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
                            ====================
   October 15, 1993                                              No. 9.42
   ======================================================================

                         What's Happening at Atari?
                         ==========================

 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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