Please don't name it Retro. It's too generic and implies a generic product. Having Retro in the subtitle like Retro Gaming System is fine but you definitely need a primary name with some marketable pizzazz.

I agree. There are already many platforms with install bases and homebrew scenes. Why reinvent the wheel? If this is like a low-res Steam box because PC architecture is easy to write for, I can sort of understand that. If making a sort of coalition to develop for something akin to old consoles, RetroUSB et al already have a movement like that...this seems to be something in between. As a game player who appreciates old or "retro" aesthetics--more for the creativity and design forced by hardware limitations, than some kind of fetish for chiptunes and big pixels--or just a gamer in general--I would not buy any system that has fewer than ten games I want to play, with a reasonable expectation of another ten or twenty such games coming down the pike. If you feel like you'll have that kind of dev community, great, go for it. If I see something I like of course I would support it. You're looking for devs right now and I'm strictly a consumer so maybe it's too early for me to be in a discussion about this. But that's my perspective, as a potential buyer who does want new-to-me games, but isn't finding enough desirable to buy any of the new consoles. Good luck in having good games and breaking that pattern

As a potential consumer for this product, I only have one question. You said you bought the molding tools for the Atari Jaguar, could you explain in detail what you meant by that? Do you mean like a license or legal procedure took place for you to use the mold? I'm confused.

It means they purchased the actual original injection molds to make cases identical to the Atari Jaguar.

sounds great cannot wait

Having "Retro" in the name is probably a bad idea to begin with. People are going to think it's some clone system that plays their NES and SNES games.. which clearly it's not going to be able to. I forsee major market confusion if this thing hits.

Hey Everyone!

I am really enjoying reading everyone's take on this upcoming venture. It give's my team food for thought. To begin, I want to assure you all, that this will not be anything like the OUYA or any other android device for that matter. In fact, like many of you, we really want this to be as close to an old school system as possible in this day and age of HD and HD TV's, which is becoming our Achilles heal in designing our hardware. Ultimately, we wanted to write as close to the metal as technologically possible and have little to no OS intrusion. Unfortunately, because of pretty much needing to output in HD it's forcing our hand in a direction we really didn't want to go. But, I am not going at this alone and have a very experienced team heading up hardware/software design. And all are RETRO gamer's at heart and have ton's of industry cred and will do what is best to create a love letter of a system dedicated to all the past cartridge based consoles that have come before it. Think about what a 2-D console would have performed like after the NEO GEO and that is where we are heading.

Since the RETRO VGS won't be expected to increase its capabilities every few years we think it could have a very long life helping to maintain the culture of gaming that has been diminishing the past few console generations. As long as there are developers who love creating RETRO style games in what has now really become an "artform" and as long as people still value classic style gameplay over real-life graphics then the RETRO VGS could be around for a very long time.

And, what has really made this venture possible is the tracking down and purchase of the original Atari Jaguar console and cartridge tooling. This has literally saved us a few hundred thousand dollars in start-up costs and I for one think it's pretty great to repurpose what was a pretty attractive gaming console that certainly has it's roots in RETRO. Of course, it will be completely rebranded and reengineered. And we have a great RETRO inspired controller to go along with it.

If you guys want to keep tabs on things as they progress keep an eye out initially at http://www.readRETRO.com... and soon we will have a web page devoted to the RETRO Video Game Console (VGS) - at RETROVGS.com. Twitter is now at http://www.twitter.com/retrovgs...

And, if you are a developer and interested in learning more, please contact me directly at [email protected]. I have received many emails already and will be responding to all of you shortly. We hope to have a developer system specification sheet done very soon and it will tell you what you need to know about deving games for the RETRO VGS.

We are shooting for a March/April Kickstarter. And this will be unlike any Kickstarter you've seen as it will essentially be Kickstarting the console AND a variety of launch titles (some sequels of fan favorites) all at the same time. So should be interesting!

As far as the name, RETRO VGS, it is all part of our brand with the RETRO Magazine which will go hand-in-hand with the console. Some pages will be dedicated to previewing upcoming RETRO VGS games, interviews and liner notes with RETRO VGS dev's, concept art and anecdotes, etc.

- Mike

The big unanswered questions are:

(1) what do you think is a realistic price point (helps prospective developers judge if there could ever be a market for something like this)

(2) what is your design for an interface device? (if the console and cartridge tooling "literally saved us a few hundred thousand dollars in start-up costs" then won't controller costs be a huge portion of the fixed costs)

(3) if the console is cartridge based, do you even have an estimate of per-cartridge fixed-costs (what size memory chips will be used, etc)

(4) what processors are you going to source so that you have reliable long-term access at a reasonable unit cost? (i.e. so 5 years from now the system is actually the same hardware as today)



I have a really hard time imagining this coming it at a competitive level compared with the other options that are out there.

Definitely sounds interesting. Would there be any internet connectivity?

Ok, I didn't wanted to post, but now I have questions.

First of,

-Have you talked to Atari S.A. to acquire licensing to use the Jaguar design? Buying Mold =/= having rights to the console design.

-How is the distribution going to work?
-Will homebrewers be able to produce their own carts?, or your company will be the ONLY entity available to manufacture carts?
- Do you have any deals lined up with video game distributors?
- How are you going to get them to stores? Any Top Tier retailers lined up(Walmart, Toys R Us, Bestbuy, etc)? Second Tier? Mom n' Pop?
- What would be the minimum production quantity for games?
- What would be the initial quantity of console Manufactured?
-As a Retro Gamer this sounds great, but as a Businessman I only see your company passing the cost of console production to Consumers (Kickstarter) and passing the cost and Risk to the developers.

- Can you show proof you are working with those big name companies (Press release on their site, articles, spokes persons etc)? It is very easy to say "We are working with" X&Y company, but that doesn't mean they are on board. Specially Konami and Capcom. Capcom even has said that they would not release a game for a major console if it doesn't sell 1M of copies (or makes $1M on profit, can't recall) can't imagine a high risk project like this.

The reason I ask all this, is that there is a very high risk for a programmer to basically go out of business by programming a game for this console. Lets say a programmer invests all his time, effort, and money on making a title for this console. Then there is the cost of manufacturing the carts; and there is little to no distribution. Your company is ok because they made money by producing the carts, but the programmer is out of money because there were not enough sales of their game.

How are you going to prevent for something like this to happen?

May be an insurance plan/membership to developers can be introduced (sort of like the GDA has).

I'm still just thinking April Fools, but it's February lol. I'd rather see ueveryone put forth time and effort into doing NES, GB, SNES or Genesis games.

I think it sounds interesting. Hopefully it turns out well!

Where would we be able to buy the system is it online only or will you beable to have itnin some small stores

So Cal Mike,
FYI...I heard about RETRO VGS first on the Intellivisionaries' podcast.
This is something I have been wishing would happen...but didn't really have much hope...So this is great news!
I have subscribed to this thread and will be listening intently on the Intellivisionaries' podcast for latest updates on the status of this project.

Here's wishing you success with the RETRO VGS,
StephenJ

Thanks StephenJ.  I am more excited about this as I am learning more from my team what will be inside.  It will be a first and should really blow people away.  More info will be forthcoming.  

Best way to keep in the loop is follow the RETRO VGS facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/RE...

didnt some dental company already buy the jaguar moulds years ago? they used it for some kind of camera

I think that is where it was purchased from.

Yeah, he bought the moulds from the dental company.

Come on, guys. It's gonna have new games on cartridges. Fucking cartridges!

This alone is the reason for me to hop on board (I still think using the Jag tooling is a BAD idea, but I can fix that when I eventually get a unit of my own ). I would have thought that there'd be more support from NA.

This is one of those things that will either be wildly successful or a total flop. I sincerely hope it's the former. Like others have said, a friendly development environment will likely hbe a huge plus for the console.

Are there/Will there be dev kits available?

Can't sleep, Mode X will eat me.... (I hope you get the refrence, I can explain if not)

Despite our general excitement for homebrew and new releases on exisiting classic platforms, most of us are pragmatic enough to realize this idea is DOA if details are this scant so long after the first announcement.

If more actual technical details are released about the project, it will sound more plausible.



But I have a number of very valid questions posted upthread that have been completely ignored, and that doesn't boost my confidence in the project.

i guess if it fails they can always fall back on the ever growing jag community and start selling funky jaguar replacement shells!

I like the idea and would get it day one. But realistically for it to be a success it would need distribution through major retailers and real support from them such as a dedicated section for it, not "this months end cap item"

For all the fanfare around the Ouya, Target gave it about 1 square foot of shelf real-estate about 1/4 of the way down an aisle.


Even a week on the endcap would be a retail coup for an indie console.

I think for it to be a successful, there nees to be a larger investor/partner funding the project. If it is going to be funded through Kickstarter and through the money of developers, it has much more chances to fail and drag down indie developers with them (about 98% of developers now are not used of the cost of cartridge production).

If they can get an investor to pay for a great marketing campaign, and to pitch to major retailers it would be a success.

Heck, if Atgames can sell super shitty consoles to Gamestop, Walmart and Toy's R Us. Retro can put this console in those markets as well. They just need the right individual/connections.