Originally known as the Atari VCS, for Video Computer System, the machine's name was changed to "Atari 2600" in 1982 following the release of the more advanced Atari 5200. With numerous Atari 2600 games having sold or shipped at least one million copies, "Atari" was a synonym for the 2600 model in mainstream media and, by extension, for video games in general, similar to "Nintendo" and "PlayStation" in the later 1980s and '90s.
