“What is the Retro VGS?”

Confession: I was going to write an opinion piece, maybe a list feature, all about the Retro VGS console project. I have certainly been critical of the project recently. I was considering writing just about its Facebook page, highlighting items such as the interesting edit history of something they posted just a couple hours ago or Chris Alaimo’s burn.

But, the thing is, I’m not so much of a hater as to not see the intrigue behind the idea (a new cartridge-based, retro-style console), or to have any hard feelings against anyone who is interested in it, or to even think the fundraising effort will definitely fail. Hey, there might be a few thousand middle-aged classic-gaming fans out there with disposable income willing to plop some dough down for a nostalgic experience. I even hope that those people get what they want, and share it with their friends and family.

So, instead, I want to just introduce the idea, and let people form their own reactions and opinions, and broaden the discussion just a little more. I think that can be valuable.

Here are some general resources for learning about one of the bigger stories in the retro gaming scene right now.

What the heck is the VGS?

The VGS, as I understand it, is a new console that will support cartridge games with retro-style gameplay.

If it looks familiar, it is because the design is made directly from the tooling responsible for the Atari Jaguar. This was available for purchase, so Mike Kennedy snagged it. You may also know Kennedy from RETRO magazine and the Retro Gaming Roundup podcast.

Just three days ago, the Retro VGS team launched their Indiegogo fundraising page. They are hoping to crowdsource funding to a tune of $1.95 million dollars. As of this writing, they have gathered 186 backers and $65,918 in funds.

To learn more information, you can dig into interviews Kennedy has conducted, such as this informative episode of The Retro League podcast. You can always count on the League for good details in their work, and they definitely deliver here. Here are some quotes from Kennedy, from the first ten minutes of this podcast:

“I want this to be a big market, I want this to be an avenue for developers to… make games for it that currently aren’t making money anywhere else.” — after stating that he has a vision of the VGS selling 20,000+ units.

“The bottom line is: Nobody’s making any money.” — addressing the question of why a developer would want to create games for the VGS.

“How much demand is there for this? I don’t know. Nobody’s going to know until we turn [the fundraiser page] on.” 

“Now’s the time.” — noting the prominence of retro-style games such as Shovel Knight on the current scene. The interview was published May 30, 2015. Kennedy hopes to be selling VGS systems in latter 2016.

“Where do we draw the line?” — talking about the process of developing the hardware, and finding that for “another ten bucks we can do this, for another twenty bucks we can do this,” they could continue expanding the capabilities of the machine.

Again, I am going to keep my opinions to myself mostly, as pertains to the quotes, and let you draw your own conclusion. It may be worth noting, though, that backers can begin to expect a VGS of their own at the $300 level of support.

It may also be worth noting that Towerfall, once touted as a killer app for the Ouya, sold 7,000 copies on that particular device, which cost $100 after raising $8.6 million in its own fundraising campaign.

Here are two specific issues I have with the project that I will go ahead and voice, however:

1) It seems like a contradiction, to me, to try and set up the mass appeal of the product (wanting to sell over 20,000 units, speaking in rather authoritative terms about gamers’ desires to do away with online gaming, hinging on the phrase “around the world” in the pitch video, etc.) yet then seem to pursue a strategy (continually tweaking the unit to enhance its capability and ultimate raise its price, the whole concept of bothering to use plastic cartridges in the first place, asking for almost $2 million in funds, etc.) that seems to leverage the VGS as a premium-market product.

Which is it? Is this the machine that will lead a mass revolution against the terrors of modern gaming, that will ignite the hearts of the commoner in communal enjoyment of pixels forever? Or is this a niche item that serious collectors will enjoy?

I am confident it is the latter, but trying to promote it as a bit of the former just rubs me the wrong way, for lack of a better phrase. Really, hear me on this: I would not criticize the Retro VGS one bit if they came out right away and said, “Hey, we are making a very specialized item that will do a very specific thing that a very nuanced subset of hobbyists will really get a kick out of.”

That would be fair, and that would be great! I can imagine that some people will get a real thrill out of opening the box of a new game, pulling out the plastic cartridge, and pushing it into their VGS to enjoy for hours on end. That could be really cool.

… but do you need $2 million for that experience? I am far from an expert in anything related to this sort of scale for this kind of thing, but wow. I can see this being a neat pick on an online storefront for those who want it, but to act like this is going to be the hot item at your local department store is kinda weird. I dunno. I could be wrong.

2) My one deep-down, genuine problem with the whole concept is the perpetuation of the “us vs. them” mentality, creating a divide between “modern” and “retro” gaming where there could just as well be an overlapping community.

I have always felt that being inclusive is better than being exclusive, being positive is better than being negative (feel free to call “hypocrite” at this very post you’re reading, but I think it provides more benefit than consequence, but I am definitely also a hypocrite, yes), and enjoyment is better than harm.

And, to the VGS team’s credit, they’re not being, like, super antagonistic or anything. But the tone of their messaging is kinda troublesome, in terms of complaining about things (like digital games, online connectivity) that… aren’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, they’re great things, when all is said and done.

I’m very open to the possibility that I’m reading deeper into things than I should be. It happens with hobbies.

I am not as critical of the VGS as others have been. When I raised the topic on Twitter, I was a little surprised at how quick people were to immediately dismiss the whole idea as stupid. Others on Twitter, in fact, have had downright scathing critiques today. No, seriously, click that link, it’s a really fascinating, potentially devastating way to look at the whole VGS mindset.

Maybe I will be utterly wrong: The fundraising will be a success, and there will be absolutely no problems or delays with delivering a fine product to the people who want it, and everyone will agree that this is a great contribution to gaming, and it will result in no controversies whatsoever.

… it’s just really hard to type that with a straight face.

Two more notes that may be of interest to those seeking more VGS information:

Here is a thread on the AtariAge forums where a former member of the VGS team replies to some criticism from said team.

Here is someone else’s thoughts on the VGS. They literally just tweeted this to me as I was writing this blog post. I have not even read it.

Like I said, I am glad to see that discussion is being fostered, at least. I look forward to continuing to be in the conversation.

… this really was, truly, supposed to be a quick little post. Whoops. My bad.

I should really go to bed.

Game on!