nov 23, 1993 - Atari Jaguar release
Description:
Price: equivalent to $442 in 2019Units sold: 250,000
The Atari Jaguar is a 64-bit home video game console that was developed by Atari Corporation, originally released in North America in November 1993.
The Jaguar is Atari's sixth programmable console. Controversially, Atari marketed the Jaguar as being the first 64-bit video game console,[1] while competing with the existing 16-bit consoles (Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System) and the 32-bit 3DO Interactive Multiplayer platform (which launched the same year). Development on the Atari Jaguar started in the early 1990s by Flare Technology. The Jaguar shipped with Cybermorph as the pack-in game.
The multi-chip architecture, hardware bugs, and lacking developer support tools made game development difficult. Underwhelming sales further contributed to the console's lack of third-party support. This, in addition to the lack of internal development at Atari, led to a games library comprising only 50 licensed titles, plus another 13 games on the Jaguar CD.
Atari attempted to extend the lifespan of the system with the Atari Jaguar CD add-on and marketing the Jaguar as the low-cost next generation console, with a price tag over $100 less than any of its competitors. With the release of the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation in 1995, sales of the Jaguar continued to fall, ultimately selling no more than 250,000 units before it was discontinued in 1996. The commercial failure of the Jaguar prompted Atari to leave the video game console market.
Added to timeline:
Date:
nov 23, 1993
Now
~ 31 years ago