Cyberpunk 2077 runs on Atari VCS, but not very well

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You can play Cyberpunk 2077 on your Atari VCS, it'll just take a little longer to get where you're going

Now that the dust is settling from the launch of PS5 and Xbox Series X, let us remind you that Atari also has a new console coming out, and it can technically run Cyberpunk 2077.

The Atari VCS is an upcoming console officially billed as "a completely modern gaming and video computer system." Of course, the true test of any current-gen platform is its ability to run CD Projekt's latest stair climber for graphics cards, Cyberpunk 2077. And as you can see, the new Atari console boots up Cyberpunk just fine, and everything runs smoothly as long as you're standing in place and not looking around. Once you do anything though, you'll notice each and every frame crawling slowly along.

It's worth noting that YouTuber Kevin Kenson didn't need to rig the Atari VCS to run Cyberpunk 2077; the console is essentially a mini-computer with a dedicated "PC mode" that allowed him to boot up a Windows operating system and start the game as usual. Kenson does note the guttural cries coming from the internal fan, and as mentioned earlier the framerate likely hovers somewhere between the single digits and zero, but there won't be anything stopping you from playing Cyberpunk 2077 on your brand new Atari console when it launches sometime this year.

It's hardly a dig on Atari that the VCS struggles to run Cyberpunk 2077 - beyond its controversial launch on PS4 and Xbox One, even high-end graphics cards break a sweat during action-heavy sequences. And on that note, check out these tips for maximizing Cyberpunk 2077 FPS on PC.

Here's what Cyberpunk 2077 would like if it launched on PS1.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.