Atari's Jaguar steals 3DO's thunder on CBS (Oct.23,1993)
From: Atari SIG (xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Date: 02/20/94-12:40:18 AM Z
From: xx004@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Atari SIG)
Subject: Atari's Jaguar steals 3DO's thunder on CBS (Oct.23,1993)
Date: Sun Feb 20 00:40:18 1994
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:: Volume 2 - Issue 18 ATARI EXPLORER ONLINE 23 October 1993 ::
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||| Atari's Jaguar steals 3DO's thunder on CBS This Morning
||| By: Travis Guy
/ | \ GEnie: AEO.MAG Delphi: AEO_MAG Internet: aeo.mag@genie.geis.com
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//// This originally appeared as an AEO NEWS! Bulletin on Oct. 8, 1993
Finally breaking loose from its well crafted veil of mystery, the
Atari Jaguar made its national television debut early today on the CBS
news program CBS This Morning. Placed squarely in competition with the
3DO system, Atari's new machine looked to be in good shape in the
battle of the next generation videogame systems.
For those who couldn't see the CBS This Morning piece, the Jag played
second fiddle to the 3DO... in terms of placement and air time only.
Herb Weisbaum, consumer reporter for KIRO-TV, Seattle, opened his
three and a half minute live report with a Panasonic REAL 3DO
Multiplayer at his side, telling viewers only that there were two new
video game machines coming to market. "Both are better than anything
that's ever come before."
3DO was presented as a 32-bit machine that relies on CDs to deliver
action and realism. Lots of footage of Crash and Burn, the Panasonic
player's pack-in game, played throughout the 3DO segment, interspersed
with snippets from other 3DO games. Ken Williams, President of Sierra
On-Line said of 3DO, "It's got the horsepower to deliver the games we
always dreamed about."
3DO CEO Trip Hawkins demoed PGA Tour Golf, saying it has, "The look
and feel of a TV broadcast." Kirkland, Washington's Boy Scout troop
616 was given an opportunity to play with a 3DO machine - the comments
from the Scouts ranged from, "It's cool" to "A lot better than Super
Nintendo and Genesis."
Weisbaum warned, "Right now, 3DO stands alone. But not for long."
Suddenly, the familiar Fuji and the ATARI logo appeared on screen -
Atari's first direct mention.
The Jaguar was presented as "an even more powerful system," a 64-bit
machine to sell for "just 250 dollars", and to which a $200 CD-ROM
can be added. The Jaguar, a controller, and a CD-ROM unit attached to
another Jaguar - all sitting in front of a Jaguar shipping box - were
displayed.
Cuts from Crescent Galaxy, Cybermorph and Raiden were shown being
played: "The first time Jaguar software has been seen on TV. The
games are colorful, fast-paced, with lots of action."
Atari President Sam Tramiel said, "I love shoot'em up games. That's
what people like to play.... The big thing is to have a lot of fun
with your software. That's the key."
Glenn Rubenstein, a videogame reviewer for the San Francisco
Examiner, was seen having been given some time to spend with a Jaguar.
"For 250 dollars, I'm very impressed with the Jaguar." Rubenstein
laughed, "I would actually spend my own money. Not a lot of
journalists would say that about a product, but I would actually go
out and buy a Jaguar."
Weisbaum closed his report on Atari by saying Rubenstein would have to
wait until November for the Jaguar's San Francisco and New York
rollout, with national distribution coming in 1994.
He then pointed out that 3DO is going to the stores now. For $700. CBS
This Morning anchor Harry Smith asked Weisbaum, "Who's going to pay
that?"
Weisbaum answered, "They [3DO] say people will for brand new
technology."
He also added that the machines (both 3DO and Jaguar) will be able to
connect to digital networks to enable players to play games linked
across the country.
Harry Smith neatly summed up the segment, "Hot stuff, Herb."
Notes:
//// From the background I was given, CBS was planning a story on 3DO,
when they heard about Atari's Jaguar. After spending 4 hours at Atari
on Tuesday, they felt that it was worthy to include it in their story.
//// The Atari logo and Fuji shown in the broadcast should be part of
what appears when you power up a Jaguar without a cartridge or CD-ROM
installed.
//// I reached Herb Weisbaum later in the day by phone, and asked him
what were his personal impressions on both machines. He declined to
take a stand on that, saying, "At this moment, I have trouble playing
Pong."
//// Atari Corp. also confirmed via phone that the Atari Jaguar will
retail for $249. This includes one controller and one pack-in game.
//// CBS This Morning airs weekdays on most CBS stations from 7am to
9am (Eastern and Pacific times) and 6am to 8am (Central time).
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