The magazine had its origins in the newsletter of the Birmingham User's Group, an independent Atari club based in England.

Les Ellingham was appointed to be the editor of the newsletter, but decided to produce a magazine with broader appeal instead.

[3] The latter was simply Page 6 under a different (and more newsagent-friendly) name,[3] and had next to no continuity with the original Atari User.

The editor Les Ellingham had declined the offer to edit the original Atari User when approached by Database Publications in 1985.

Due to "high interest rate, reluctance of the news trade to support smaller circulation magazines and reducing advertising income", New Atari User had to be withdrawn from retail sales and become subscription-only with issue 59 (December–January 1993).