The 8-Bit Revival & 16-Bit War · 1985â1994
Atari 7800 ProSystem
Sought After?
Niche collector interest; backward compatibility with the 2600 library makes it practical rather than valuable on its own.
Downsides
Delayed nearly three years after development due to Atari's corporate turmoil and the 1983 crash, so it launched already looking dated next to the NES.
Why It Faded
Simply outgunned and outmarketed by Nintendo; Atari never regained console dominance after the crash.
Trivia
It was originally announced in 1984 but sat on a shelf for two years because Atari's new owners (the Tramiel family, ex-Commodore) weren't sure the market had recovered enough to launch it.