The current state of the Atari name and properties leads many people into a tangled web of confusion. It's not surprising, considering the amount of times the company has changed hands, and the multiple entities that use the name now.
Here, writer Martin Goldberg looks at the journey the brand and properties have undertaken, in light of yesterday's announcement that Phil Harrison has now joined David Gardner at the re-energised brand.
The original Atari Inc was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney as an arcade engineering firm, dealing in pinball machines and the primordial arcade videogame market. After approaching the major arcade machine companies of the time to manufacture and distribute their new video arcade game Pong, they met resistance because of a perceived infancy and lack of viability in the market. Soon after deciding to manufacture and distribute the games on their own, the gamble paid off for Bushnell and Dabney, and the video arcade... More »
It's not terribly long since THQ looked like one of the best growth prospects in the publishing sector. With a new commitment to quality, a determination to build new IP and a strong pool of publishing and management talent, the company's stock was cautiously tipped as a grower - and it's certainly not an assessment I'd have disagreed with.
The acrimonious divisions that developed between the publisher and the WWE wrestling body from whom many of its successful franchises had been licensed seemed to have been a wake-up call for THQ regarding its reliance on externally owned IP, and the future looked bright.
Now, I remain a firm believer in THQ's abilities as a publisher - and I think that games like STALKER and Company of Heroes have done a great deal to boost the value of the brand among gamers. By no means is it time to start writing obituaries for the firm. However, it's tough to spin this week's news in a positive light.
Update: Guitar Hero III Classic Rock Track Pack ($6.25), has just been added to the PLAYSTATION Store.
“Peace of Mind” as performed by Boston; “Jukebox Hero” as performed by Foreigner; and “Any Way You Want It” as performed by Journey.
File size: 50.4 MB
From Grace Chen (Senior Manager, PLAYSTATION Store): Hey, everyone. It’s time again for the PLAYSTATION Store weekly update. To see the content list for PLAYSTATION Store for PC, scroll down the post.
Downloadable Games:
PixelJunk Monsters ($7.99 for a limited time)
Inspired by the popular and addictive “tower defense” game genre, PixelJunk Monsters is a fun and intuitive game featuring a uniquely attractive art style. Defend your homebase against threatening monsters by building towers and casting lightning storms across the forest. Download the game today!
File size: 59.3 MB
ESRB Rated E
Craig Allen is passionate about history. So much so that the CEO of Spark Unlimited arranged to present his latest project at the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms in Westminster. Not only that, but Allen was also encouraging the press to check out the Churchill Timeline – it’s actually worth a read as well. I'm glad I took his advice.
Being behind Call of Duty: Finest Hour and leading a team that has been involved with the Medal of Honour franchise, I asked Allen what it was about historical events that excite him so much. “All good things come from life experiences, I believe. And I think it’s important to keep learning and teaching about the life experiences of others who have made a difference, it’s incredible to see what people have gone through in their lifetimes.” In developing Turning Point, he reveals in his presentation that games based on history have the power to teach gamers about important events. “Once you’ve explored history however, yo... More »
Stumbling Chicago-based video game developer plans next-generation titles and Hollywood tie-ins in an effort to revive its business after years of lackluster performance
It's been another rough year for video game developer Midway Games, which stumbled into the holiday shopping season with delayed releases and lowered revenue forecasts. But Hollywood and a fresh sign of interest from its largest shareholder may help the Chicago-based gamemaker put 2007 behind it.
Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone owns a nearly 90 percent stake in Midway. The company hasn't posted an annual profit since 1999, and it had to cut third-quarter and full-year revenue forecasts in October because of shipping delays.
Yet, in spite of Midway's lackluster financial performance, Redstone expressed confidence in the company's ability to recover. The board of directors named his daughter, Shari Redstone, chairwoman. She was previously vice chair and is vice chair of Viacom and C... More »
Codies' CEO talks dragons, Argonauts, sequels to its hits DiRT and Overlord, and more.
UK-based Codemasters has had quite a recent run in America, boasting a 332 percent leap in U.S. revenue since 2005. And the company's U.S. CEO, Rod Cousens, wants everyone to know it.
In 2005, when Cousens took the helm of the UK-based publisher and developer's American branch, the company was making only 9 percent of its revenue from U.S. gamers. This year, that number stands at 40 percent, and Codemasters would like to keep it that way.
Moving Codies past cricket and cars.In an interview with IGN, Cousens said the company has shifted its focus from being a largely Eurocentric publisher and developer to splitting its efforts between the two large gaming markets. To get there, Codies has built up its U.S. presence and strengthened its relationships with American companies.
"We've geared our product line to the States, and so we're starting to work ... More »
Midway has today announced the first downloadable content for its hit Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 action title Stranglehold.
The pack will contain 10 additional multiplayer maps - locations including Kowloon Market, Wong's Estate Grounds and the Rooftops of Chicago - plus 21 all-new multiplayer character skins.
The Xbox 360 version will also feature 10 new Achievements totalling 250 gamerscore points.
No release date or pricing has been announced, with Midway stating the content will be released on Xbox LIVE Marketplace and the PSN soon.
After the crazy spend-a-thon that was last week's release list, we can all finally give our wallets a little rest.
Though those of us in Europe may need to keep it on standby for the near future as both Uncharted and Singstar will be released in just under two weeks. Here's the full release for this week:
US Games:
No new releases
EU Games:
Blazing Angels 2
Stranglehold
The Golden Compass
Cars: Mater-National
Asian Games:
Tony Hawk's Project 8
Slim pickings indeed! There's no reason to moan, however, as we've just had a couple weeks worth of top-notch games hitting our shelves. There's little more to come this year, with the exception of Unreal Tournament 3 which should be available in the US in mid-December.
Don't forget your PS3 is region free for all games listed above, so feel free to import to your heart's content. Release dates are subject to ... More »
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