Atari and developer Digital Eclipse have shared details about the upcoming paid expansion for “Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration,” an extensive collection that serves both as a compilation of Atari’s games and a documentary chronicling the company’s 50-year history. The second downloadable content (DLC), titled “The First Console War,” focuses on Atari’s competition with Mattel’s Intellivision, its first major rival in the console market.
This new bundle adds 19 more games and eight video segments that explore the rivalry and the eventual collaboration between the two companies, where Mattel developed games for Atari systems. According to Atari and Digital Eclipse, this DLC includes more content featuring exclusive interviews, vintage advertisements, and never-before-seen historical items that illustrate the intense competition between Atari and Mattel. Atari ultimately emerged victorious in this rivalry, having acquired the Intellivision brand earlier this year.
The DLC presents prototypes and other games previously unreleased to the public. The complete list includes:
– Air Raiders — 2600 M Network
– Antbear — 2600 M Network (unreleased, based on Stern IP)
– Armor Ambush — 2600 M Network
– Astroblast — 2600 M Network
– Frogs & Flies — 2600 M Network
– International Soccer — 2600 M Network
– Dark Cavern — 2600 M Network
– Star Strike — 2600 M Network
– Super Challenge Baseball — 2600 M Network
– Super Challenge Football — 2600 M Network
– Swordfight — 2600 M Network (rare, unreleased)
– Sea Battle — 2600 M Network (rare, unreleased)
– Tower of Mystery (unreleased prototype, recently rescued)
– Video Pinball — 2600
– Basketball — 2600
– Hardball — Atari 8-bit (XE)
– Final Legacy (prototype) — 5200
– Xari Arena — Atari 8-bit
– Desert Falcon — 7800
“The Last Console War” follows a previous DLC titled “The Wider World of Atari,” released in September, which also added 19 games to the collection. With the inclusion of both expansions, “Atari 50” will feature approximately 130 games in total.
Gamers who already own “Atari 50” on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5 can acquire “The Last Console War” on November 8. Those using Atari VCS will receive the DLC as a complimentary update early next year.
For those interested in obtaining the base game along with both expansions, the “Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Expanded Edition” will be available starting November 8 as well. The physical edition for Switch and PS5 is priced at $40. Meanwhile, a steelbook version for the Switch, which includes Atari 2600 art cards and other items, is available for $50.
