The Atari XEGS: The Console That Tried to Be Everything and Failed

In the late 1980s, Atari decided to throw a curveball into the gaming world with the release of the Atari XEGS, a console that was supposed to be the ultimate hybrid of a home computer and a gaming system. Released in 1987, the Atari XE Video Game System (XEGS) was Atari's attempt to capitalize on the booming video game market while also appealing to the home computer crowd. It was a bold move, but one that ultimately flopped harder than a fish out of water. The XEGS was launched in North America, a market already dominated by the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and it was supposed to be the savior of Atari's dwindling fortunes. Spoiler alert: it wasn't.

First off, let's talk about the design. The XEGS looked like it couldn't decide if it wanted to be a computer or a console. It came with a detachable keyboard, which was supposed to make it a functional home computer. But let's be real, who wanted to type out their homework on a gaming console? The design was clunky and unappealing, a far cry from the sleek and sexy NES that was capturing the hearts of gamers everywhere. The XEGS was like the mullet of gaming systems: business in the front, party in the back, and not particularly good at either.

The games library was another nail in the XEGS's coffin. Atari tried to recycle old Atari 8-bit computer games for the XEGS, which was like trying to sell stale bread as a gourmet meal. Gamers wanted fresh, exciting titles, not rehashed versions of games they had already played to death. The XEGS did come with a light gun and a pack-in game, "Bug Hunt," but it was too little, too late. The NES was offering groundbreaking titles like "Super Mario Bros." and "The Legend of Zelda," while the XEGS was stuck in the past, peddling games that were already gathering dust.

Marketing was another area where Atari dropped the ball. The XEGS was marketed as a family-friendly system, but the messaging was as clear as mud. Was it a computer? Was it a console? Who was it for? Atari's marketing team seemed to be throwing darts at a board, hoping something would stick. Meanwhile, Nintendo was laser-focused, targeting kids and young adults with a clear message: "Now you're playing with power." The XEGS's marketing was as confused as its design, and consumers were left scratching their heads.

Price was yet another issue. The XEGS was priced higher than the NES, which was a bold move considering it offered less in terms of games and performance. Atari seemed to think that the added keyboard and computer functionality justified the higher price tag, but consumers weren't buying it—literally. The NES was cheaper, had better games, and was backed by a marketing juggernaut. The XEGS was like a luxury car with a lawnmower engine, overpriced and underwhelming.

The timing of the XEGS's release was also a disaster. By 1987, the NES had already established itself as the king of the gaming world. Atari was trying to play catch-up, but they were running a race that had already been won. The XEGS was like a latecomer to a party where everyone else had already gone home. Atari's glory days were behind them, and the XEGS was a desperate attempt to reclaim past success. Spoiler alert: it didn't work.

In the end, the Atari XEGS was a cautionary tale of what happens when a company tries to be everything to everyone and ends up being nothing to anyone. It was a console that couldn't compete with the NES, a computer that couldn't compete with the likes of the Commodore 64, and a product that couldn't find its place in the market. The XEGS was a swing and a miss, a relic of a bygone era when Atari was a household name. Today, it's a footnote in gaming history, a reminder that sometimes, trying to do too much means you end up doing nothing at all.