---
title: Atari VCS 2600
categories:
- Consoles
params:
  name: VCS 2600
  image: /media/museum/photos/atari_2600_1.jpg
  company: /companies/atari
  company_name: Atari
  tabs:
  - adverts
  - hardware
  - connectors
  - software
  - emulators
  - links
  forum_thread: 859
  adverts:
  - title: FRENCH ADVERT (DECEMBER 1981)
    subtitle: ''
    text: '"At 12 years old, Nicolas discovered he was the terror of the aliens"'
    image: /media/museum/pubs/atari_2600_pub_nicolas.jpg
  - title: FRENCH ADVERT (JANUARY 1982)
    subtitle: ''
    text: '"At 68 years old, taunt Rose discovered that she was an exceptionally gifted child"'
    image: /media/museum/pubs/atari_2600_pub_tante-rose.jpg
  hardware:
  - title: SPECTRAVIDEO COMPUMATE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The Spectravideo Compumate add-on allowed the Atari VCS 2600 to be programmed in an extended 16K Basic language. It plugged into the cartridge socket of the console, as well as into both joystick ports.

      A tape recorder could be connected to load/save programs. The Compumate also was a musical keyboard with microphone and headphone jacks. It was sold at $100 with 2K RAM.
    image: /media/museum/hardware/atari_2600_compumate_s1.jpg
  - title: FRENCH AD (SEPT. 1983)
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/hardware/atari_2600_pub_starpath-supercharger.jpg
  connectors:
  - title: CONTROLLER CONNECTORS
    subtitle: at the joystick cable (9 pin DSUB female)
    text: |-
      1 - WHT = Up\
      2 - BLU = Down\
      3 - GRN = Left\
      4 - BRN = Right\
      5 - n/c = Not connected\
      6 - ORG = Button\
      7 - n/c = Not connected\
      8 - BLK = Ground(-)\
      9 - n/c = Not connected
    image: /media/museum/connectors/db9_female.jpg
  emulators:
  - title: MESS
    url: http://www.mess.org
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: MESS also emulates the Atari 2600
  - title: PC Atari Emulator
    url: http://www.classicgaming.com/pcae/
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: MS-DOS & Windows emulator
  - title: Stella
    url: http://stella.sourceforge.net/
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: Maybe the most popular emulator
  - title: Z26
    url: http://www.whimsey.com/z26/z26.html
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: Popular emulator for DOS & Windows
  links:
  - title: AtariAge
    url: http://www.atariage.com/
    text: Wow... you want to go there!
  - title: Wikipedia - Atari VCS 2600 entry
    url: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_2600
    text: Nice article from Wikipedia
  software:
  - /software/air-sea-battle-also-known-as-target-fun-sears
  - /software/basic-math-also-known-as-fun-with-numbers-new-name-from-1980-math-sears
  - /software/basketball
  - /software/blackjack
  - /software/combat-also-known-as-tank-plus-sears
  - /software/indy-500
  - /software/miniature-golf-also-known-as-arcade-golf-sears
  - /software/star-ship-also-known-as-space-mission-early-title-outer-space-sears
  - /software/street-racer-also-known-as-speedway-ii-sears
  - /software/surround-also-known-as-chase-sears
  - /software/video-chess
  - /software/video-olympics
  oc_id: 878
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230603105631/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=878
    date: '2023-06-03'
---

A new generation of games was born in the summer of 1977, a new concept revolutionizing leisure will let small leading and foreseeing companies make billions of dollars.

Although the Atari VCS is not the first video game console ever, it will become a star while beginning in November of 1977. Millions of young players will hold it as mankind’s best invention ever. The first console idea was developed in 1975 by Atari and Warner Bros, its parent company.

Initially the console was set to come with an integrated ROM game, but at the last minute, Atari preferred a cartridge version. This game was “Combat”. Most importantly, this first cartridge will allow console owners to wait a few months for the release of new games. A first series of 8 will be followed later by many, among them, the famous “Space Invaders”, a title giving Atari global success and will cash in more then $100 millions.

In two years, Atari sold more than 25 million consoles and earn $5 billion in sales, mostly from cartridges and optional accessories. Many third companies will also encounter success, such as Namco and its “Pacman”.

In 1982, the VCS becomes “2600” until Atari is sold in 1984, followed by new versions “5200” and “7800”. However, the 2600 continued to be produced and new games will appear until 1991. The VCS/2600 console thus lived for 14 years, a record longevity never equaled since by any console or computer.

---

**Bluekatt** (from Netherlands) comments:\
the atari's record has already been broken twice ( to a degree ) first by the nintendo famicom who went into production in japan in 1983 and went out of it in 2004 thats 21 years the other is the gameboy who has been running ever since 1989 in one form or another honorable mention is the playstation 1 who has also survived for 12 years one way or another for around 6 7 years as a hardware entity andnow as a integrated romchip and emulator calls in the ps 2 and 3