Exhibit: Atari 2600 (1977–1992)
Released: September 11, 1977 (North America) · 1978 (UK)
Manufacturer: Atari
Units Sold: 30 million worldwide
Status: The console that defined home gaming
The Arcade Comes Home
Before the Atari 2600, gaming meant going to an arcade. After it, gaming meant staying home. The 2600 brought Space Invaders, Pitfall, Pac-Man, and dozens of other arcade classics into the living room — and in doing so, created the home gaming market as we know it.
Its joystick — a single stick with a single red button — became the template for gaming controllers for a decade. Its wood-panelled design was a product of its era, and it remains one of the most recognisable pieces of consumer electronics ever made.
Iconic Games
- Space Invaders — the game that quadrupled 2600 sales overnight
- Pitfall! — the first great action-adventure game
- Asteroids — vector graphics brought home
- Missile Command — Cold War anxiety as a game
- Adventure — the first action-adventure game with a hidden Easter egg
Collector's Corner
The Atari 2600 is a cornerstone of retro collecting. Boxed complete examples, particularly of the original heavy sixer model, are increasingly rare. The game library — over 500 titles — offers a lifetime of collecting. Rare titles like Air Raid and Red Sea Crossing have sold for tens of thousands.
Own a Piece of History
Our Atari 2600 consoles are fully tested, cleaned, and ready to play. The beginning of everything — in your living room.