Why Atari is named after a warning in Go

A closer look

The brand that single-handedly birthed the Western video game industry took its name from a polite tabletop threat. Founder Nolan Bushnell was utterly obsessed with the ancient strategy game Go. When a player is about to capture their opponent's stones, they announce 'atari,' which roughly translates to 'you are about to be hit.' It was a remarkably arrogant and fitting name for a company that proceeded to violently conquer the global arcade market.