Why did the Odyssey 2 fail?
Its graphics and few color choices, compared to its biggest competitors at the time—the Atari 2600, Mattel’s Intellivision and the Bally Astrocade—were its weakest point. Of these systems, the Odyssey 2 was listed by Jeff Rovin as being the third in total of sales, and one of the seven major video game suppliers. Unlike it’s predecessors who’s games were stored in logic on the boards with no actual programs, the Odyssey 2 featured rom cartridges. Released in 1978 and discontinued in 1984 and on released retailed for $200 ($960 today) with around 2 million units sold.
Was the Magnavox Odyssey 2 successful?
The Magnavox Odyssey 2 was a contender early on in the video game console world. It had a lot going for it, but it was up against a gaming juggernaut, the Atari 2600, and just couldn’t keep up. Still it is a memorable system and worth spending some time remembering. Unexpected problems soon began to haunt the program: First off, Magnavox featured Odyssey in their fall TV advertising in such a way that everyone got the impression that Odyssey would only work with Magnavox TV sets; then they set the price at a steep $100 for the game unit plus six program cards that could play .
Is the Magnavox Odyssey worth collecting?
Collecting & Value Today The Magnavox Odyssey is the holy grail of console collecting. A complete unit in original box with all overlays, game cards, and accessories sells for $500-1,500+ USD. Boxed units in excellent condition have exceeded $3,000 at auction. Even loose units without accessories command $150-300. Its high cost and Magnavox’s decision to sell it through its television set dealers—leading to the incorrect perception that it could be played only on Magnavox sets—limited its success. Only 100,000 units were sold.