Atari has announced they are set to end support for the Atari VCS console, which the company sent to Kickstarter backers back in 2020, before fully releasing it to the public in 2021. The all-digital platform is inspired by the Atari VCS, first released in 1977, which would later come to be known as the Atari 2600. The console has a library of games available for purchase on it, access to the Antstream arcade streaming service for retro titles, as well as a PC mode, allowing players access to Linux or Windows, but it never reached the heights of its namesake.
The company has announced that they plan to end support for the console, with the store on the platform shutting down on February 1, 2027. Atari Community Manager Carly Francis stated via the company’s official Discord server:
We are reaching out to let you know about planned changes to our support of the Atari VCS.
The Atari VCS has earned its rightful spot alongside the many console platforms Atari has launched over the past 50-plus years. We took what was planned as a one-off Kickstarter program and turned it into a platform that we have collectively supported since 2020. We want to thank our dedicated players and creators for bringing great content to the VCS, and for building a vibrant community.
We are beginning the process of sunsetting our support for the Atari VCS. We will be shutting down the VCS store on February 1, 2027. You will still be able to purchase games in the store through January 31, 2027.
While the sunsetting of a platform has, in the past, meant an inoperable device, Atari has stated they plan to ensure that VCS remains usable after support fully ends. This will come via an OS update that will remove the need to connect to the Atari server, along with a homebrewing app that will allow players to continue to develop games and add new games to the console without the store.
Francis went on to say:
After the store closes, our plan is to make an OS update available that allows you to migrate all functionality to your local machine, removing any dependencies on Atari infrastructure for authentication and software. Once that transition is complete, we will end support for the platform.
As part of the transition, we intend to push the Atari Home Brew app to all players. This will allow everyone to add new games to your VCS independently, so developers can continue to build apps for the VCS and share them with the community. Early next year we will post information that walks you through this OS migration, and the Home Brew App functionality, so everyone has plenty of time to prepare.
We recognize that this is unwelcome news. We are working hard to ensure that the community can continue to use their VCS well into the future, and we are committed to supporting you through this transition.
As an owner of an Atari VCS, I love the versatility that the platform offers, having a large number of PC like options. That said, I would agree with many of the initial reviews that the console lacked something to really drive sales for it, or exclusives that would entice. Atari, as a developer, has also predominantly made games for multiple platforms, such as Yars Rising, so you can enjoy their games no matter where you play.
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