Remember when we all saw Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Kevin Hart turn into video game avatars and had to pass through do-or-die game levels to make it back into reality. Well this article isn’t a tribute to that spectacular movie, rather it is about ‘Atari’, the company that made the console on which the nightmares of Jumanji started. Atari’s most successful release, the Atari 2600, dates back to the 1970s. It was so successful worldwide in fact Atari was said to have started the gaming revolution. But after going through intense competition with more well-known gaming brands such as Sony PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox, Atari was behind closed doors for more than 20 years.

The 2017 reboot of the beloved Robin Williams movie ‘Jumanji’ features Dewayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Jack Black and Kevin Hart. It takes place several years after the original, but now involves a magical video game instead of a board game. So when Atari announced a new console coming our way, gaming enthusiasts and nostalgic gamers were beyond excited to see what was in store. Let me present to you the Atari VCS- the face of Atari’s restoration. The VCS (Video Computer System) is a fully-functional mini-PC that uses a video monitor system to create an interface with a traditional console experience. Atari users are now exposed to a whole new platform of gaming, streaming, creation and connection. The iconic joystick is now fully refurbished with motion and light effects. In addition to the classic gaming hardware is a new Atari Controller which completes the set for a full-featured gameplay. The new console was a crowdfunded project, highlighting Atari’s priority of its very own fans. Perfectly combining Atari’s retro gaming legacy along with 21st century compatibility, it hopes to gain a spot in your living room as it releases alongside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

Furthermore, the entertainment industry is at a point where survival entirely depends on future developments in community and payment management. Atari has envisioned a new mission to conquer the crypto space with the creation of a blockchain-based cryptocurrency known as the ‘Atari Token’. Its primary objective is to change the face of game financing by being a means of payment within networks of smart platforms, epic  games and casino games available on the Atari Network. Nonetheless, the creators hope the Atari Token breakout will be beneficial to others in the video game industry as it can facilitate in-game monetisation safely and reliably. 

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency secured by cryptography and a ledger network called blockchain technology. Atari Token uses the Ethereum protocol and a similar decentralised ledger system. The ledger system eliminates the risks of transaction tampering, fraud or manipulation. Cryptocurrencies uphold consumer sovereignty as it allows transactions directly between two parties, without the need for a trusted third party like a bank or credit card company. Blockchain technology is uniquely suited to validating, securing and transmitting data, which resolves problems of an unsupervised transaction. Atari strictly endorses these elements of cryptocurrency into its Atari token, which was open to public sale at a cost of $0.25 on October 29th. In addition, considering the usage of the token in gaming, rewarding based on skill of the user was deeply considered. Atari sees this as a way of boosting creativity and innovation in its gamers. Factoring in the pandemic: the concerns of virus contraction on conventional bills  and the conspiracy of extensive data tracking and collection by governments, people are turning to a digitised new-normal. This has become a key opening for digital financial transactions facilitated by cryptocurrency. 

Atari’s plan for its ATRI token is to become a universal means of payment for the video game industry, allowing developers and publishers new options for monetisation of their products, integration of smart contracts, protection of in-game assets and more. Undoubtedly, Atari has introduced a new face to gaming, and brought its monetisation and finance to a whole new level. It could seem like another revolution is called for; all new but still bearing the “joystick-pixelated animation-arcade aesthetic” spirit of Atari.