No. Fathom is not distributed on Steam, so there is no Steam Charts or SteamDB player count for it. Its live popularity is tracked here via Twitch viewership instead.

When did Fathom release?

Fathom was first released on December 31, 1983.

Fathom

Dec 31, 1983ArcadeColecoVision Atari 2600 IntellivisionTexas Instruments TI-99MSX

Fathom — frequently asked questions

Is Fathom on Steam?: No. Fathom is not distributed on Steam, so there is no Steam Charts or SteamDB player count for it. Its live popularity is tracked here via Twitch viewership instead.
What platforms is Fathom on?: Fathom is available on ColecoVision, Atari 2600, Intellivision, Texas Instruments TI-99, MSX, TI-99/4A.
When did Fathom release?: Fathom was first released on December 31, 1983.

About Fathom

Titans have imprisoned Neptina, Neptune's daughter! They've shattered his magical Trident and scattered its pieces far and wide. Without his trident, Neptune is powerless. Proteus, a member of Neptune's Court, longs to free the lovely mermaid. He sets out to find the missing pieces of the Trident. He roams land and sea, changing from a dolphin to a seagull and back again in order to deceive the mermaid's captors. Deadly trials confront Proteus -- octopuses, tangled beds of kelp, screaming flocks of black birds, even erupting volcanoes! But he fights on valiantly!

Summary via IGDB.

Game details

Platforms: ColecoVision, Atari 2600, Intellivision, Texas Instruments TI-99, MSX, TI-99/4A
Developer: Imagic
Publisher: Imagic
Game modes: Single player
Themes: Action, Fantasy

Details via IGDB.

Every version compared

Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release

Platform	Year	Loose	Complete	Sealed	Period reviews	Built by
Atari 2600	1983	$20	$68	$172	3 reviews	Imagic (designed by Rob Fulop)

Also released on: ColecoVision · Intellivision · Texas Instruments TI-99 · MSX · TI-99/4A. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.

Collector value & authenticity

Atari 2600 · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-06

Loose

$20

Complete

$68

Sealed

$172

Release record

Territory	Label	Catalog #	Rarity
North America Imagic	Text	03205	Scarce+

Source: Catalog numbers, label types, rarity, controllers and player counts: AtariAge 2600 software database

Region: NA+EU
Released: 1983
Controller: Atari Joystick
Players: 1
Authenticity: Low

Not in Atari 50 — other compilations and plug-and-plays are not tracked hereLow counterfeit risk

Atari 2600 prices, all games & how to spot a fake

Rob Fulop's last Imagic design, a shape-shifting underwater adventure praised for its looks.

Fathom debuted on the 2600 in August 1983, before later ports to other systems. You play Proteus, a shapeshifter who switches between a dolphin and a seagull to recover the pieces of a broken trident and free a mermaid trapped on the ocean floor. The dolphin gathers seahorses and avoids octopuses underwater, while the seagull collects clouds and dodges volcanic eruptions above.

Fulop first wanted to make a deep-sea treasure-hunting game but could not draw a convincing scuba diver. A single drawing of a jumping dolphin by artist Michael Becker sent the game toward fantasy, and the seagull's flight was inspired by Joust. Reviewers at the time praised its look and animation but were divided on how repetitive it felt.

How it was made

Designed and programmed for the 2600 by Rob Fulop, his final design for Imagic, made shortly before Imagic stopped developing for home consoles. Artist Michael Becker's drawing of a jumping dolphin set the game's direction.

What the press said at the time

Computer Entertainer Vol. 2 No. 6	September 1983	Graphics ★★★★ · Play-Action ★★★★
Electronic Fun with Computers & Games Vol. 2 No. 2	December 1983	2½ joysticks
JoyStik December 1983	December 1983	★★★★

“In the Imagic tradition, FATHOM was designed with truly beautiful visual effects. … This is a delightful, original game.”
— Computer Entertainer, September 1983

“Even though this game has a whole lot of fast-paced action, the actual play quality is tremendously dull. True, there are over 150 different screens, but they are all so similar that it's hard to tell them apart.”
— Electronic Fun with Computers & Games, December 1983

“There are 128 screens to explore in this adventure game which features superb graphics, rich and vibrant colors, fluid movement and creates one of the best cartoon-like effects yet.”
— JoyStik, December 1983

“This multi-screen action adventure is not only one of the most beautifully rendered 2600 cartridges available today, but its play-action is nothing short of enthralling.”
— Electronic Games, October 1983

Computer Entertainer rated graphics first and play action second, from four symbols (excellent) to one (poor) — stars in most years, diamonds in 1986–87 — comparing each game only with other games for the same system. Electronic Fun rated games out of four joysticks. JoyStik’s capsule ratings run from one star to five.

Cartridge & preservation record

Program size 8 KB, measured from the preserved dump.

Catalogue number as recorded for the physical release.

Also on other platforms

Intellivision · TI-99/4A · ColecoVision · MSX

Atari 2600	Imagic (designed by Rob Fulop)
Intellivision	Dave Durran
TI-99/4A	Neil McKenzie
ColecoVision	Mark Voorsanger
MSX	Interphase Technologies

TI-99/4A. Released in March 1984 as TI was ending the system. It works with the TI Speech Synthesizer, so the mermaid speaks to the player, giving advice and asking to be freed.
Atari 8-bit. Announced alongside VIC-20 and Atari 5200 versions, but none were released after Imagic cut back during the 1983 crash.
MSX. Developed by Interphase Technologies and released only in Japan, by Toshiba EMI.

Before you buy

Low risk. No reproductions are documented. Loose carts are inexpensive, and complete copies cost several times as much, so the box and manual carry most of a complete copy's value. Sealed copies are a packaging purchase.