Atari Cosmos

Lore & Background

The Atari Cosmos was created by Atari, Inc. engineers Allan Alcorn, Harry Jenkins and Roger Hector, with work beginning in 1978. Atari, Inc. purchased most of the rights to holographic items to make the system. The Cosmos was to have nine released games, but all game logic was included in the Cosmos itself; the cartridges only contained the holographic images and a notch to identify which game was included. This technically made the Cosmos a dedicated console, though Atari, Inc. did not publicize this fact.

The system uses a simple LED-based display but superimposes a two-layer holographic image over the LEDs for effect. Two small lights illuminate one or both of the holographic images depending on the game state. In advertisements made before its cancellation, Atari Inc. claimed the holographic images were life-like and 3D, but the images did not influence actual gameplay. There were only two images per game, though they enhanced each game's appearance. The system was intended to be powered by an AC adapter rather than batteries and would have supported up to two players.

In 1981, the Cosmos was exhibited at the 1981 New York Toy Fair. Reviewers were extremely critical, but Atari, Inc. stood by it and obtained 8,000 pre-orders at the show alone. Engineering logs indicate a 250-unit run was to be made, but it is unclear if they were all produced. In interviews by Curt Vendel with Al Alcorn and Steve Providence, management removed all parts and components from the 'Holoptics Lab'; they are speculated to have been destroyed. Shortly thereafter, Ray Kassar directed Al Alcorn to close down the Holoptics labs and remove all holographic photography equipment and associated machinery.

Reader's Guide

The Atari Cosmos holds significance as an early attempt to integrate holography into consumer gaming, predating widespread use of such technology. Its cancellation and the subsequent destruction of its development equipment have made it a highly sought-after collector's item. The system's design—where cartridges contained only holographic images and a game identifier, while all logic resided in the console—was a unique approach that Atari did not publicize. Despite critical reception at the 1981 New York Toy Fair, the Cosmos garnered 8,000 pre-orders, indicating market interest. The uncertainty over whether the planned 250-unit run was fully produced adds to its mystique. The system's legacy is tied to the broader story of Atari's experimental projects and the rapid shifts in the video game industry during the early 1980s. Its use of holography, though non-interactive, represented a novel visual enhancement for its time, and the system remains a notable artifact of unreleased gaming hardware.

Did You Know?

• The Atari Cosmos was never released and is now a coveted collector's item.
• The system's cartridges contained only holographic images and a notch to identify the game; all game logic was built into the console.
• Atari, Inc. obtained 8,000 pre-orders for the Cosmos at the 1981 New York Toy Fair despite critical reviews.