Atari has announced that Rob Wyatt, system architect for the original Xbox console, is joining the Atari VCS team. Wyatt, CEO of Tin Giant, is now collaborating with Atari, AMD, and others in developing and launching the Atari VCS console next year.

The announcement of the Atari VCS took us all by surprise. Retro-inspired but not an exclusively retro games machine, Atari has promised a fully-modern gaming experience, with all the media and streaming options you’d come to expect from your average current-gen console. It’s seen a lot of support too, with AMD making a custom processor for the console and over 11,000 backers throwing their money at the console’s IndieGoGo campaign. And now, original Xbox system architect has thrown his hat in the ring too.

“Who wouldn’t want to be part of bringing Atari back?” said Wyatt. “From the moment the AMD team introduced me to Atari and the VCS project, I have been intrigued and inspired by the opportunity that it represents … the unique open platform and modern approach that Atari is taking will let users enjoy a broad range of new and existing games and other entertainment, while also delivering some unique options to customize the platform to their own tastes by combining additional software and classic content all in one place.”

His company, Tin Giant, has been working on the Atari VCS’s hardware and operating system for a few months now, and Atari is “excited to finally and officially announce our partnership,” said Michael Arzt, Atari COO of connected devices. “We have made a commitment to Atari fans to make the VCS the very best game and home entertainment platform it can be … Rob and his experienced team are working to squeeze every possible ounce of performance out of the Atari VCS hardware.”

The Atari VCS will be shipping to backers in mid-2019, and between now and then Atari will be announcing more partnerships with publishers and developers, as well as unveiling more info on distribution plans.