Happy 40th Birthday, Atari! (with Infographic!)

Atari turns 40 years old today!

And though they clearly aren’t the same company that started producing Pong (while virtually single-handedly inventing the video game) in the 1970s, they remain a fantastic example of innovation.

Atari 2600 with Joystick
Atari 2600: the Game Console that Started it All!
I still remember (like it was yesterday!) the Christmas morning when my Dad gave my brother a cartridge for the Atari 2600 in his stocking. As my brother tried to explain that it was no good without the unit, my Dad started laughing and told him to go look in his room. The 2600 changed our lives forever!

Check out the infographic below to see how Atari became a household name in the 1980s, got killed when Nintendo came on the scene and ultimately reinvented themselves after several changes in ownership. You may not be aware, but a lot of the great Atari titles are alive and well today!

Atari: 40th Anniversary Timeline

2 Replies to “Happy 40th Birthday, Atari! (with Infographic!)”

  1. Is it sad that I still have my 2600 system? (2, in fact). I never did get a Nintendo or Sega or XBox. There’s nothing quite like the original.

  2. Not at all, Paul! I’d still have one if it hadn’t died a very slow & painful death. I never did go Nintendo, Sega, XBox, Playstation either. A few months ago, one of our former officemates brought in a 2600 and we had a blast playing Combat. It’s amazing how quickly it all comes back!

    That said… I am considering a Wii… it’s for my daughter! (Wink, wink)

Leave a Reply