They started 'blue sky' designs for a new console that would be ready to replace it around 1980, three years after the 2600's introduction. The engineering team from Atari Grass Valley Research Center (originally 'Cyan Engineering') felt that the 2600 would have about a three year lifespan before becoming obsolete. as soon as the Atari 2600 games console was released in late 1977. Overall, the Atari 8-bit computer line was a commercial success, selling two million units through its major production run between late 1979 and mid-1985, a total of around 4 million units.ĭesign of the 8-bit series of machines started at Atari Inc. Over the following decade several versions of the same basic design were released, including the original Atari 400 and 800 and their successors, the XL and XE series of computers.
All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips. The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992.
