Will the 2600 still be around in 2600?

[§ Gideon §]

Yeah, it's a corny idea. I know that! But it's early in the morning, I still haven't gone to bed, and I just read last year (2006) as the name of many a man's favorite console...

So it got me thinking: Will the 2600 still be around in its namesake year? In what form?

Unless fun becomes obsolete or phased out between now and then, I don't see much of a reason why Atari's money-maker wouldn't live on another 600 years--but perhaps some of you disagree. Regardless, I like to think there will be at least one confused soul--perhaps a descendant of the Roundtable--still holding his thumb over a single, red button and playing the classics in a future we can only imagine.

Imagine how much fun that guy's gonna be having.

[nate1749]

It'll be around for fun then like the abacus is around for math today.

[megamaniaman]

It should be interesting to see if the an Atari 2600 still works in the year 2600. I am pretty sure that 99 percent of the eprom games will stop working. As far as the ROM games, I would not be suprised if most are still working by then. I think people will marvel how well made the Atari 2600 was and how it was the only system in that era to have lasting electronics.

[boatofcar]

How many things do we have around today that were made in the 1400's?

[MarioAllStar2600]

How many things do we have around today that were made in the 1400's?

owned....

I would like to think the roms will still be around. The games will still be able to be played, the technology wasn't around in the 1400's to compare though. I don't know if there will be much intrest in 600 years to play atari 2600 though.

[k8track]

I believe I actually did buy my Emerson Arcadia 2001 in 2001.

[diskoboy]

I honestly think the human race will be gone by then.

[ChronoTriggaFoo]

Right now the Atari 2600 is riding on a high nostalgia factor. I can't imagine that being possible in the year 2600. It MAY be possible if they keep re-releasing the games with every system so that new kiddos are exposed to it every generation.

I'm pretty sure that it has at least made its mark in history so that it will never be ignored. It truly was the first home video game system to corner the casual and hardcore gamer markets successfully.

[7th lutz]

I don't know if mankind will be, so the atari 2600 will be a question mark. As far as one being playable from 1977 to 1990. The answer would no. There would have to be more models of the 2600 in the future or otherwise people will be playing them an emulators. It also is up to if videogames still exist then also. For graphics on tvs, I don't think its possible to go past hd. Video game systems get updated do to the graphic capabilties and different media format advancement. I think eventally, there will not be anymore advancements in media formats due to not able to create a format with more memory or technical advancements. Videogame companies follow what is the new format outthere.

[ubersaurus]

What would they play them on?

Would we have compatible power outlets? The proper equipment to keep them up?

Any still around would likely be in a museum if anything.

[swlovinist]

I second if we will be around by then, but if we are, then somewhere will be charging $100 to showcase "primitive electronics" of the late 20th Century. The 2600 might be around, but it will be in a very few selective places under lock and key.

[Dr. Morbis]

I second if we will be around by then, but if we are, then somewhere will be charging $100 to showcase "primitive electronics" of the late 20th Century.
In 2600, $100 isn't going to buy you a slice of bread.

[Damaramu]

I honestly think the human race will be gone by then.

*ding ding ding*

All signs point to this! Enjoy while it lasts, folks! :villagepeople:

[ProgrammingAce]

How many things do we have around today that were made in the 1400's?

Three.

[mailman187666]

I honestly think the human race will be gone by then.

I think the human race will be gone by 2200

[rbudrick]

I honestly think the human race will be gone by then.

Well if the Borg has it's way, yeah.

Or, we'll be like the movie Idiocracy.

-Rob

[OdSquad64]

I think the real question here is will the Atari 7800 be around in 7800? The answer to that is no, definitely not. Even if it was in a museum somewhere, by the year 7800 we'll be using a new kind of electricty so there'd be no way to plug it in. Also, theres no way to mod it for the standard video connection of the year 7800, the DPHV video connection (no wires at all). Well I mean there is a way to mod it, but its really expensive and there's really no benefit to doing it. Oh the future.

Also the world is going to end December 27, 2012

[Sweater Fish Deluxe]

I doubt humans will be extinct in 600 years, more likely our population will just be drastically reduced and our descendants will be living subsistence lifestyles.


I think the real question here is will the Atari 7800 be around in 7800?
No, no, no, the *REAL* question here is was the Atari 800 around in the year 800? Think about *THAT*!!


...word is bondage...

[Fighter17]

Museum, or no.

[Nes]

It's the year 2600.... would I rather play an Atari 2600 that was stolen from the Mars Smithsonian or frolic on a virtual beach with a thousand beautiful women programmed inside my Holodeck.

[Cryomancer]

You said in any form, right? There will still be emulation. You might have to buy and "ancient" computer, and then emulate the hardware needed to emulate an os to emulate the emulator...but this is what rom dumping and preservation is all about.