Commodore to return with PC-based game system

Commodore, one of the brand pioneers in the video games arena, is to
return to the world of gaming with the launch of a PC-based system later
this month.

The brand became synonymous with video gaming for a generation of
consumers with its Commodore …

Commodore, one of the brand pioneers in the video games arena, is to return to the world of gaming with the launch of a PC-based system later this month.

The brand became synonymous with video gaming for a generation of consumers with its Commodore 64 console, which still sells in the "retro gaming" sector.

The company says the hardware will include the "highest specifications available for gamers". The launch takes place next week in Germany at CeBit technology, supported by a marketing push, but details are yet to revealed.

Commodore Gaming chief executive Bala Keilman says: "Twenty-five years ago Commodore launched the best-selling personal computer of the late 20th century, the C64, and defined early computer games for millions of people worldwide. We are privileged to bring the Commodore brand back to the gaming community and mark a new chapter in its history with this exceptional machine. We’re sure that it will deliver what gamers want."

The return of Commodore to the games sector follows Microsoft’s reaffirmation of its commitment to PC gaming with the launch of its Vista operating system.

Observers say Commodore’s resurrection will be welcomed by many gamers with a taste for nostalgia, but they predict a tough battle ahead.

In recent years PC gaming has suffered from the popularity of consoles such as the Xbox and PlayStation, whose PS3 device launches in the UK later this month.