Atari and Digital Eclipse will release another DLC for Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, titled The First Console War, on November 8th, 2024. This new expansion explores the story of Atari’s first significant competitor in the video game console market: Mattel’s Intellivision.

The First Console War expands the content catalog of Atari 50, introducing 19 additional playable games. There are also eight video segments that detail the rivalry between Atari and Intellivision. They include video interviews featuring M Network programmer Jane Terjung, alongside video game historians Leonard Herman and Mike Mika. The expansion delves into the landscape of the console market during that era, explaining the motivations behind Mattel’s decision to create games for its primary competitor.

This DLC will be on various platforms, including PC, Switch, Xbox One and Series X|S, and PlayStation 4 and 5. Owners of the original game on Atari VCS will receive the DLC for free through an update in early 2025.

Titles Common and Loved or Rare and Unreleased

The list of games included in The First Console War features a mix of classics and rare titles, such as Air Raiders, Antbear (an unreleased game based on Stern IP), Armor Ambush, Astroblast, Frogs & Flies, International Soccer, Dark Cavern, Star Strike, Super Challenge Baseball, Super Challenge Football, Swordfight (a rare unreleased title), Sea Battle (also rare and unreleased), Tower of Mystery (an unreleased prototype that has recently been rescued), Video Pinball, Basketball, Hardball for Atari 8-bit, Final Legacy (prototype) for the 5200, Xari Arena for Atari 8-bit, and Desert Falcon for the 7800.

In addition to the games, players can expect a variety of new content in this DLC. This includes video interviews with industry professionals such as David Crane and Garry Kitchen from Activision, homebrew programmer Dennis Debro, and historians Leonard Herman and Mike Mika. A newly crafted timeline will illustrate the competition faced by Atari’s VCS from Mattel’s Intellivision, highlighting significant innovations and hidden gems from the late 1980s. The DLC also features more vintage advertisements and previously unseen historical artifacts. Fans are sure to get a much deeper insight into the intense rivalry between Atari and Mattel through all this.

The First Console War is set to launch globally on November 8. This coincides with the physical release of Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Expanded Edition on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. This physical edition will include the original game and both DLCs. Additionally, a Steelbook version for Nintendo Switch will be available. It features Atari 2600 art cards, miniature arcade marquee signs, and a replica business card from Al Alcorn’s Syzygy Co.