Atari Acquisition Megathread (Stern, Nightdive, Accolade, M Network, and now ATARIAGE!)

[GraffitiTavern]

Atari Announces the acquisition of M Network games for the 2600, over a dozen titles published by toy company Mattel while they were one of Atari's rivals in the early '80s. I have posted threads on these acquisitions one at a time, but being four in I don't want to keep spamming so I am making this a big thread to discuss all of the Atari acquisitions this year.

This is the FOURTH big one so far, including the Stern Electronics titles, Nightdive Studios + System Shock, the Accolade brand and Bubsy reacquisition, and now the first big batch of 2600 titles from M Network. These are also all directly Atari-related titles, not just adjacent or unrelated buyout.

 

Press Release: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/05/04/2661966/0/en/Atari-Announces-Acquisition-of-M-Network-Atari-2600-Titles-and-Related-Trademarks.html

 

All the acquisitions so far:

1. Stern Electronics

https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/03/16/2629228/0/en/Atari-Announces-Acquisition-of-12-Classic-Arcade-Properties-Including-Berzerk-and-Frenzy.html

2. Nightdive Studios

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/03/22/2632778/0/en/Atari-enters-into-an-agreement-to-acquire-Night-Dive-Studios-and-announces-its-intention-to-proceed-with-the-issuance-of-30-M-bonds-convertible-into-new-Atari-shares.html

https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/23/23653318/atari-night-dive-studios-acquisition-retro-video-game-remaster 

3. Accolade Brand

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/04/19/2650476/0/en/Atari-Announces-Acquisition-of-More-than-100-PC-and-Console-Titles-from-the-80s-and-90s.html

4. M Network 

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2023/05/04/2661966/0/en/Atari-Announces-Acquisition-of-M-Network-Atari-2600-Titles-and-Related-Trademarks.html

 

EDIT: SEPTEMBER 9th 2023

5. Atari has now indirectly acquired this very thread, along with the rest of AtariAge

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-acquires-atariage

 

EDIT 2: OCTOBER 2023

6. Awesomenauts + Swords & Soldiers

https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/10/24/2765946/0/en/Atari-Acquires-Awesomenauts-Swords-Soldiers-from-Ronimo-Games.html
7. Digital Eclipse

https://www.digitaleclipse.com/media/digital-eclipse-atari

Edited October 31, 2023 by GraffitiTavern
updated

[GraffitiTavern]

The press release, like the others, didn't give a full list of acquired titles, but specifically lists Armor Ambush, Astroblast, Frogs And Flies, Space Attack, and Star Strike.

 

This is the full list of M Network published games, some notably are licensed so it's unknown what they have the rights to. I imagine the M Network games which appeared in past retro comps could be a safe bet on what they got here. http://www.atarimania.com/list_games_atari-2600-vcs-m-network-mattel-electronics_publisher_21_2_G.html

 

What do you all think about this acquisition and the others? Do you think it's a good move?

[zzip]

Interesting, so they only get the rights to the 2600 versions not the Intellivision versions?  But yet they still have the rights to create new games based on these?

 

Odd way to split up IP, but cool

[+jeremiahjt]

This is pretty good news. I wonder if they got the Tron games, I know that would take more licensing to release, but it would be neat.

 

These acquisitions are pretty big news in my opinion, I think each one deserves its own thread.

Edited May 4, 2023 by jeremiahjt

[Lord Mushroom]

1 hour ago, jeremiahjt said:

These acquisitions are pretty big news in my opinion, I think each one deserves its own thread.

I agree. Let´s make this an M Network thread.

[+x=usr(1536)]

Will there be an Atari Acquisition Megathread 2 if they acquire the rights to another company's name and back catalogue in the future?

 

And shouldn't the Atari Acquires Accolade Brand and IP to Over 100 Games thread now be renamed to something like 'Atari Acquisition Megathread Episode IV: The Accoladening' or similar?

 

THESE ARE IMPORTANT THINGS TO CONSIDER.

[Lord Mushroom]

I smell BurgerTime Recharged.

[+GoldLeader]

nutari got my Beloved STERN!!!??????

 

 

Ack!  ACK!   ARRRRRRGGGGGG!   (I knew this but was trying to forget!)

 

and on the M-Network tip,  Prolly also gathered up my beloved Dark Cavern...Bleccch!  BleccccH!

 

New thread idea for nutari

 

ASSLANDER 2:  The Quickening

[+GoldLeader]

13 minutes ago, Lord Mushroom said:

I smell BurgerTime Recharged.

 

I smell something...less pleasant.

[Lord Mushroom]

2 hours ago, zzip said:

Interesting, so they only get the rights to the 2600 versions not the Intellivision versions?  But yet they still have the rights to create new games based on these?

They probably got the Intellivision versions too, but didn´t feel the need to mention it, since Intellivision wasn´t made by Atari.

[Lord Mushroom]

13 minutes ago, GoldLeader said:

 

I smell something...less pleasant.

Yes, it seems the BurgerTime IP is owned by someone else.

[+GoldLeader]

13 minutes ago, Lord Mushroom said:

They probably got the Intellivision versions too, but didn´t feel the need to mention it, since Intellivision wasn´t made by Atari.

 

I thought those boneheads over at I E got those (but don't quote me),  and they think they're worth "6 figures" (Haaa!)

 

Also, that might be just for licensing not ownership!

[Atariboy]

2 hours ago, Lord Mushroom said:

Yes, it seems the BurgerTime IP is owned by someone else.

G-Mode got it when Data East imploded. So Atari will have to go through them if they now own the M-Network port and ever want to take advantage of it.

[+jeremiahjt]

25 minutes ago, Atariboy said:

G-Mode got it when Data East imploded. So Atari will have to go through them if they now own the M-Network port and ever want to take advantage of it.

Looking at their site, they also own Lock 'n Chase. Maybe Atari could buy those two from them.

[+x=usr(1536)]

As long as they secure the rights to Dance Dance Karnov, everything will be A-OK.

 

 

[+jeremiahjt]

2 hours ago, Atariboy said:

G-Mode got it when Data East imploded. So Atari will have to go through them if they now own the M-Network port and ever want to take advantage of it.

Do you know who owns Bump 'n' Jump now?

[Atariboy]

1 hour ago, jeremiahjt said:

Do you know who owns Bump 'n' Jump now?

The copyright to that arcade classic also went to G-Mode.

 

It always appears as Burnin' Rubber when G-Mode licenses it out. I believe that was the original Japanese name (such as when it was included on Data East Arcade Classics for the Wii, the PSP Mini download, and most recently the Arcade Archives release from Hamster).

 

The Bump 'n' Jump name seems to have been a Bally Midway creation for their licensed release here and I assume was never Data East property. The trademark lapsed at some point probably decades ago (Midway would've had no further use for it) and River West Brands/Coleco Holdings, while scanning trademarks at the government's trademark database for various Coleco ports, noticed this lapse in the 2010's. They proceeded to claim jump the trademark to establish control, which was how was how the Coleco port ended up on the Colecovision Flashback (Although I'm sure that G-Mode could've sued for copyright violations had they wanted to). They did similarly with Zaxxon (Which I believe Sega fought and successfully reestablished control over), Jungle Hunt, Frenzy, and other classic games that hadn't had their trademarks renewed in a timely manner.

 

Coleco Holdings didn't follow through with their Section 8 declaration in 2020 and their attempt to take control of the trademark (i.e., the Bump 'n' Jump name) was cancelled as a result. Also cancelled was their trademark for Jungle Hunt. Both were then claim jumped by Intellivision Entertainment LLC. Presumably they had visions of doing an Amico follow-up to Bump 'n' Jump while also wanting to "clear" the Mattel port for the Intellivision, ignoring that the game itself was originally a port of a copyrighted work by Data East with said copyright being owned by G-Mode these days.

 

Hopefully with the Amico implosion we'll see the Jungle Hunt name be returned to Taito eventually. It's been absent in their plug and play system as well as the Arcade Archives lineup, with the obscure follow-up Pirate Pete being rereleased instead (Basically Jungle Hunt with a pirate theme).

Edited May 5, 2023 by Atariboy

[Tommy2D]

My first video-gaming memory is: trying to play Star Strike and being amazed when the planet exploded.  I was probably 3 or 4, playing on an Intellivision that my Dad must have bought at a clearance sale. 

 

I'm not sure if a trench-run game has enough "meat on the bone" for a recharged treatment but I'd be curious to see what they would do. 

[Lord Mushroom]

11 hours ago, Atariboy said:

G-Mode got it when Data East imploded. So Atari will have to go through them if they now own the M-Network port and ever want to take advantage of it.

They may be able to release Atari 2600 cartridges without asking, though.

[4ever2600]

More important to me is did they get the prototypes AD&D TARMIM and AD&D TOWER OF MYSTERY and maybe QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN SKULL?

 

 

[Mockduck]

I guess I don't get how they can be acquiring these games if they already had them in Atari Vault. Isn't it more that Atari has re-acquired the rights to these games that they had the rights to not that long ago? With the addition that they now own the rights to the M Network brand name and assets.

[Atariboy]

I believe they were simply licensed for Atari Vault/Atari Flashback Classics, thanks perhaps to AtGames being involved and their existing involvement with Intellivision Productions (The Intellivision Flashback and numerous Atari Flashbacks from AtGames that included M-Network titles).

 

Without G-Mode's permission I don't see how Atari SA could rerelease something like Bump 'n' Jump even in 2600 cartridge form for collectors just because they possibly now own the 2600 game, any more than they could reissue something such as 2600 Space Invaders without first negotiating a licensing agreement with Taito. The source material (i.e., the original arcade game) is still under copyright and is owned by another company (and the trademark, Bump 'n' Jump, is still under Intellivision Entertainment control so they'd need to license the name as well).

 

They could always take the chance that G-Mode wouldn't go after them, but Atari SA's legal team has been shown to be quite risk averse where clearing decades old IP is concerned. So while I'm not a lawyer and only have two or three college law classes under my belt (so take everything that I say in this area with a grain of salt), I doubt they would ever rerelease it without dotting all their i's and crossing all their t's first.

Edited May 5, 2023 by Atariboy

[Lord Mushroom]

5 minutes ago, Atariboy said:

I don't see how Atari SA could rerelease something like Bump 'n' Jump even in 2600 cartridge form for collectors just because they now own the 2600 game, any more than they could reissue something such as 2600 Space Invaders without first negotiating a licensing agreement with Taito.

I guess it depends on if there are any time limits on the original licensing agreements. But there probably are such limits.

[Atariboy]

I imagine that we can safely infer that all these old licensing agreements are long expired or lack the necessary contractual evidence to prove that they remain valid. After all, we're all well aware at how Atari's corporate archive went into dumpsters. So Atari SA isn't likely to have much in the way of paperwork proof to such a claim.

 

And like you've suggested, even if an old contract is still valid, it doesn't necessarily give them cart blanche to release the 2600 game on any modern platform that they desire. Depending on the language of the contract, it might be limited to something like the 2600 itself. So while they could release collectible 2600 cartridges then without negotiating a licensing agreement, it wouldn't pave the path to getting the game out as DLC for Atari 50 and such.

 

I imagine this purchase opens up the path to seeing the same M-Network titles on Atari Vault resurfacing in future Atari compilations or as DLC for Atari 50 (Digital Eclipse remains hopeful of releasing DLC), but probably not much else like the excellent 2600 port of Bump 'n' Jump. But I'd love to be wrong. 

[GraffitiTavern]

I heard the M Network games on the old comps were licensed also sometimes IP rights are complicated, like with how they had the rights to republished Blood but the right to actually make new games was owned by someone else. I made this a megathread to compile the stories thus far and hopefully not have to make any more threads in the future if they do more acquisitions.

 

So far I like Rosen's leadership, I do hope they get more out of their comfort zone instead of leaning so hard on the retro, but the games have been good.