Ataribox will be an open, Linux-based console priced starting at $249
The upcoming Ataribox retro gaming console will indeed ship with a selection of classic Atari games, as many suspected when the thing was initially announced – but it'll also have a Linux OS on board and the ability to play games from other platforms, since it's going to keep the "open" nature of the OS instead of trying to lock it down to Atari content only.
Atari revealed this and a few more details about the Ataribox today, including the fact that 90,000 of their fans have registered to hear more about the console when it launches. The Ataribox design was revealed previously, and we now know that it's going to be powered by a customized AMD processor with Radeon Graphics tech included. Atari says it'll offer a "full PC experience" for your TV, which sounds a lot like it could be some kind of Steam box or Steam Link-like device.
It'll also have streaming, apps, social features, web browsing and music, meaning it should compete with devices like the Apple TV and the Shield TV from Nvidia in the set-top streaming world, too. That definitely fits with the price point, which Atari says will range between $249 and $299 depending on specs and configurations during the Indiegogo pre-order campaign set to kick off in Spring 2018.
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Ataribox will also feature a user-customizable interface and underlying OS, which could help it differentiate itself among the more technically savvy. Ultimately, though, it's going to be relying heavily on its brand credentials to drive interest: What it can do with that cred in terms of delivering capable hardware remains to be seen.
Also, that's real wood in the accent details on the wood grain version! Mid-century modern fans, you've found your living room streaming box.
