Atari XP FAQ

Q: Will these cartridges work with my Atari 2600?
A: Atari XP cartridges are manufactured to exacting standards from all new parts and materials, with beveled edges to prevent pin damage, strong gold-plated connectors, and identical power draw to the originals to ensure they are compatible with the Atari 2600.

Q: What is an Atari 2600?
A: The Atari 2600 is a home video game console first released by Atari in 1977. Games for the 2600 were distributed on swappable ROM cartridges. The 2600 remains popular with video game enthusiasts, and the demand for both original and nelly made cartridges remains high.

Q: What comes with a Limited Edition cartridge?
A: The Limited Editions for each game include a newly manufactured, high-quality Atari 2600 cartridge made from special plastics, with accessories depending on the edition including but not limited to: a premium poster, a printed instructional manual with bonus material, a collectible pin and collectible badge, a certificate of authenticity, and a digital copy of the game playable on the Atari VCS. Please reference the individual product page for more information about each release. These Limited Edition cartridges are highly collectible and coveted.

Q: Where are the cartridges manufactured?
A: Atari XP cartridges are designed and manufactured in the United States.

Q: Where can I purchase Atari XP cartridges? Can I purchase from outside the United States?
A: At this time Atari XP cartridges for sale at Atari.com and are only available to customers residing in the United States. We anticipate adding international direct sales at a later date.

Q: Will my credit card be charged at the time of purchase?
A: Yes, your card will be charged at the time of purchase for both pre-order and in-stock items. 

Q: When will my order ship?

A: Please see the Shipping & Delivery article for additional information.

Q: How are orders shipped?

A: Orders are shipped via USPS, UPS, or FedEx.

Q: Can I cancel my pre-order?
A: Yes, you can cancel a pre-order within the pre-order window. Your card will be refunded for the full amount, less a 3 percent transaction processing fee.

After the pre-order window closes, cancellations will no longer be processed.

Q: What does the name Atari XP signify?
A: The Atari XP name is a tribute to the Atari Program Exchange (APX). The APX was a division of Atari, Inc. that sold software through a mail order catalog in the 1970s and 1980s. The quarterly APX catalog had a loyal following of owners of Atari's 8-bit home computers. Importantly, APX encouraged both professional and amateur programmers to submit software to be considered for commercial distribution, and by doing so encouraged a wave of software development.

Q: What kind of games will Atari be releasing on physical media?
A: We envision bringing three kinds of games to market.

  1. Games that were completed but never received an official release, or were only released in very limited quantities. 
  2. Games for which physical media has become extremely rare, and therefore hard to find. 
  3. A wide variety of classic games that would benefit from small improvements to graphic rendering on modern devices and the smoothness and accuracy of controls. These games will be carefully ‘reconditioned’ and then re-released.