Atari did a lot of things in the golden age of gaming, but few people would’ve guessed it ran summer camps in the 1980s. In many ways, it’s unimaginable, but through a modern lens, it makes perfect sense. Atari sought to capitalize on the potential of young programmers by encouraging their passion with organized fun, because they were the entertainment creators of the future.
These camps combined computer science and programming with those classic, all-American camp traits: social activities, sports, swimming, music, and arts. Atari Computer Camps, as they were known, were recently dug up from company archives by new-ish CEO Wade Rosen and his team–and these outdoorsy expeditions are being immortalized through a thoroughly 80s fashion line-up.
Atari has unveiled the Summer Camp Collection: a limited-edition range of clothing and accessories that hopes to celebrate a unique moment during the early 80s, when Atari tried something simultaneously delightful, ambitious, and frankly hilarious. This old-school collection, which features T-shirts, tanks, totes, caps, and hats, is now available and can only be bought during the next two weeks.
It serves as the true foundation of the once-mysterious “Atari Club” that the company launched recently with its Tempest-themed clothing drop. This barely discussed idea finally makes sense, thanks to the history the Summer Camps selection celebrates.
Rosen says: “In the early 80s, there was an Atari Club you could sign up for by clipping a form out of the Atari Age magazine and mailing it in. Members had access to exclusive games, discounts, and merchandise.
In the spirit of 1982, Atari has now relaunched open enrolment for the Atari Club–“a nexus for connecting Atari with fans and partners, creating shared experiences and collaborating on future projects.” The company wants to find new ways to inject gaming culture into everyday life, much like the Computer Camps did.
“The Atari Club is inspired by the passion our fans have for our brand and is driven by our desire to engage with them as we go through this revival,” says Rosen. “The club is also a platform for us to explore and experiment with the Atari brand and what it means to people, and will also serve as a platform for us to collaborate with partners in order to bring new products and experiences to members.
“Over the past 50 years Atari has become as much a pop culture brand as it is a gaming brand, it is recognized around the world. Gaming has become more ingrained in our shared experience. The Atari Club will both celebrate and explore that connection.”
Atari Club goes hand in-hand with another huge announcement this week: the remake of the iconic Atari 2600, a backward-compatible unit that hopes to take memories of the console from emulation to simulation. Having played one today, there’s a very, very good chance it’ll hit the mark with old-school gamers–even if you need to break those controllers in.
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