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Comprehensive Atari Jaguar Timeline. (1991-2008)


kevincal

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  • 6 months later...

Updated. :)

 

June, 1991 - Atari announced the 64-bit Atari Jaguar.

 

December, 1992 - Atari announced the Jag will be cartridge-based & released Summer 1993 for $150.

 

August, 1993 - Jaguar was unveiled to worldwide press. Atari announced that 50,000 units would be sold in New York, San Francisco, Paris, and London in October. With a worldwide release in 1994 & an MSRP of $200.

 

October, 1993 - Atari sued Sega for patent infringements.

 

November 18, 1993 - Atari released the Jaguar with Cybermorph set in limited quantities in San Francisco and New York City for $250. All available units were quickly bought.

 

November 18, 1993 - Trevor McFur in the Crescent Galaxy released.

 

1993 - Evolution: Dino Dudes released.

 

1993 - Raiden released.

 

1994 - Atari Jaguar officially released in the US, Canada and Europe.

 

April, 1994 - Warner Communications and Time Life Inc. merged to form Time-Warner. Atari Games was folded into the new Time-Warner Interactive.

 

April, 1994 - TWI announced plans to use Atari Corp.'s Jaguar technology in its arcade games. The first "CoJag" game planned was Area 51.

 

April 13, 1994 - Tempest 2000 released with an MSRP of $60. The game quickly became a best seller.

 

July, 1994 - Wolfenstein 3D released in limited quantities. All 3000 were sold in under 48 hours. A full release happened about 3 weeks later.

 

August, 1994 - Brutal Sports Football released in limited quantities. It was the 1st third-party game released for the Jaguar.

 

September, 1994 - Atari announced plans to release a modem for the Jaguar.

 

September 28, 1994 - Atari and Sega settled their infringement lawsuit. Sega payed Atari $50 million for patent rights, and bought 4.5 million shares of Atari's stock, valued at $40 million. There was talk between the two companies of releasing games on each other's systems (Jaguar & Saturn).

 

October 20, 1994 - Alien vs. Predator released with an MSRP of $70.

 

November, 1994 - Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story released with an MSRP of $60.

 

November, 1994 - Doom released with an MSRP of $70.

 

November, 1994 - Club Drive released with an MSRP of $60.

 

November, 1994 - Checkered Flag released with an MSRP of $70.

 

November, 1994 - Brutal Sports Football officially released (not limited).

 

November 21, 1994 - Atari announced the Jaguar would be available at all 25 Toys "R" Us stores and other selected stores in Japan.

 

December 9, 1994 - Kasumi Ninja released with an MSRP of $70.

 

December 9, 1994 - Bubsy In Fractured Furry Tales released with an MSRP of $50.

 

December 9, 1994 - Zool 2 released with an MSRP of $60.

 

December 22, 1994 - Iron Soldier released with an MSRP of $60.

 

January, 1995 - Val d'Isere Skiing and Snowboarding released with an MSRP of $60.

 

February 24, 1995 - Cannon Fodder released.

 

1995 - Syndicate released.

 

1995 - Troy Aikman NFL Football released.

 

March 13, 1995 - Atari Corp. and Williams Entertainment Inc. announced that Atari would be publishing "Mortal Kombat 3" for the Atari Jaguar 64-bit multimedia system.

 

1995 - Theme Park released.

 

1995 - International Sensible Soccer released.

 

1995 - Double Dragon V released.

 

1995 - Hover Strike released.

 

1995 - Pinball Fantasies released.

 

March 21, 1995 - Jaguar Core Set (64-bit Power Kit) released. Includes the system & controller (no game) for $150.

 

1995 - Jaguar system with Cybermorph set price reduced to $190. Included a free second controller & a free game, either Wolfenstein 3D or Tempest 2000

 

May, 1995 - At the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3), Atari announced a joint venture with Virtuality and unveiled the Jaguar VR headset. The only product of that venture ever released was Missile Command 3D.

 

June 26, 1995 - Atari hired Ted Hoff. Rumors of powerful leadership and prompt decisions soon followed.

 

July 5, 1995 - Super Burnout released.

 

August 1, 1995 - White Men Can't Jump released with the Team Tap 4-player adapter included for an MSRP of $70.

 

August 9, 1995 - Flashback released.

 

August 12, 1995 - Greg La Brec announced that a 2600 emulator was in the works. Atari could now package every single Atari-owned 2600 game with it, and have OVER 200 GAMES on the Jaguar.

 

August 28, 1995 - Flip-Out! released with an MSRP of $50

 

September 1, 1995 - Rayman released.

 

September 11, 1995 - Atari released the Jaguar CD for $150 with $100 worth of free software included (Blue Lightning, Vid Grid, Myst Demo & the Tempest 2000 Soundtrack.)

 

September, 1995 - Memory Track released.

 

September, 1995 - Power Drive Rally released with an MSRP of $55.

 

September, 1995 - Ultra Vortek released.

 

October, 1995 - JagLink Interface released with an MSRP of $30.

 

October, 1995 - Jaguar ProController released with an MSRP of $30.

 

October 18, 1995 - Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure released with an MSRP of $60

 

October 26, 1995 - Hoverstrike: Unconquered Lands released with an MSRP of $60.

 

October, 1995 - Highlander: The Last of the MacLeods released.

 

October, 1995 - Team Tap 4-player adapter released (individually) with an MSRP of $30

 

November, 1995 - Ruiner Pinball released with an MSRP of $60.

 

December 6, 1995 - Dragon's Lair released.

 

December 6, 1995 - Missle Command 3D released with an MSRP of $60

 

December 14, 1995 - Myst released.

 

December 15, 1995 - Fever Pitch Soccer released.

 

December 15, 1995 - I-War released.

 

December 16, 1995 - The Atari Jaguar 64-bit Power Kit system package was reduced in price from $150 to $100.

 

December 20, 1995 - Supercross 3D released.

 

December, 1995 - Battlemorph released.

 

December, 1995 - Primal Rage released.

 

December, 1995 - Baldies released.

 

December 22, 1995 - Atari Karts released with an MSRP of $60

 

December 27, 1995 - NBA Jam: Tournament Edition released with an MSRP of $70.

 

December, 1995 - Space Ace released.

 

December, 1995 - Defender 2000 released.

 

December 29, 1995 - Attack of the Mutant Penguins released with an MSRP of $60.

 

January 5, 1996 - Zoop released.

 

January, 1996 - Brain Dead 13 released.

 

1996 - Fight for Life released.

 

February 13, 1996 - Atari entered a "reverse merger" with JTS, a maker of computer disk drives. JTS acquired Atari's $50 million, and the Tramiels were able to liquidate their holdings in Atari (per SEC Rule 144). Atari Corp.'s operations were absorbed by JTS; Atari Corp. lived on for tax purposes, allowing for the licensing of game titles and patents. Most of the remaining Atari employees were released.

 

The closed video game division left behind an installed based of 150,000 Jaguar game systems and outstanding title development contracts amounting to an estimated $6 to $8 mill. Approx. 20 employees had been laid off, leaving 30 remaining which were to depart shortly. Layoffs included the entire Interactive division including management, accounting and legal personnel.

 

Atari, and the Jaguar, essentially "died"...

 

September 30, 1996 - Area 51 released. It was the first Co-Jag arcade game to be released.

 

1996 - The era of the "post Atari death" Jaguar began for the hardcore, diehard Jaguar fans.

 

December 9, 1996 - Breakout 2000 released.

 

December 9, 1996 - Towers II released.

 

1997 - Iron Soldier 2 (CD) released.

 

1997 - World Tour Racing released.

 

1997 - Air Cars released.

 

1997 - Zero 5 released.

 

1997 - Iron Solder 2 (Cart) released.

 

February 23, 1998 - JTS Corporation sold all of its Atari assets to Hasbro Interactive for $5 million in cash.

 

May 14, 1998 - Hasbro announced that they had released all rights to the Jaguar to the public; independent hobbyists and developers were thus able to develop Jaguar games and peripherals without fear of legal repercussions from Hasbro. (Thunderbird got this done, right? :) )

 

May 15, 1998 - At the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, Hasbro officially relaunched Atari as their home video game label, a subdivision of Hasbro Interactive. Updated versions of classic Atari titles like Pong, Missile Command, Star Raiders, and other games for the Sony PlayStation and Nintendo 64 were announced.

 

May 15, 1998 - Worms released.

 

December 20, 1999 - Protector released with an MSRP of $75

 

February 7, 2000 - Soccer Kid released with an MSRP of $75

 

February 29, 2000 - Battlesphere™ released.

 

April 10, 2000 - Hyperforce released with an MSRP of $75

 

May 22, 2000 - Skyhammer released with an MSRP of $80

 

September, 2001 - Spacewar 2000 Demo released.

 

2002 - CD Bypass Cart released by B & C.

 

2002 - Demolition Man Demo released by B & C.

 

March 15, 2002 - Battlesphere Gold™ released with extras for $160.

 

April 30, 2002 - Protector: SE (cart) released by Songbird Productions for $75 w/box & manual.

 

June 5, 2002 - Phase Zero Demo released by B & C (cart only) for $50

 

July, 2002 - Barkley Shut Up & Jam! released by B & C ComputerVisions for $60 (cart only).

 

February, 2003 - ScatoLOGIC ScatBox™ released.

 

March, 2003 - Black Ice/White Noise Revision 18 for the Jag CD released by Clint Thompson.

 

April, 2003 - American Hero Demo released for the Jaguar CD by Stone.

 

August 9, 2003 - Painter released for the Jaguar CD.

 

August 12, 2003 - Air Cars was made available at B & C ComputerVisions for $40 (cart only). These are not the rare, originally released Air Cars by ICD. In-game content are the same though.

 

January 9, 2004 - Brett Hull NHL Hockey (cart only) released by B & C for $50.

 

2004 - Ocean Depths released by Lars Hannig.

 

2004 - Soul Star Beta (bootleg) was put up for auction regularly on eBay.

 

May 21, 2004 - Jay Smith created the "Jaguar Sector II" message board. Insanity ensued. :D

 

2004 - Jaguar Sector II Extremist Pack #1 released by Jay Smith.

 

2004 - Jaguar Sector II Extremist Pack #2 released.

 

2004 - Jaguar Sector II Extremist Pack #3 released.

 

August 8, 2004 - Jaguar Sector II Commemorative Pack released by Jay Smith.

 

September, 2005 - Total Carnage released.

 

October 31, 2005 - Fight For Life Beta released at JSII for $50.

 

February 1, 2006 - Gorf Classic released. The game was developed by 3D Stooges which includes JSII regular Steve Scavone (Gorf).

 

April, 2006 - Atomic released for free on the Jaguar CD.

 

June 9, 2006 - Battlesphere Trio™, a one-of-a-kind cart was put up for auction on eBay. All proceeds went to Diabetes research thanks to the Scatologic team which included the JSII regular, Doug Engel (Thunderbird).

 

July 15, 2006 - Arena Football '95 Prototype released exclusively at Jaguar Sector II for $50 (cart only). It also became available at B & C ComputerVisions.

 

July 23, 2006 - DiamJag released by JagWare team.

 

October 31, 2006 - Double Feature #1 released by Matthias.

 

2006 - Black Ice/White Noise Revision 19 released by BJ West, one of the original programmers for the game.

 

October 1, 2007 - Alien vs. Predator Beta released exclusively at Jaguar Sector II, complete with custom, original style box and inserts. Only 32 copies were produced, with the first 7 being Collector's Editions (£44 each) with the rest costing £36 each.

 

October 30, 2007 - Frog Feast released. It included box, manual and cartridge for $50.

 

February 23, 2008 - Jaguar Sector II Extremist Pack #4 released by Jaysmith2000.

 

April 11, 2008 - Jaguar Sector II Jaguar Press Conference DVD released by Jaysmith2000.

 

July 6, 2008 - Jaguar Sector II American Hero PC Files & Beta released by Jaysmith2000.

 

August 24, 2008 - Jaguar Sector II Source Code Collection released by Jaysmith2000.

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post-4709-1241316309_thumb.jpgpost-4709-1241316342_thumb.jpg post-4709-1241317069_thumb.jpg

 

 

August 12, 2000-The Atari Jaguar with CD Rom and Battlesphere is featured on the front cover of the Dallas Morning News. This teaser for the personal technology section said "The Atari Jaguar was the world's first 64-bit interactive multimedia system."

 

Dec 24, 2006 - Surrounded is released for free by Three Stooges Software. "The GPU is succesfully JUMPing and JRing around in main RAM, unassisted. This was impossible according to Atari. This demo proves otherwise." - Gorf

 

September 7, 2008 - Skunkboard Rev 1 orders start, initial run is sold out within 48 hours. The Skunkboard rev 1 has one bank of 4 mb of memory to flash a rom image, or could load ram based programs (BJL like). The Rev 1 and Rev 2 would be sold for $85 USD.

 

April 18, 2009 - Skunkboard Rev 2 orders mailed out. Nearly 170 orders fullfilled as of May 2, 2009. Skunkboard Rev 2 has two 4 mb memory banks (can hold 2 rom images selectable at startup), or combine the two banks to run one 6 mb bank, and has the ability to run ram based programs as well (BJL like) and other abilities as a development board.

 

April 20, 2009 - Jagware announces the production of the Compact Flash adaptors has begun. Capibilities of the CF adaptor allow for more RAM, much faster and more reliable media than the JagCD, additional processing power, USB connection to a PC, support for mouse and keyboard, and non-buggy networking. (Paraphrase of Zerosquare's comment on April 22, 2009) (This listed as the latest news on the CF Adaptor. When the CF Adaptor is sold that date will replace this entry.)

Edited by doctorclu
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So why can't I find a NIB Tempest 2000 if there were so many made?

 

Nice timeline, thanks for your efforts

 

I actually edited out that 350,000 copies of T2K sold in this last update... Someone had pointed that out before as not being very believeable. I gathered the information for this timeline from many places, and I don't remember where I found that 350,000 number. It is possible that Atari produced that many, because Tempest 2000 was released in early 1994, not long after the Jag came out. T2K was praised accross the board and sold extremely well, so Atari might have gone all out in producing it, not knowing the Jag would be dead in less than 2 years... The number of Jags sold worldwide is about 150,000. Most tend to agree with this number. Atari may have well sold 350,000 copies of T2K to distributors around the world, with only maybe 100,000-150,000 of them being sold to consumers. So it's quite possible there's TONS of NIB boxes of T2K sitting around in places around the world. :D Thanks for the compliment. It was fun to do. :)

 

Does that original Tempest 2000 perhaps include sales of the other (ported) version too. (ie Tempest X3)

 

I seriously doubt it. Never know though...

 

post-4709-1241316309_thumb.jpgpost-4709-1241316342_thumb.jpg post-4709-1241317069_thumb.jpg

 

 

August 12, 2000-The Atari Jaguar with CD Rom and Battlesphere is featured on the front cover of the Dallas Morning News. This teaser for the personal technology section said "The Atari Jaguar was the world's first 64-bit interactive multimedia system."

 

Dec 24, 2006 - Surrounded is released for free by Three Stooges Software. "The GPU is succesfully JUMPing and JRing around in main RAM, unassisted. This was impossible according to Atari. This demo proves otherwise." - Gorf

 

September 7, 2008 - Skunkboard Rev 1 orders start, initial run is sold out within 48 hours. The Skunkboard rev 1 has one bank of 4 mb of memory to flash a rom image, or could load ram based programs (BJL like). The Rev 1 and Rev 2 would be sold for $85 USD.

 

April 18, 2009 - Skunkboard Rev 2 orders mailed out. Nearly 170 orders fullfilled as of May 2, 2009. Skunkboard Rev 2 has two 4 mb memory banks (can hold 2 rom images selectable at startup), or combine the two banks to run one 6 mb bank, and has the ability to run ram based programs as well (BJL like) and other abilities as a development board.

 

April 20, 2009 - Jagware announces the production of the Compact Flash adaptors has begun. Capibilities of the CF adaptor allow for more RAM, much faster and more reliable media than the JagCD, additional processing power, USB connection to a PC, support for mouse and keyboard, and non-buggy networking. (Paraphrase of Zerosquare's comment on April 22, 2009) (This listed as the latest news on the CF Adaptor. When the CF Adaptor is sold that date will replace this entry.)

 

 

May 2, 2009 - Force Designs releases Mad Bodies for ordering.

 

Thanks Doc, these are good. I'll add them to the list. ;) Never seen the Jag in the paper! That's really cool and neat that you saved the papers. :D I bet Buddies would like those papers. :P

Edited by kevincal
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Updated. :)

 

February 13, 1996 - Atari entered a "reverse merger" with JTS, a maker of computer disk drives. JTS acquired Atari's $50 million, and the Tramiels were able to liquidate their holdings in Atari (per SEC Rule 144). Atari Corp.'s operations were absorbed by JTS; Atari Corp. lived on for tax purposes, allowing for the licensing of game titles and patents. Most of the remaining Atari employees were released.

 

The closed video game division left behind an installed based of 150,000 Jaguar game systems and outstanding title development contracts amounting to an estimated $6 to $8 mill. Approx. 20 employees had been laid off, leaving 30 remaining which were to depart shortly. Layoffs included the entire Interactive division including management, accounting and legal personnel.

 

 

Actually, that reverse merger didn't get approved and carried out until July 30th-31st. And it was 125,000 units sold by Dec. 31st, 1995, with 100,000 remaining in inventory. Its possible they sold another 25,000 a little over a month later but highly unlikely, since their SEC report states problems selling any at the time even at a $99 rate.

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Actually, that reverse merger didn't get approved and carried out until July 30th-31st. And it was 125,000 units sold by Dec. 31st, 1995, with 100,000 remaining in inventory. Its possible they sold another 25,000 a little over a month later but highly unlikely, since their SEC report states problems selling any at the time even at a $99 rate.

 

Geez, what was the fate of the last 100,000? I remember seeing some kind of ad for $29 Jaguars sometime after Atari went bust. I should have loaded up then...

 

- KS

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Good question! It's possible they just threw a lot of them in the garbage... Hardly anyone wanted to buy a Jag in 1996, even for a low price... :(

 

 

No, they most likely were liquidated.

 

Sure, probably a lot were... But 100,000?! Even at liquidation prices, they'd have a heck of a time selling anyone that many Jags in 1996... A lot of them were probably destroyed/trashed (or possibly recycled?) I bet. Maybe they took some more truckloads to the infamous ET dump sight. :D

Edited by kevincal
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Thanks Doc, these are good. I'll add them to the list. ;) Never seen the Jag in the paper! That's really cool and neat that you saved the papers. :D I bet Buddies would like those papers. :P

 

Thanks, I bet he has a copy of the paper to be honest. :) I made sure to mail out copies to all sorts of people who asked, and Doug at Scatologic sent me a thank you note (and some unused battlesphere stickers, manuals, and boxes) saying "Thanks for putting us on the map!"

 

That was also when I discovered Jaguar Interactive 2 and all the Jaguar community for the first time. I have to say, the beginning of something awesome.

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Thanks Doc, these are good. I'll add them to the list. ;) Never seen the Jag in the paper! That's really cool and neat that you saved the papers. :D I bet Buddies would like those papers. :P

 

Thanks, I bet he has a copy of the paper to be honest. :) I made sure to mail out copies to all sorts of people who asked, and Doug at Scatologic sent me a thank you note (and some unused battlesphere stickers, manuals, and boxes) saying "Thanks for putting us on the map!"

 

That was also when I discovered Jaguar Interactive 2 and all the Jaguar community for the first time. I have to say, the beginning of something awesome.

Speaking Doug at Scatologic has anyone seen Doug AKA "Thunderbird"?

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If those numbers are correct then Atari (Tramiel) didn't learn the lesson from the 2600 days and ET cartridge. Funny how history can repeat itself at times.

 

In fairness, I think they probably assumed that the Jaguar would sell more than 150,000 units and that Tempest (one of the few great reviewed games they had) would sell well enough.

 

They didn't manufacture millions more. They had probably taken out manufacturing orders based upon forecasts made in 1994.

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