What's Happening at Atari? (Oct.15,1993)
From: Atari SIG (xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 02/20/94-12:34:43 AM Z
From: xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Atari SIG)
Subject: What's Happening at Atari? (Oct.15,1993)
Date: Sun Feb 20 00:34:43 1994
SILICON TIMES REPORT
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October 15, 1993 No. 9.42
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What's Happening at Atari?
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By Lloyd E. Pulley, Sr.
Editor, Current Events
A compilation of some of the more interesting questions and answers from
the 10/1/93 "Dateline Atari! with Bob Brodie" conference on the GEnie
ST RT. Captures of the conference were furnished to STReport by one of
our readers.
The main thrust of Bob's introductory comments were devoted to the Jag-
uar. Programmers, game testers, artists, and musicians are all working
hard to get the Jaguar ready for its first deliveries next month.
Bob mentioned that the Jaguar had a full four color page layout in the
Cutting Edge feature of the October issue of Game Pro magazine. Also,
The Die Hard Game Fan magazine, as of issue #11, will be beginning a new
section called "Jaguar's Domain". Bob said, "The Jaguar's Domain also
features a four page, full color layout of screen shots from Jaguar tit-
les including Raiden, Tiny Toons, Crescent Galaxy, Club Drive, Cyber-
morph, and more."
While many of the gamers magazines seem to be excited about the Jaguar,
one, EGM, seems to be biased against Atari. Bob said he's talked with
the people at EGM and hope that things get better. He feels that part of
the problem "might be that there are a number of people there that are
former employees of Atari, including the publisher." But with EGM's sis-
ter publication attacking the president of Atari, Bob doesn't think that
he has a lot of leverage to change things though.
Bob was asked about when the Jaguars will be shipping and where they'll
be shipped to and if there will be a 800 line available (like the LYNX
had) for people to order who don't live in the initial test markets.
When asked if Dallas might be a third test market for the Jaguar, Bob
did not reply. But he did say that there hasn't been any consumer runs
produced yet, only a pilot production run. However, there are now enough
units available to send to current and potential developers to use and/
or evaluate. He wouldn't say when the first consumer run will be made
but felt the system will be available for purchase the weekend after
Thanksgiving. Atari feels they can sell at least 50,000 Jaguar units be-
fore the holiday season ends.
The retailers don't want the Jaguar to sell via a 800 line - at least,
not at first. But there will be a help line "to give out hints, tips,
and easter eggs."
When asked about the rumors that some mail order houses are currently
taking orders for the Jaguar, Bob said that Atari will not be selling to
any of the mail order firms this year. However, there is a chance that
some units might be sold via the mail order route. And there's a possib-
ility "that at least one of the retailers will, over our objections, try
to go national with their units. Bob also said that he felt the rumor
that Atari had purchased a display section at Toys 'R Us wasn't true.
What about censoring violent or sexually orientated games? Bob replied
that while there are no current plans to censor any titles, so far there
are no titles that might cause censorship problems.
What's the price of the Jaguar going to be? How about the rumor floating
around one of the mags that say the 'JagCD' might cost $350? According
to Bob, Atari doesn't expect that the Jaguar's CD units to cost $350 but
he wouldn't say what prices that the Jaguar (with and without CD units)
would be selling for.
Are there any advanced controllers in the Jaguars future? While Bob was
not aware of Atari planning any such controller, one game developer he's
spoke to plans on selling a new controller along with his fighting game
- a game that competes with Street Fighter II.
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