Is Flag Capture on Steam?

No. Flag Capture 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 Flag Capture on?

Flag Capture is available on Atari 2600.

When did Flag Capture release?

Flag Capture was first released on December 31, 1978.

Flag Capture

Dec 31, 1978PuzzleStrategyAtari 2600

Flag Capture — frequently asked questions

Is Flag Capture on Steam?: No. Flag Capture 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 Flag Capture on?: Flag Capture is available on Atari 2600.
When did Flag Capture release?: Flag Capture was first released on December 31, 1978.

About Flag Capture

Flag Capture was one of the eleven Atari 2600 titles that were part of the second wave of games released in 1978. It can best be compared to a very early and primitive Minesweeper. One or two players must attempt to discover which tile a flag is hidden under. Players are given clues such as directional arrows which indicate the flags location, or numeric tiles which indicate the flag's distance. Players must also watch out for bombs which explode if revealed.

Summary via IGDB.

Flag Capture on Wikipedia

Flag Capture is a puzzle video game published in 1978 by Atari, Inc. for the Atari Video Computer System. It is based on the traditional game Capture the flag, and was designed and programmed by Jim Huether.

Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).

Game details

Platforms: Atari 2600
Developer: Atari
Publisher: Atari
Game modes: Single player, Multiplayer
Themes: Action

Details via IGDB.

Reception

IGDB rating

39/100

from 5 ratings

Collector value & authenticity

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

Loose

Complete

$28

Sealed

$66

Label variants

Release	Loose	Complete	Sealed
Text Label	$8	$27	—
Atari Corp Picture Label	$80	$300	—
Capture [Tele-Games]	$10	$27	—

Release record

Territory	Label	Catalog #	Rarity
North America Atari	Text	CX2644	Scarce+
North America Atari	Picture	CX2644	Rare
North America Sears	Text	99824	Scarce

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

Region: NA
Released: 1978
Controller: Atari Joystick
Players: 1 - 2
Authenticity: Med

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

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

A primitive 1978 Atari puzzle game: a few dollars on its common labels, much more on Atari Corp's picture label.

Jim Huether designed and programmed Flag Capture for Atari in October 1978. It is a guessing game based on capture the flag: you search a grid of squares for the hidden flag, helped by arrows or numbers that hint where it is, alone or with a second player. Sears sold it as Capture.

Reviews have been harsh. Brett Weiss called it 'one of the most primitive looking (and sounding) games ever'. In 1981, though, neuropsychologist Lance Trexler recommended it, among other Atari games, for cognitive rehabilitation.

How it was made

Designed and programmed by Jim Huether at Atari, Inc. It was later included on the Atari Flashback 3 console.

Cartridge & preservation record

Program size 2 KB, measured from the preserved dump.

Catalogue number as recorded for the physical release.

Worth knowing

"Victim of old age". Atari Age explained its disappearance from the catalog in July/August 1983: "Flag Capture was a victim of old age — in the video game world, five years is an eternity!"
1981 dealer price. Atari's confidential retailer price list for January 1 to June 1, 1981 lists Flag Capture (CX2644) in its basic tier: dealers paid $14.00 against a suggested retail price of $22.95.

Before you buy

Check which label you are looking at. The Atari text-label cart and the Sears Tele-Games Capture are cheap. The Atari Corp picture-label variant sells for much more for the same game, so make sure the photos show that label. Atari Corp carts from 1986 onward often use a universal 2600/7800 shell with no dust door and cheaper gray labels, and new collectors regularly mistake them for fakes; on an Atari Corp-era cart, a missing dust door is not by itself a warning sign. Production labels are die-cut with rounded corners, so ask for close photos of the label edges.