atari 2600. Highlights include a selection of M Network games, including some fan-favorites; a mix of Atari and M Network sports games, and some rare Atari 2600 and 5200 prototypes."
This new version will be available as a standalone product both physically and digitally for $40 on 25th October 2024. A standard boxed copy is on offer at the aforementioned price while a steelbook version costs $50. It includes Atari 2600 art cards, miniature arcade marquee signs, an Al Alcorn Replica Syzygy Co. business card and a Steelbook case.
With the base collection comprising 109 games and a free update released around Christmas last year adding another 12, this new Anniversary Celebration Expanded Edition will boast a total of 160 titles for you to play along with an Atari history lesson. If you already own the original PS5, PS4 version, the new games and timelines will be available as DLC.
Are you excited to dive back into the history of Atari? Let us know in the comments below.
Comments 13
Really hope they get the old Lucasfilm Atari 800 games on there. Rescue on Fractalus, Ballblazer and The Eidelon would be a real trip down memory lane for me.
No interest in anything Atari but always nice to see companies celebrate their history like this.
Is the framerate stable?
Is the physical version only for Switch?
Do we know what the DLC cost would be? I’m definitely down for more of this fine vintage.
Unfortunately, Atari consoles never launched where I live. In fact, there was no official launch until Xbox360. Saw Atari at friend’s house when some relative from abroad returned with gifts. That means, despite my sincerest desire, these games do not hold any nostalgic value for me.
Is there any upgrade for people who bought the original Atari 50 when it came out? I do like having some of these games around, but I'm honestly not spending much time playing the original Combat or Breakout on my PS5 (though I did a run through Adventure, for old time's sake).
Now if they came up with a paddle PS5 controller like the old paddle controller for the 2600, THAT is what made so many of the paddle-based games playable and fun! They don't translate well at all to modern game controllers, even mice or trackballs.
@RobN I know they’d never do that, but duuuuude, how SICK would a PS5 paddle controller be?
Kind of crappy without 3rd games. Such as Keystone Kapers, Pit Fall, etc.
I'm always down for more Atari 50. What a superb package!
@RobN From the article: “If you already own the original PS5, PS4 version, the new games and timelines will be available as DLC.” Not trying to be snarky, I assume you just skimmed past the last paragraph.
Also, I recently bought the Atari Flashback Gold 50th Anniversary Edition mini console, that came with two joysticks and a set of paddles. It needed a firmware update to work well, but it came with a lot of games pre-installed, with support for ROMs.
Unfortunately (for me at least), the controllers use the original Atari connectors instead of USB, so no way to hook it up to a PC (and obviously not compatible with PS5 even if it were), but they are compatible with original hardware and the Atari 2600+.
Not sure if you already knew about it, but it’s one of the only a few ways to get paddle-ing these days, so I thought I’d mention it 👍
I'm pretty sure that paragraph was not there when I posted my comment - if it was, then yes, I missed it. I'd looked at articles from two different sites trying to find that answer, and neither said anything about existing owners at the time.
This collection is pretty addictive. The menu UI I remember being a little wonky but otherwise this is superb. Wish I got it physically.
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