Atari 2000

 

Designed as a cheaper, all-in-one version of the VCS, by Steve Mayer and Gregg Squires from Atari's WCI Lab in New York.  Originally called the CX2500 and code-named VAL (for "Value", although it was actually named for Gregg's wife), it was intended to be what the 2600 JR eventually became - a low-cost 2600.  A handful of prototypes exist, in both brown (original version from Atari's New York WCI lab) and blue (revised version from Atari's Sunnyvale lab) colors.  When the concept failed at various consumer clinics, Atari went back to the drawing board and changed the unit from a brown to a blue-colored unit to appeal to children (same color scheme as the Kid's Controllers).  Carts are inserted into the back. Both versions included controller jacks, but the built-in joysticks were poorly-designed (esp. those of the blue version) and the project was scrapped in favor of what eventually became the 2600 JR.

 


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