The
Atari 7800 ProSystem was,
sadly,
dead before it was
born.
(
sophia mode on) picture it. summer, 1984: (
sophia mode off)
Atari is getting revved up for the apparently imminent release of the 7800 ProSystem and the revival of video games themselves. (see video game crash of 1984)
Then,
jack tramiel (lack of caps intentional) buys
Atari.
Mr. tramiel visits the Atari production plant in El Paso.
5000 Atari 7800 ProSystems have been produced.
Plant manager Brad Saville Excitedly shows Mr. tramiel the Savior of Video games.
Mr. tramiel replies: "Get your pollution out of here! We make computers now and we don't want your garbage!"
Mr. Saville is fired, the 7800 is Canceled for a time.
The system that would have led the NES by more than a year ends up following it by more than a year, and without much of the planned launch software.