Intellivision Is Back, And You Won’t Believe Who’s Making It

[PopGeeks]

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Sorry for that clickbait-y headline. We’re normally above such things here, but it really is kinda hard to believe if you know a thing or two about gaming history. A new plug-and-play console is in the works for this holiday shopping season, and for the first time, it’s based on the Intellivision. Normally it’s the Atari 2600 and its similarly numbered cousins who get late 70s-early 80s recreations. Intellivision rarely receives a turn in the sun, so who made it happen? ….Believe it or not, Atari. Atari and Intellivision were the video game market’s first rivalry. The 2600 arrived first, but the INTV, originally brought to market by Mattel, showed up three years later with improved graphics (though not THAT improved to the modern eye) and a ruthless marketing campaign where personallity George Plimpton directly trashed his competition in head-to-head comparisons. Intellivision never really overtook Atari in market share, but did well enough to be a threat. Atari as we know it collapsed in the 1990s, and the brand has drifted from company to company since. Intellivision suffered a similar fate, though there was the wild twist of the brand being used to promote what may have been a scam, […]
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Intellivision Is Back, And You Won't Believe Who's Making It

Atari and Intellivision were the video game market's first rivalry. The 2600 arrived first, but the INTV, originally brought to market by...

popgeeks.com

 

[Victor]

Honestly, I never expected Atari to acquire the Intellivision name. The Amico mess made the brand feel doomed. But this move gives it new life. A 45th anniversary console makes sense, and the retro gaming market is strong right now. If the Sprint keeps the design of the original but adds modern quality-of-life features, like save states or HDMI support, it might be a hit for collectors.

 

[Bulma]

I think it is quite poetic that Atari is now the one reviving Intellivision. For decades they were rivals, and now they share the same roof. It feels like a strange kind of peace in gaming history. I grew up with both consoles, and even though the Intellivision controller was confusing, the games had charm. If the Sprint includes Astrosmash and Shark! Shark! with proper emulation, I will buy it just for nostalgia.

 

[Speitzarmunster]

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I think this is the most beautiful console ever made, even if it looks dated now. There was something elegant about the Intellivision design. The wooden finish gave it warmth and personality, unlike the cold metal or plastic boxes we have today. It looked like something that belonged in a living room, not just a game setup. You could tell it came from a time when electronics were made to blend with home furniture. I really wish more modern consoles would bring back that woodgrain style. It makes the system feel alive, not just another black rectangle under the TV.

 

[Rocco]

I think this release says something bigger about where gaming is now. We are starting to value preservation as much as innovation. Companies are finally realizing that players care about history. The Intellivision Sprint might not compete with new consoles, but it gives new generations a way to understand where modern games came from. That alone makes it important.

 

[Change]

The built-in game list sounds solid. Titles like Utopia and Sea Battle are classics that showed how creative the Intellivision library was. I like that Atari is not just focusing on the well-known names but including smaller but interesting ones too. It shows a real effort to represent the system’s diversity.

 

[StardustEcho]

Honestly, I’m surprised this is real. After the disaster of the Amico, I thought the Intellivision name was dead for good. Atari buying it and reviving the system feels like a redemption story. It’s also kind of poetic—two competitors from the 80s finally united under one company. I might get one just for that historic symbolism alone.

 

[28770062]

This makes me feel nostalgic but also reflective about how much the gaming industry has changed. In the 80s, Atari and Intellivision fought for players’ attention; now they share the same logo. It shows how history loops around. I think it’s cool that Atari is preserving more than just their own legacy. Even if I don’t buy it, I’m happy that these games will be playable again.

 

[ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔ]

I’ll probably skip it, to be honest. I already own too many mini consoles, and I’m not that attached to Intellivision’s catalog. But I still respect the effort. If this succeeds, maybe we’ll see more revivals of obscure systems. I’d love to see ColecoVision or Vectrex get similar treatment. It keeps gaming history alive in a fun way.