The Discovery Channel’s “Game Changers” docuseries sets its sights on Atari, the once-unstoppable titan of video games, in its latest episode, “Atari Takes the Lead.” Airing Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 9:01 PM ET, this third installment in the eight-part series examines the company’s meteoric rise and equally dramatic fall, focusing on the era that spawned Pong and Pac-Man.
While hardly an unexplored corner of pop culture history, “Atari Takes the Lead” is expected to offer a reasonably balanced look at the company’s legacy. Expect the usual mix of talking heads—inventors, journalists, over-enthusiastic collectors, and the odd author—all eager to share their perspectives on these early arcade games and their impact.
The episode will revisit the familiar narrative of Pong’s breakout success, its contribution to the home console boom, and the subsequent struggles to maintain that momentum. The story then pivots to the licensing of Pac-Man, a move that briefly rejuvenated Atari but ultimately failed to prevent the company’s decline.
Whether “Game Changers” unearths any genuinely new insights into this well-trodden territory is a question mark. But for those seeking a breezy overview of Atari’s pivotal role in shaping video game history, this episode might just be worth a look.
Game Changers “Atari Takes the Lead” airs Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 9:01 PM ET on Discovery.
