Released in the United states on September 11th, 1977, the Atari Video Computer System, or VCS, heralded the popularization of ROM cartridge-based home video game consoles. Its launch titles featured assorted games like Combat, Air-Sea Battle, Street Racer, and Indy 500. Predominantly single screen, arcade action titles, with more varied game types, including multi-screen games such as the revolutionary Adventure, by Warren Robinett. The system rose to prominence, dominating the competition, until a series of executive blunders and shortsightedness laid the company low, allowing Nintendo to seize the reins of the growing United States home video game industry.

Continuing Atari's OEM agreement with Sears under the Tele-Games label, Sears released the Sears Video Arcade in 1977. A licensed copy of the Atari Video Computer System which was released by Atari in this same year. Many games were published with the Sears Tele-Games branding on both the packaging, and the game cartridge labels, with a few Tele-Games exclusive titles being produced by Atari for Sears. Submarine Commander, Steeplechase, and Stellar Track were never released with Atari branding. All Sears Video Arcade games and peripherals are fully compatible with the Atari Video Computer System, as the line was only a branding change.

Sears' brand name and retail presence across the United States was such that the Sears Video Arcade was able to move a quarter of a million systems in its launch year. The controllers and other accessories retained their original appearance, with no changes in color or trim design. Game cartridges were rather plain, often bearing no artwork. Instead, the games were labeled with colored text. After Atari had re-designed the Video Computer System, Sears elected to do the same, but instead using the Japanese Atari 2800 variation of the Video Computer System, which sported a more futuristic case design similar to that which would be used for the Atari 7800, and combined joystick and paddle controllers, again with designs similar to what would be used for the 7800.

With the release of the Atari 5200 SuperSystem in 1982, the Atari VCS was then dubbed the Atari 2600, to maintain brand line consistency. The model of Atari 2600 released in 1982 with this branding is the Atari 2600 CX-2600a, also known as the "Vader" model due to its all-black color scheme, with minimalistic silver styling. Atari promoted the relaunch with the massive (to a possibly fault) library of games, and the low MSRP compared to competitor game systems.

This influx of profit continued to aid Atari's projects and maintain brand awareness. Game packaging was redesigned to reflect the new styling, with silver boxes sporting a rainbow stripe above the cover art and title. This design continued through 1985, until it was replaced with a red box styling in an effort to revitalize the brand while reducing costs.

In 1986, the Atari 2600 was re-engineered and built into a smaller form-factor, dubbed the 2600 Jr by fans. This version of the system was sold as a budget gaming system for "under fifty bucks", and was compatible with all previous Atari 2600 game cartridges. All package styling was changed from silver to red with a new logo. This refresh of the console served to extend its life to such a degree that it had begun to compete with Atari's other home consoles, the 5200 and the newly-launched 7800.

What had started as a revolution, ended like many such events in history, as Atari's ceaseless bungling of hardware development, software development, and general lack of business acumen have sabotaged the value of the brand, and even today, are warding people away from the Atari Jaguar. Maybe pick one of those up when they're on inevitable clearance. Who knows? Maybe they'll be museum pieces in the future.