Editing Atari 7800 (section)

== History ==
The Atari 7800 ProSystem was the first console from [[Atari, Inc.]] designed by an outside company: [[General Computer Corporation]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ack4jr09qw0 | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211123/ack4jr09qw0| archive-date=2021-11-23 | url-status=live|title=The History of the Atari 7800 ProSystem with Steve Golson|website=[[YouTube]]| date=7 November 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> It was developed in 1983–84 with an intended mass market rollout in June 1984, but was canceled after the sale of the company to [[Jack Tramiel|Tramel Technology Ltd]] on July 2, 1984. The project was originally called the Atari 3600.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/7800/7800menu/ |title=The Atari 7800 ProSystem |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130117172550/http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/consoles/7800/7800menu/ |archive-date=2013-01-17 }}</ref>

With a background in creating arcade games such as ''[[Food Fight (video game)|Food Fight]]'', GCC designed the new system with a graphics architecture similar to arcade machines of the time. The CPU is a slightly customized [[MOS Technology 6502|6502]] processor, the Atari SALLY,<ref name="EGM62">{{cite magazine|title=When Pac Ruled the Earth|magazine=[[Electronic Gaming Monthly]]|issue=62|publisher=EGM Media, LLC|date=September 1994|page=18}}</ref> running at 1.79&nbsp;MHz. By some measures the 7800 is more powerful, and by others less, than the 1983 [[Nintendo Entertainment System]].<ref name="vs7800">{{cite web|title=7800 compared to the NES|url=https://sites.google.com/site/atari7800wiki/7800-compared-to-the-nes|website=Atari 7800 Programming}}</ref> It uses the 2600's [[Television Interface Adaptor]] chip, with the same restrictions, for generating two-channels of audio.

=== Launch ===
The 7800 was announced on May 21, 1984.<ref name="press release">{{cite press release |title=Atari unveils advanced video game that is expandable to introductory computer |publisher=Atari, Inc. |url=http://www.atari7800.org/museum/PressDoc1s.htm |access-date=2010-04-30 |date=1984-05-21}}</ref> Thirteen games were announced for the system's launch: ''[[Ms. Pac-Man]]'', ''[[Pole Position II]]'', ''[[Centipede (video game)|Centipede]]'', ''[[Joust (video game)|Joust]]'', ''[[Dig Dug]]'', ''Nile Flyer''<ref name=davidson/> (eventually released as ''[[Desert Falcon]]''), ''[[Robotron: 2084]]'', ''[[Galaga]]'', ''[[Food Fight (video game)|Food Fight]]'', ''[[Ballblazer]]'', ''[[Rescue on Fractalus!]]'' (later canceled),<ref>{{cite web |last=Reichert |first=Matt |title = Rescue on Fractalus |website=AtariProtos.com |url=http://www.atariprotos.com/7800/software/rof/rof.htm |access-date = 2023-10-12}}</ref> ''[[Track & Field (video game)|Track & Field]]'', and ''[[Xevious]]''. It was a significant technological leap over the [[Atari 2600]] and [[Atari 5200]].

On July 2, 1984, [[Warner Media|Warner Communications]] sold Atari's Consumer Division to [[Jack Tramiel]].<ref>[Retrogamer Magazine, Issue #78, pp 53.]</ref> All projects were halted during an initial evaluation period. GCC had not been paid for their development of the 7800, and Warner and Tramiel fought over who was accountable. In May 1985, Tramiel relented and paid GCC. This led to additional negotiations regarding the launch titles GCC had developed, then an effort to find someone to lead their new video game division, which was completed in November 1985.<ref>[Retrogamer Magazine, Issue #78, pp 57]</ref> The original production run of the Atari 7800 languished in warehouses until it was introduced in January 1986.

The console was released nationwide in May 1986 for $79.95<ref name="CE2"/><ref>{{Cite news|title=Atari's "Jr Pac-Man" scores for looks, sound|last=Semrad|first=Edward|date=1986-06-26|work=The Milwaukee Journal}}</ref> with games intended for the 7800's debut in 1984.<ref>{{Citation|title=Atari 7800 - History of Video Game Consoles Wiki Guide - IGN|date=27 March 2014 |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/history-of-video-game-consoles/Atari_7800|language=en|access-date=2019-01-23}}</ref> It was aided by a marketing campaign with a budget in the "low millions" according to Atari Corporation officials. This was substantially less than the $9 million spent by [[Sega]] and the $16 million spent by [[Nintendo]].<ref>[blob:https://imgur.com/5e89e610-0413-45b3-90cc-a9c05e8e21b5]{{dead link|date=September 2021}}, Detroit Press, August 15th, 1986</ref> The keyboard and high score cartridge planned by Warner were cancelled. The 7800 addressed many of the most common complaints with the preceding 5200, including a smaller size, built-in backward compatibility, and an improved controller design.

In February 1987, ''[[Computer Entertainer]]'' reported that 100,000 Atari 7800 consoles had been sold in the United States, including those which had been warehoused since 1984.<ref name="CE2">''Computer Entertainer'', February 1987, [http://i.imgur.com/eUXac6M.jpg page 13]</ref><ref name="CE1">''Computer Entertainer'', December 1986, [http://i.imgur.com/fyarkYE.jpg page 8]</ref> This was less than the [[Master System]]'s 125,000 and the NES's 1.1 million.<ref name="CE2"/> Games were slowly released: ''[[Galaga]]'' in August, followed by ''[[Xevious]]'' in November.<ref name="CE1"/> By the end of 1986, the 7800 had 10 games, compared to Sega's 20 and Nintendo's 36.<ref name="CE2"/> Atari would sell over 1 million 7800 consoles by June 1988.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://atariage.com/forums/uploads/monthly_01_2008/post-9346-1201143700.jpg | title=Axlon to develop new video games for Atari; Bushnell returns}}</ref>

=== Discontinuation ===
On January 1, 1992, Atari Corporation announced the end of production and support for the  7800, 2600, and the 8-bit computer family including the [[Atari XEGS]]. At least one game, an unreleased port of ''[[Toki (video game)|Toki]]'', was worked on past this date.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://betaphasegames.com/7800_Toki_Screens.html |title=TOKI FOR 7800: DISCOVERY ANNOUNCEMENT |website=Beta Phase Games|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180418231623/http://betaphasegames.com/7800_Toki_Screens.html |archive-date=2018-04-18 }}</ref> By the time of the discontinuation, the Nintendo Entertainment System controlled 80% of the North American market while Atari had 12%.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE3DD143EF935A25756C0A964958260 | work=[[The New York Times]] | title=COMPANY NEWS; Nintendo Suit by Atari Is Dismissed | date=May 16, 1992 | access-date=April 25, 2010 |url-access=limited}}</ref> In Europe, last stocks of the 7800 were sold until summer/fall of 1995.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://atarimuseum.nl/history-of-atari-benelux/ | title=Atari Benelux Timeline – Atarimuseum.nl }}</ref>

''Retro Gamer'' magazine issue 132 reported that according to Atari UK Marketing Manager Darryl Still, "it was very well stocked by European retail; although it never got the consumer traction that the 2600 did, I remember we used to sell a lot of units through mail order catalogues and in the less affluent areas".<ref name="retgam132">{{cite web |title=Atari 7800 Prosystem 30th Anniversary |date=10 September 2016 |url=https://issuu.com/michelfranca/docs/retro_gamer____132 |publisher=Retro Gamer |access-date=18 August 2018}}</ref>