39 Atari 2600 games released on working physical cartridges

After nearly five decades of silence, a legendary pairing is back in action. Atari has officially announced a physical game collaboration with Activision, releasing the highly anticipated Atari x Activision Collection, a tribute that brings together a trove of gaming history.

This unexpected reunion delivers a substantial set of working, physical game cartridges, featuring 39 classic Activision titles, including iconic games like Pitfall!, River Raid, and Kaboom!.

Fans have multiple avenues to acquire this nostalgia. Individuals can secure standalone, Standard Edition versions of 12 of the games starting in November for $35 each. These editions come complete with full packaging and a printed, color manual inspired by the original releases, and are designed to be fully compatible with original Atari 2600 and 7800 hardware, as well as later systems like the Atari 2600+ and 7800+.

For those who want the entire legendary lineup, the collection is packaged in four comprehensive box sets: Treasure, Speed, Secrets, and Victory. These box sets will be available for pre-order starting in late November and will follow over the first three quarters of 2027, priced at $250 each.

The ultimate prize is the complete collection of all 39 games, which reportedly includes a yet-to-be-announced collectible item, available for pre-order for $1000.

Atari’s VP of hardware, Matt Burnett, highlighted the significance of this project, noting that in 1979, a group of programmers proved that phenomenal games could emerge from independent creators and fundamentally change the video game industry. “The Atari x Activision Collection brings that legacy to life through the games themselves, giving fans an opportunity to experience, collect and preserve the work of the developers who helped establish a new model for the video game industry,” Burnett stated.

The resurrection of these fresh, physical versions comes at an interesting moment. It offers tangible nostalgia amidst current market shifts, where collectors of physical media are navigating a challenging landscape, and other major players, like PlayStation, are moving away from physical discs.