Gregory DG Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Activision clearly distances itself from any sort of reliance on its old old properties, and in fact most kids today don't associate it with the original Activision we grew up with. Activision has released quite a few 2600 compilations over the years. And updates to their original franchises... Super Pitfall for the NES and Pitfall 3D come to mind. Certainly they haven't done the update route as prolifically as Atari has. I think the new Atari was trying to follow Activision's lead by farming out the development of totally new games (Enter the Matrix, Dragonball Z, Driver, etc.) but unfortunately for them those games mostly sucked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmel_andrews Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Atari I. needs something 'real big' and i'd say before march (that's when i think the present loan run's out) Atari doesn't need to be into any software licencing...it needs to rationalise it's product and get back into some consistant marketing What might work is somethin like PONG or Breakout (but updated for modern tastes) worked through a Wii/Mindlink type device I heard or read somwhere that Atari are no longer into the 'flashback' product Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro Rogue Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 (edited) Activision has released quite a few 2600 compilations over the years. And updates to their original franchises... Super Pitfall for the NES and Pitfall 3D come to mind. Certainly they haven't done the update route as prolifically as Atari has. I don't recall saying they hadn't released compilations or a few updates here and there. As stated, they have clearly distanced themselves on any *reliance* of the old properties or need for association. Atari has not, and in very lean times its often the only thing they have going for them. I think the new Atari was trying to follow Activision's lead by farming out the development of totally new games (Enter the Matrix, Dragonball Z, Driver, etc.) but unfortunately for them those games mostly sucked. Actually, most of those were because Infogrames bought those studios and acquired the properties and development studios (Enter the Matrix = Shiny, Driver = Reflections Interactive, Dragonball Z = publishing rights it shares with Bandai Namco under direction from Funmation). Edited December 30, 2007 by wgungfu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 (edited) They can't have it both ways. Activision clearly distances itself from any sort of reliance on its old old properties, and in fact most kids today don't associate it with the original Activision we grew up with. If Infogrames and the current Atari Inc. had gone the route of Activision from the get go I could agree with you, but that's not the case here. Activision may not be playing up the old properties as much, but they DID play it up with Activision Classics, the Anthology series, the Pitfall sequels, and the hardware sticks. (In fact, Activision was one of the first to release a commercial emulator with the original Activision Classics for Windows.) It just so happens that Activision has been able to get some killer franchises on its roster over the last 10-15 years and the new Atari never has. Edited December 30, 2007 by mos6507 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Thompson Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 But what do I know, I was just a tech adviser for a part of the project that Stainless Games conveniently left out of the credits. (((short-breath inhale, rising upwards))) Them f*****s! The more I see you explain how Atari isn't even Atari, even though it's named Atari... is a total mindfuck to me. So instead of having to support only 1 single company (Atari) (which one... haha) you have to Support (technically 3) am I right? Your own (Atari Inc.), Atari Interactive and... Infogrames? What a mess (or at least confusing). I've heard of family adopting family but self-eating cannibalism is a weird thing to imagine. (reverse-merge?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mos6507 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 But what do I know, I was just a tech adviser for a part of the project that Stainless Games conveniently left out of the credits. (((short-breath inhale, rising upwards))) Them f*****s! The more I see you explain how Atari isn't even Atari, even though it's named Atari... is a total mindfuck to me. So instead of having to support only 1 single company (Atari) (which one... haha) you have to Support (technically 3) am I right? Your own (Atari Inc.), Atari Interactive and... Infogrames? What a mess (or at least confusing). I've heard of family adopting family but self-eating cannibalism is a weird thing to imagine. (reverse-merge?) I'm not a business lawyer but it seems to me that companies that are able to partition themselves like this and then cut sweatheart deals with the subsidiaries is a dangerous loophole to allow. In the end the profits all funnel up to the singular executive group, but if any one business fails, they can kill it with limited debt liability to the whole. My old company (Intermix, parent company of Myspace) played some games by chopping itself up into segments and then having the pieces deal back and forth with eachother. It made the accounting very difficult to interpret because it was so incestuous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro Rogue Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 But what do I know, I was just a tech adviser for a part of the project that Stainless Games conveniently left out of the credits. (((short-breath inhale, rising upwards))) Them f*****s! Well, I blame stainless more than Atari Inc. right now. They supplied all the info for the manual, and the person on the Atari end in charge of the project (Matt) is gone (a victim of the large staff cuts at the end of last month). So there was no one on the Atari side anymore that knew enough about who was involved with what to double check what was submitted. It speaks volumes on Stainless and its CEO's (Patrick) character though. Oh, and their spelling ability - Curt was thanked as "Curt Vendal". The more I see you explain how Atari isn't even Atari, even though it's named Atari... is a total mindfuck to me. So instead of having to support only 1 single company (Atari) (which one... haha) you have to Support (technically 3) am I right? Your own (Atari Inc.), Atari Interactive and... Infogrames? What a mess (or at least confusing). I've heard of family adopting family but self-eating cannibalism is a weird thing to imagine. (reverse-merge?) Well, you're certainly right. And Glenn is correct as well with how it can effect the parent company (you have only to look at Infogrames' stock and own monetary problems to verify). The whole thing is very incestuous and has lead to some big headaches for some of the past management at both Atari Inc. and Atari Interactive. Also with a lot of the contracted people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Unlike previous Delisting warnings, Atari had a way out - when their stock dipped low - they did a 10 for 1 reverse stock split and got themselves out of that jam, then they faced delisting for not having proper board members, they got them, then they were late on their quarterly and yearly report filings and got them in just in the nick of time... However this delisting is must more serious and without a real solution for Atari, their stock is below the $15m valuation mark and they need to keep it above that mark for 10 days straight, not an easy task for a stock that has had a steady and consistent downward trend for nearly 7 years straight. The fact that they shut down their development, killed their online community project and opted not to continue producing hardware and to just literally be nothing more then a distributor is not playing well in their favor. Atari as a brand and the ownership of the properties itself is not necessarily in jeopardy - Atari, Inc here in the US is actually GT Interactive renamed Atari, Inc so if they do go under, the Atari brand, logo and properties are still owned and in the possession of Lyon, France based Infogrames. Curt Just bumping this. Stock was down to $1.28 today (closed at $1.30), and they're facing another delisting. Heard it on the radio. The press is starting to write their obituary. I really think the odds are stacked against Atari surviving much longer as a valid company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory DG Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 As stated, they have clearly distanced themselves on any *reliance* of the old properties or need for association. Atari has not, and in very lean times its often the only thing they have going for them. I was disagreeing with the words "distancing themselves" not the word "reliance." I don't see them as distancing themselves from their old properties at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
accousticguitar Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 What they really need to do is start making 2600's again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro Rogue Posted January 2, 2008 Author Share Posted January 2, 2008 Hit $1.18 this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buyatari Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 We should all short this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lynxer2007 Posted January 3, 2008 Share Posted January 3, 2008 Hit $1.18 this morning. It's at $1.47 now. For now, things are looking up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro Rogue Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 Hit $1.18 this morning. It's at $1.47 now. For now, things are looking up. Which is actually down from where it opened today ($1.55, after someone tried to pump it up) and still far far away from meeting the valuation required from Nasdaq to stop delisting by March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lynxer2007 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 How much is their stock price suppose to be to meet valuation and not get delisted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retro Rogue Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 How much is their stock price suppose to be to meet valuation and not get delisted? $2.20 to $2.50 range. That's the range they were in before the 30 consecutive business days of not meeting the required market value. And they'd need to keep that range for 10 consecutive business days. They hit a new low of $1.10 this morning. And the pattern they've been on for the last few years of dropping major points, then going up a bit, then another big drop (1 step forward, 10 steps back) is not conducive to them making it. Even the time leading up to and since the warning shows an adherence to this pattern. The only thing possible to cause a big enough rise, would have to be a major earth shattering announcement (like a major influx of money and a slew of contracts all at once). Announcements of 1 or 2 new titles here and there aren't going to cut it. You can see how a few new title releases and even the announcement of the rescue of the DBZ franchise rights didn't help them from dropping below the 15 million valuation for 30 consecutive days and the warning in the first place for example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homerwannabee Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 If Atari Inc. gets dropped by Nasdaq, is there a smaller trading place that deals in Nickel and Dime stocks bellow $15 Million. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lynxer2007 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Who here believes this company is worth saving? It's not the original company, but who believes it's still worth the money? If Atari, Inc.(GT Interactive) goes down, can Atari Interactive, Inc. pick up where it left off? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AEX Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Although a sad state of affairs, I think the game is up for the Atari brand. Its value as a gaming symbol and producer/publisher of quality IP's in the current console market have been hit hard. Since the sale from Hasbro it has been punched around so much I doubt you could make it stand again on its own for some time. Unfortunately some brands do eventually die for good, and unless (a) Infogrames or Atari Inc. turn their fortunes around or (b) it is sold and purchased by a company such as Activision or perhaps even Microsoft (ie, stable companies in the market) I really think we might be saying goodbye to the Fuji symbol for some time, perhaps forever. The only other chance it has is to purchased by a smaller working group who can realise its IP portfolio properly, release niche products itself to market and continue to survive on the fringes like some of the new indie development companies (which we should continue to support always). My cousins got their PS3 for Chritsmas this year, and along with their Wii and PS2 they still haven't got a clue who Atari were and they don't really care Karl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 This is an interesting chart as well, it shows Atari's stock performance since 1996: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=ATAR&t...&q=l&c= ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prodos8 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I'm having a Hillary Clinton moment lamenting about the old Atari and what could've been. Unfortunately, under Tramiel's leadership , they couldn't turn it around like she apparently has. Atari died long ago they just haven't buried it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grampz Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 However this delisting is must more serious and without a real solution for Atari, their stock is below the $15m valuation mark and they need to keep it above that mark for 10 days straight, not an easy task for a stock that has had a steady and consistent downward trend for nearly 7 years straight. The fact that they shut down their development, killed their online community project and opted not to continue producing hardware and to just literally be nothing more then a distributor is not playing well in their favor. I believe that Infrogames is looking to unload this cash-strapped business but I don't know to whom. By shutting down the development team they have shown that they are no longer interested in doing anything but distribution. I was directly affected when they killed their online community project. Atari had purchased a smaller community named WePlayHere, where I was an Administrator. WPH had 3 multiplayer games, and a wonderful community of people that stood their ground through a lot of bs. Atari purchased this community because they liked the way that the community was ran, and how close people were. After the purchase, there was talk about making one site that would merge the WPH games with the Atari Play games. The AP games were taken off the Internet without warning because Atari lost the digital rights back to Hasbro. Shortly after that, the WPH gaming site was shut down, and the forums were put into archive status. The once vibrant community was thrown into turmoil and members were banned for retaliating against Atari by spamming the forums with "down with Atari" posts and some vulgar language. Former WPH members have a new home on the Net and we are working on rebuilding what we once had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Yes, AA and AM were in talks of becoming part of all of that, the problem was the contracts literally called for AA and AM to become the sole properties of Atari and for Albert and I to lose our control of the sites directly and just be on an approval board, so that got nixed very quickly. Curt However this delisting is must more serious and without a real solution for Atari, their stock is below the $15m valuation mark and they need to keep it above that mark for 10 days straight, not an easy task for a stock that has had a steady and consistent downward trend for nearly 7 years straight. The fact that they shut down their development, killed their online community project and opted not to continue producing hardware and to just literally be nothing more then a distributor is not playing well in their favor. I believe that Infrogames is looking to unload this cash-strapped business but I don't know to whom. By shutting down the development team they have shown that they are no longer interested in doing anything but distribution. I was directly affected when they killed their online community project. Atari had purchased a smaller community named WePlayHere, where I was an Administrator. WPH had 3 multiplayer games, and a wonderful community of people that stood their ground through a lot of bs. Atari purchased this community because they liked the way that the community was ran, and how close people were. After the purchase, there was talk about making one site that would merge the WPH games with the Atari Play games. The AP games were taken off the Internet without warning because Atari lost the digital rights back to Hasbro. Shortly after that, the WPH gaming site was shut down, and the forums were put into archive status. The once vibrant community was thrown into turmoil and members were banned for retaliating against Atari by spamming the forums with "down with Atari" posts and some vulgar language. Former WPH members have a new home on the Net and we are working on rebuilding what we once had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carmel_andrews Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 (edited) Perhaps WMS (who bought out Bushnells other company, Sente) might surprise everyone and buy into the only active part of atari, along with the non active part that WMS already own and give it a good viking burial Atari (the home products division) hasn't realy done much since tramiel closed down hardware manuf'g in the early 90's and pretty much disappeareed from the US market in the Late 80's...It's going to take more then a miracle for someone to take the Atari properties and do something decent or major with them (the only viable market i see is emulation products capable of doing emulation of more then one system or retro hardware) Edited January 10, 2008 by carmel_andrews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Williams was bought by Midway which is having its own cash issues right now. The only "old school" company with a bright future right now is Activision thanks to Guitar Hero and its 7.1 billion dollar merger. Curt Perhaps WMS (who bought out Bushnells other company, Sente) might surprise everyone and buy into the only active part of atari, along with the non active part that WMS already own and give it a good viking burial Atari (the home products division) hasn't realy done much since tramiel closed down hardware manuf'g in the early 90's and pretty much disappeareed from the US market in the Late 80's...It's going to take more then a miracle for someone to take the Atari properties and do something decent or major with them (the only viable market i see is emulation products capable of doing emulation of more then one system or retro hardware) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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