What's really behind Butcher Billy's inspired retro Atari posters?

Butcher Billy, the artist that brought the '80s to life in Stranger Things and has worked with Marvel and Black Mirror, has teamed up with iconic video game brand Atari to create some outstanding retro posters, but there's so much more to this inspired campaign.

Created for the Atari X project, Butcher Billy's retro art will bring together classic Atari brands with collectible video game posters and a free metaverse that has its own mysteries to solve. Designed to celebrate 50 years of Atari, the NFT collection is made up of 2600 unique NFTs – geddit? Atari's classic console was called the 2600 – based on 15 original artworks by the talented Brazilian illustrator Butcher Billy.

It's the amazing posters that really sell the idea to me. NFTs – a way to record digital assets on a blockchain to create scarcity – can be seen as money-grabs where the NFT art comes second. (Though obviously there are excellent art-led NFTs too, such as Takashi Murakami's NFT collection.) Butcher Billy's art celebrates the texture and nostalgia of the Atari brand but it does so much more as it's a part of the Atari metaverse. You can see one below, or find our more at the Atari X website.

In a press statement Tyler Drewitz, director of Atari X, said: "The collaboration with Butcher Billy is incredibly exciting for Atari, and is a great kick-off to what will be a busy few months for Atari X. Butcher Billy has a passion for Atari that matches our own, and his work will connect with our community of fans and enthusiasts."

While the poster art is fantastic, it's the broader idea of bringing storytelling to the NFT and metaverse space that is just as interesting. Butcher Billy's art also covers posters that take us back to the classified ads of the 1970s, with hidden messages and even a free interactive hotline – 1-888-ATARI50. Using this phone the number you can get hints on how to navigate the Atari X metaverse, called Room 133 .

This is how to use a metaverse, to develop a thick sense of nostalgia and place through rich art, interesting storytelling and a space riddled with secrets. Room 133 is the Atari X metaverse space, and it's based on a design of Atari’s original headquarters. Exploring the room can uncover news on the upcoming Atari NFT drop, you can learn about more Atari X projects and forthcoming collaborations with other artists; there are even perks and keen-eyed explorers can access secret events.

What's great here is Butcher Billy's posters are inspired, bold glimpses into the past, but they lead us into a deeper metaverse of Atari fandom. Atari X is a project that embraces the creative ways we can use the metaverse and NFTs. 

If you want to learn more about the metaverse, read our feature 'what is the metaverse?' and our deep dive, 'What are NFTs?'. If you want to get into NFTs, why not try making one using my guide, 'how to create an NFT for free'.

Read more:

• These are the best NFT games
• How to make and sell an NFT
• The new Lego Atari console is fantastic