According to Tom’s Hardware, the new machine, called THE 800XL, is a full-sized recreation of the original 8-bit computer launched in 1983. Developed by British outfit Retro Games Ltd in collaboration with Atari, it will cost $219.99 in the US and €219.99 in Europe, with shipments scheduled for 23 April 2027.
Retro Games has previously resurrected the Commodore 64, VIC-20 and ZX Spectrum, along with a miniature Atari 400. This time it has produced a faithful recreation of the original computer, including its distinctive beige casing and full-sized mechanical keyboard, because apparently somebody finally remembered that computers used to have personalities.
The machine comes with Atari BASIC built in, allowing owners to write and run their own programs just as they did more than 40 years ago. A working cartridge slot supports original software from the Atari 400, 800, XL, and XE families, giving surviving collections of ancient plastic something useful to do.
Modern conveniences include HDMI output, four USB ports and support for loading software from USB flash drives. The system supports PAL and NTSC display modes, while save states and a 30-second rewind feature should make particularly difficult games slightly less inclined to destroy your afternoon.
Atari includes 25 pre-installed games, including Asteroids, Centipede, Berzerk, Boulder Dash, Missile Command, and Millipede. Other titles include M.U.L.E., Miner 2049er, Star Raiders II, and The Seven Cities of Gold, offering a reasonable selection from an era when developers could produce entire games without demanding a 100GB download.
The package includes Retro Games’ THECXSTICK joystick, modelled on the original Atari controller. It keeps the familiar red fire button but adds seven more buttons around the base, presumably for players who have forgotten that one button used to be enough entertainment.
There are some compromises with authenticity. The machine uses USB connections for its controllers and does not appear to include the original Atari nine-pin joystick ports, which may disappoint enthusiasts hoping to reconnect their surviving hardware without adapters.
Retro Games has yet to provide details on the processor or internal architecture powering the recreation. That leaves open questions about how well it supports less common original peripherals and software, especially for enthusiasts who want to use the machine beyond its bundled games.
The original Atari 800XL was among the company’s most successful home computers, offering a full keyboard, 64KB of RAM and a MOS Technology 6502C-derived processor running at approximately 1.8MHz in North America. It competed with the Commodore 64 and other 8-bit machines at a time when buying a computer often meant learning to program it.
Retro Games chief operating officer Stuart Chiplin said the company wanted to preserve the original machine’s creative possibilities. He emphasised that the recreation was meant to capture the experience of programming and playing on an Atari, along with its familiar appearance.
PLAION REPLAI will handle manufacturing and distribution, with pre-orders already open. At $219.99, THE 800XL costs considerably more than a cheap emulation box, but buyers will at least get a proper keyboard and the chance to rediscover how much time they once spent typing BASIC listings, only to find a mistake on line 230.
