This is how dead Atari is...

[ChadTower]

This photo is from E3, Atari's exhibit.  Look at the Centipede.  If they don't even care enough to have original art on the cabs...

[Chris]

This photo is from E3, Atari's exhibit.

[Stingray]

Well that's just sad.

-S

[allroy1975]

but there are girls watching....you think they'd watch with artwork? 

girls never watch me play video games.  Girls don't watch me do hardly anything...

[Steve Kaz]

Those cone shaped, skinny, red LED buttons kick ass though

[Kremmit]

Just lucky they didn't bring one of those Centipede/Millipede/Missile Command combo machines.  They play like asss.

[ericball]

Just lucky they didn't bring one of those Centipede/Millipede/Missile Command combo machines.

[Redseven80]

you spend to much time at chuck e cheese dude!

[Joystick Jerk]

Who's to say whether they care or not. Maybe they took their beat-up repro machines with the wrong artwork because they knew that they'd get some serious abuse at E3, and they keep they're original, perfect machines back at Atari HQ.

[paigeoliver]

Who's to say whether they care or not. Maybe they took their beat-up repro machines with the wrong artwork because they knew that they'd get some serious abuse at E3, and they keep they're original, perfect machines back at Atari HQ.

"Atari" is currently a software company almost unrelated to the original company.

All those original perfect machines were purchased by a guy in California when they closed up shop back in the 90s.

[Dire Radiant]

Sadly it's just a name, the rights to which was bought by Infogrames. Yep Atari is now the US arm of a French company based in New York. Sad, really. On the other hand the two "new Atari" PC titles on my shelf (UT2004 and Neverwinter Nights) are both excellent games.

[ChadTower]

Who's to say whether they care or not. Maybe they took their beat-up repro machines with the wrong artwork because they knew that they'd get some serious abuse at E3, and they keep they're original, perfect machines back at Atari HQ.

You don't bring second rate stuff to the largest electronics show of the year.  Companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their E3 displays.

[RayB]

You don't bring second rate stuff to the largest electronics show of the year.

[ahofle]

Just lucky they didn't bring one of those Centipede/Millipede/Missile Command combo machines.

[Joystick Jerk]

You don't bring second rate stuff to the largest electronics show of the year.  Companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their E3 displays.

Yeah, it IS E3, a show where 0.1% of the attendants give a damn about the retro arcade scene. It may be the biggest electronics show in the world, but if only a handful of people are going to be interested in retro arcade games, I certainly wouldn't bring my best uprights for people to abuse.

[paigeoliver]

You don't bring second rate stuff to the largest electronics show of the year.  Companies spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their E3 displays.

Yeah, it IS E3, a show where 0.1% of the attendants give a damn about the retro arcade scene. It may be the biggest electronics show in the world, but if only a handful of people are going to be interested in retro arcade games, I certainly wouldn't bring my best uprights for people to abuse.

For people to abuse?

Come on, you are talking about a 3 day show, with mostly adults in attendance. These games sat for YEARS in arcades being banged on by children.

[Kremmit]

I must say I rather liked the larger raised trackball on those machines over the tiny little one that came in the original.  It's much easier to control.  I wanted one for my mame cabinet in fact, but the closest one I could find was the happs 3" 'highball' trackball and it didn't protrude nearly as much over the control panel.  Anyone know who makes that trackball?

I'm pretty sure it IS the Happ High-Ball. 

I always thought I'd like the High-Ball, but after playing that thing, I've changed my mind.  I do NOT like the High-Ball.  Instead of "skating" my hand over the top of the ball, zooming the cursor around, I found my hand "falling" over the edge of the ball, and banging into the side. 

[Joystick Jerk]

For people to abuse?

Come on, you are talking about a 3 day show, with mostly adults in attendance. These games sat for YEARS in arcades being banged on by children.

E3 is like convection pot for the most hardcore nerds around, and when they get together they tend to get out of hand. I've seen them slam controllers down at demonstration booths because they died, fondle booth babes, and when it comes to any upright cabs, they generally treat them like a punching/kicking bag. Not to mention a good swath of the attendees are nursing serious hangovers each day from the previous nights festivities, and adult or not, they're a pretty rowdy crowd.

And just think of all that nerd-grease that'll be coating the cabs once the show is over. That's enough to make the artwork peel right there.

[rchadd]

fondle away

[paigeoliver]

Still, the idea is that the machines can take it, and probably are not going to get hurt at a 3 day show, no matter how many drunken morons are in attendance. Most actual DAMAGE to games occurs while moving them.

More than likely they had to buy machines for the show, and bought the first copies that they were able to locate.

[Setabs]

E3 is like convection pot for the most hardcore nerds around, and when they get together they tend to get out of hand. I've seen them slam controllers down at demonstration booths because they died, fondle booth babes, and when it comes to any upright cabs, they generally treat them like a punching/kicking bag. Not to mention a good swath of the attendees are nursing serious hangovers each day from the previous nights festivities, and adult or not, they're a pretty rowdy crowd.

I thought everybody fondled booth babes, isn't that what there for? 

[romperwomb]

Hah, I caught an rerun of an SNL Weekend Update with Jimmy Fallon yestarday, made me think of this thread:

Jimmy:  It was announced this week that video game company Atari is going out of business. When asked to comment, the company said, "sound of Pac Man dying".