Gamers and gamblers

The group behind Atari Hotels has released artist renderings of its future gamers’ havens. The GSD Group hired architecture and design firm Gensler to create the “pop culture and video game-inspired” properties, the first of which will be built in Las Vegas and Phoenix.

GSD wants to build off the Strip on five to seven acres of land

The Las Vegas location has not been finalized. GSD wants to build off the Strip on five to seven acres of land, but that is the extent of what is known publicly. It will have about 400 rooms and, though it is video game-themed, it will also have a casino. GSD managing partner Napoleon Smith III told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that a location should be announced soon.

In addition to Las Vegas and Phoenix, GSD has plans to build Atari Hotels in Austin, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, San Jose, and Denver. The Las Vegas property is expected to open at the end of 2022.

Retro and modern combined

The Atari Hotel is a homage to the brand that started the home video game console industry over four decades ago and will feature Atari’s iconic logo in some form on the outside of the building. While it will likely attract fans of classic video games – it will feature retro arcades – GSD’s goal is to bring in all types of gamers, fans of days gone by and fans of the modern gaming era.

A word the company frequently uses when discussing the Atari Hotel concept is “immersive.” To that end, the hotel will be a place for guests to explore. Virtual and augmented reality will be a key part of the experience. The hotel will include a gaming arena – expect it to host e-sports events – as well as a speakeasy, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants.

infusing synthetic reality into every aspect of the hotel”

“Like Atari’s legacy in innovation, Atari Hotels is infusing synthetic reality into every aspect of the hotel, creating an immersive hospitality and gaming experience for our guests,” said CSD Group’s CEO and Managing Partner Shelly Murphy.

Fred Chesnais, CEO of Atari, added that Atari Hotel will cater to “gamers of all ages and experience levels, giving them a place to call home.”

And while the hotel seems like an obvious play on this era of 80’s (and 90’s) nostalgia, CSD believes it will be a place families and gamers of all generations can enjoy.

New Atari console on the way

Though Atari created the home video game industry, is the first name that comes to many minds when talking about classic games, and created hits like Missile Command and Asteroids, it has not capitalized on today’s gaming nostalgia craze like other companies have. Nintendo has released mini, “classic” versions of the NES and SNES and has made many of its older games available as digital downloads on more recent consoles. Sega also released a mini console and is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary with game giveaways.

Atari finally decided to jump on the nostalgia cash machine, announcing “Project Ataribox” in June 2017. Now called the Atari VCS, the home console’s design immediately caught fans’ attention, as a sleeker, modern callback to the iconic Atari 2600.

The Atari VCS’s base price is $400 for the console, a classic joystick, and a modern, Xbox-like controller. Other packages will come without controllers so customers can connect their own via Bluetooth. It is finally expected to ship in late November.