Atari is back!

[babble]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/30594.html

 

Infogrames re-christens itself Atari

By Tony Smith

Posted: 07/05/2003 at 14:42 GMT

 

 

Infogrames is to change its name to Atari when NASDAQ opens for trading tomorrow. It will trade as ATAR.

 

A quick visit to the Infogrames web site this morning found us being redirected to www.atari.com, and now a story from Reuters confirms that the French publisher has adopted the name it acquired back in 2001.

 

See http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/30594.html

[Room 34]

Nice try on their part... but Atari is not back. I think this is an abomination!

[Room 34]

I just wonder what implications this will have for uses of the name in places like... oh, I don't know... THIS site, for instance!

[MegaManFan]

I just wonder what implications this will have for uses of the name in places like... oh, I don't know... THIS site, for instance!

 

Since everybody keeps talking about this, let me just say I talked to Albert last night and he convinced me this is NOT an issue. After all we forget that the word "Atari" was originally a phrase from the oriental game Go, so at least by Japanese standards it would be a "common language" word. Given the fact it has a 30 year history here too, and given the fact AtariAge existed before Infogrames renamed themselves, I think they'd have a hard time claiming this site dilutes the commercial value of their corporate name. If anything, it's probably beneficial to their bottom line.

[ultravi0let]

i'm wondering why?

 

::mubbles something about a conspirisy::

[eric_ruck]

I'm satisfied that Atari is back. Right now (well, as of yesterday) it's just a concept, happy memories and nostalgia. I think Infogrames has been respectful with the name and the concept, and I have no problem letting them allow us to enjoy new Atari products. Heck, if you think this new Atari isn't real, then Atari probably hasn't been real since Warner bought it.

 

And I hope they don't try to get into hardware, that just can't turn out well.

 

Eric

[Ze_ro]

I think this is great news... Finally Atari is back. It may not be the same company that made the 2600... but then the Atari that made the Jaguar was hardly the same company that made the 2600, so I don't see how this is any less real. Aside from going out and hiring Bushnell and Alcorn, there's not much else they can do to make themselves more Atari than they already are.

 

This will also benefit Infogrames greatly. Although they're one of the up-and-coming game producers, they still suffer from brutal name recognition issues (basically, they have none). I find it odd that a company that's been around for 20 years suddenly decides their name isn't good enough, but whatever... I doubt this will change their philosophy all that much. If you expect to see them make crazy innovative stuff, you'll probably be disappointed. Infogrames has made some pretty decent games that I would be proud to see the Atari name on though.

 

And I highly doubt that Atari will try to put out another system... the company has absolutely no experience in the hardware biz, and they're not powerful enough to go up against the giants of the industry. Maybe in another 20 years...

 

--Zero

[Mikau]

I'm going to continue to call them Infogrames. I will never disrespect the true Atari by calling it's bastard child by its name. Maybe if Infogrames wouldn't consistantly publish crap I wouldn't feel this way.

[Snider-man]

I dunno. I'm THRILLED to see the fuji logo on new product. And Infogrammes makes crappy product? Well, Atari made some clinkers themselves too. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt until I see them sully the good name of Atari.

 

Let's hope for the best before we damn 'em.

[sdstuff64]

I'm going to continue to call them Infogrames. I will never disrespect the true Atari by calling it's bastard child by its name. Maybe if Infogrames wouldn't consistantly publish crap I wouldn't feel this way.

 

Its not all bad,it more of half and half.And I think Unreal makes up for most of that crap.

[MegaManFan]

Its not all bad,it more of half and half.And I think Unreal makes up for most of that crap.

 

And Ikaruga makes up for the rest.

[sdstuff64]

Its not all bad,it more of half and half.And I think Unreal makes up for most of that crap.

 

And Ikaruga makes up for the rest.

 

 

Oh yea.I think that covers everything up just fine. And Splashdown makes up for the rest.

[MegaManFan]

Oh yea.I think that covers everything up just fine.

 

Then when you throw Godzilla Melee in the mix, they actually come out way ahead!

[sdstuff64]

You know your right.We rest our case. :wink:

[Ze_ro]

I'm going to continue to call them Infogrames. I will never disrespect the true Atari by calling it's bastard child by its name. Maybe if Infogrames wouldn't consistantly publish crap I wouldn't feel this way.

 

I think you're overreacting here... you'd rather there be NO Atari rather than this? And if you think Infogrames will cause Atari disrespect, what did you think about what the Tramiels did? Sheesh, "Atari" is probably better off this way than they were in the Jaguar days. Besides, no one seemed to care much when Midway was making arcade games and sticking the Atari name on the side of them!

 

And I'd hardly call Infogrames stuff "crap"... in fact, aside from Nintendo and Sega themselves, I consider Infogrames one of the better developers out there. You'd rather see Atari making Fight For Life and Cybermorph sequels instead of Unreal and Masters Of Orion sequels?

 

--Zero

[sdstuff64]

 

 

And I'd hardly call Infogrames stuff "crap"...  

--Zero

 

That makes three of us.

[Ze_ro]

By the way, anyone know the extent of the properties that Atari now owns? I mean, they obviously have the rights to all of Atari's old arcade games like Asteroids and Battlezone... and to the 2600 games like Adventure and such.... but what about Jaguar games like Fight For Life, Cybermorph and Trevor McFur? Did any of that get lost with the whole JTS merger way back? I doubt Infogrames would bother remaking any Jaguar games of course...

 

I guess they don't have access to the newer Atari arcade games that were made by Midway like San Francisco Rush and Gauntlet Legends...

 

--Zero

[shep]

I'm going to continue to call them Infogrames. I will never disrespect the true Atari by calling it's bastard child by its name. Maybe if Infogrames wouldn't consistantly publish crap I wouldn't feel this way.

 

Sometimes game companies cant help but publish crap because they are forced by their head-honchos to get the game out the door to make money. But Infogrames deserves some credit, Transworld series anyone? How about Ikaruga, Pen Pen Tricelon, or Budokai?

[justice_is_blind]

i'm wondering why?

 

::mubbles something about a conspirisy::

 

Franco-American video game publisher Infogrames Inc., reaching back into gaming history, said on Wednesday it would change its name to Atari Inc. in an effort to boost its profile with consumers.

 

It's all about the benjerman's.

[justice_is_blind]

What is it with Atari and programming digitized people in the games they make?Is it an Atari fetish of some sort's? MX Rider for the PS2 is the biggest pile of dog doo. This game look's like it was a direct Saturn port.I was ashamed of myself for paying $10.00 for the game.

 

[MegaManFan]

It's all about the benjerman's.

 

Actually that line is, "It's all about the Benjamins baby."

[babble]

Looks like Atari has a new game to hype too....

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3021461.stm

 

"Matrix game aims to set new standard

 

Matrix fans will soon have a chance be part of the action in the Enter the Matrix game. BBC News Online's Alfred Hermida spoke to the game's developer, David Perry, about blurring the line between celluloid and computer code." ..........

 

(puff piece interview)

 

..........."David Perry is President of Shiny, which developed Enter the Matrix for publisher Atari. The game is released on 15 May for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube and the PC. "

 

 

[AtariDude]

I like seeing the name Atari back in the news. It is nice to see it prominently displayed with cool new software like Neverwinter Nights and Unreal Tournament. Granted it is not the same Atari that we used to remember from Warner Communications or the Tramhells..umm..Tramiels but it is nice to see that name again.

[Mikau]

Wow. I got shot down pretty quick.

 

Sure, Infogrames has put out a few good games in the past year or two (Ikaruga, Godzilla, Splashdown). I don't even know how in hell they managed to come up with Treasure though... But they don't even come close to releasing half good games/ half bad. They release alot of garbage, and nobody plays it or cares about it. My opinion is that we should not see Atari on all of their crappy releases. So far, they have used the name well. I wish they'd just keep doing that. but they really are just using the name for their success, even though they have nothing to do with Atari.

[Ze_ro]

..........."David Perry is President of Shiny, which developed Enter the Matrix for publisher Atari. The game is released on 15 May for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube and the PC. "

 

This is what bugs me... Atari didn't really make the game, all they did was slap their label on it. It's Shiny that made the game. I'd prefer to see Atari program their own games...

 

I remember playing Tony Hawk, and seeing 3 or 4 company logos when the game started up, and still having very little clue as to who did what. Activision published it I guess, Neversoft programmed it... but what did Trey-Arch do?

 

--Zero