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

[Jess Ragan]

38 minutes ago, roots.genoa said:

A more accurate comparison would be a MSX compilation with no Konami game, or a PC Engine compilation with no Hudson game.

Accurate yes, but the point still stands. An Atari Lynx collection without Blue Lightning? What's even the point?

[DavidD]

Just waiting for more archive releases...

[Matt_B]

In all honesty, I don't think Atari need to own Epyx. They're as much of a big deal across a whole bunch of other platforms as Atari and the current owners are doing a good job of supporting that. There are a bunch of Epyx games on the C64 and A500 Minis, for instance, as well as all the ones on Steam.

 

They just need to reach a deal with the rights holders that'd let them license the relevant games for Atari 50 volume 2/DLC/whatever.

 

Also, don't stop at the Lynx. Get the A8 and ST games, as well the ones for the other Atari consoles. There are way more of those.

[Atariboy]

I agree, acquiring Epyx (and getting Battlezone back from Rebellion) are what I personally think that they should prioritize as they expand their IP catalogue.

[Giles N]

19 hours ago, Atariboy said:

acquiring Epyx

Does Epyx exist as an (economically) functional or operative entity?

[sirlynxalot]

27 minutes ago, Giles N said:

Does Epyx exist as an (economically) functional or operative entity?

No, I think it's assets and ip are owned by Bridgestone multimedia.  I have seen some epyx lynx games show up on steam bundled with emulators, and an epyx lynx collection cartridge for the evercade so they seem amenable to epyx licensing deals in any case.

[Giles N]

4 hours ago, sirlynxalot said:

No, I think it's assets and ip are owned by Bridgestone multimedia.  I have seen some

… anyone who knows what the full list are?

 

Are the Epyx-games (licenses) spread among different owners now, of did Bridgestone Multimedia obtain like all of them for all platforms?

 

Do we have any sources/links to IPs …?

[Giles N]

Perhaps they could buy out all Epyx games or strike some split-revenue deal, or share-deal.

 

It could be a permanent buy, or a license deal over 10 years, where both companies would have interest in getting the games published.

 

I mean, it’s much easier to get stuff going, get people interested, either in modern ‘ports’ to Steam and consoles, and/or getting people interested in high-quality remakes, if the game titles are wellknown and appreciated by the sort of people that you’ll sell them too (initially).

 

It’s easier to get people go ‘wow’ if you publish a port or remaster of a true classic. 
 

Guess Atari have figured out that much (long time ago), but Epyx was indeed heavily involved in some of the cooler Atari titles …

 

 

[sirlynxalot]

19 hours ago, Giles N said:

… anyone who knows what the full list are?

 

Are the Epyx-games (licenses) spread among different owners now, of did Bridgestone Multimedia obtain like all of them for all platforms?

 

Do we have any sources/links to IPs …?

Bridgestone acquired what was left of epyx in the early 90s, which was a time when epyx had recently come out of bankruptcy and had like fewer than 10 employees.  I don't think it's public knowledge precisely which IPs BSM has and whether it has kept everything since then or if it has sold some stuff but retained others.  Not aware of any public list of their ips, but I suppose if you contact them with an enticing business deal they would let you know... Could also be the case that like many companies, they don't really know what legacy IP they have from old mergers and acquisitions, any records for those transactions have long since been moved into off site storage or discarded, and people who would have been working there in the early 90s have probably all retired or moved on from that company at this point.

Edited November 3, 2023 by sirlynxalot

[Giles N]

1 hour ago, sirlynxalot said:

Could also be the case that like many companies, they don't really know what legacy IP they have from old mergers and acquisitions,

Well, many Epyx games have turned up on the Evercade - in the Lynx-collections and C64-collections.

 

They must be obtainable…

[Matt_B]

3 hours ago, Giles N said:

Well, many Epyx games have turned up on the Evercade - in the Lynx-collections and C64-collections.

 

They must be obtainable…

There are also Epyx games on the C64 and A500 Minis. Some of their C64 games were even on the Wii eShop for a while.

 

All in all, there's been a lot of licensing activity over the years. They're definitely not something that's just been sat on and forgotten.

[Giles N]

35 minutes ago, Matt_B said:

There are also Epyx games on the C64 and A500 Minis. Some of their C64 games were even on the Wii eShop for a while.

 

All in all, there's been a lot of licensing activity over the years. They're definitely not something that's just been sat on and forgotten.

And that would mean Atari could try to obtain any form of rights-to-use, for the most important ones in ways that are financially realistic, since they need to keep the interest hot, while the 50th Anniversary is fresh in peoples memories.

 

Reviewers praised the thorough presentstion, but admitted that many older games hadn’t aged well.

Guess many users and some reviewers felt the 7800 and Lynx libraries were lacking in size.

The 2600-core classics have been sold in many ways, many, many times over.

I had hoped for much more 7800 and Lynx-titles, and was also surprised that they didn’t present the Jaguar better (like; if they add graphics to Star Raiders  5200, why not add music to Trevor McFur? why not port Battlemorph instead of Cybermorph 1, if the former is clearly a better game?)

 

I mean, as to reaching the younger generations/new generations with a presentation of Atari-gaming, stuff like the 50th is probably the way to go, as it spans a build-up, making it alot easier to understand that something starts simple and builds in quality.

 

If they loose steam on this, they may loose a lot of potential new Atari-gamers.

 

Edited November 4, 2023 by Giles N

[+jeremiahjt]

2 hours ago, Giles N said:

why not port Battlemorph instead of Cybermorph 1

I do not think they have the rights to Battlemorph anymore. I am pretty sure they sold Battlemorph to Songbird Productions when Chesnais was there.

[Giles N]

26 minutes ago, jeremiahjt said:

I do not think they have the rights to Battlemorph anymore. I am pretty sure they sold Battlemorph to Songbird Productions when Chesnais was there.

I don’t how a cooperation between Songbird and Atari wouldn’t benefit both parts… (Atari could get access to things owned by Somgbird, and Songbird could get many freedoms of (re)production and accesses and support in return)

 

… but then again it’s more the rule than the exception I get to hear about legal stuff or economical matters I never thought about…

Edited November 4, 2023 by Giles N

[GraffitiTavern]

27 minutes ago, jeremiahjt said:

I do not think they have the rights to Battlemorph anymore. I am pretty sure they sold Battlemorph to Songbird Productions when Chesnais was there.

Does Songbird also own Iron Soldier?

[Giles N]

This is what I can find on Songbirds ownerships (they may have changed):

 

[Giles N]

It would seem that logical steps for Atari to take, if they want to build up access to old IP or license them, would be:

 

1) get a good deal with Brigdestone Multimedia for Epyx titles

 

2) get a good deal/cooperate with Songbird for access to Jsguar titles and/of titles that have retro-value.

(I believe that Total Carnage actually do have retro-status)

Edited November 4, 2023 by Giles N

[Atariboy]

I doubt Atari SA has any interest in Total Carnage. It's a Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment property and just acquiring what rights Songbird Productions may have to release and print the Jaguar port in cartridge form isn't necessarily going to be of any use to today's Atari.

 

And all the box art and such still credits it to Midway these days, so I suppose that's an added layer of complexity right there. There's the possibility that WB might consider it an illegitimate release to have in print today given that the agreement was negotiated with Midway and possibly hasn't been updated with the current rights holder. Probably fine until/if they ever complain about it being for sale in physical Jaguar form since it was legally cleared originally, but it's not going to work for a much more visible wide release by a corporation unless all the t's are crossed and i's are dotted.

Edited November 4, 2023 by Atariboy

[Giles N]

17 minutes ago, Atariboy said:

 

I doubt Atari SA has any interest in Total Carnage.

 

Ok, - but the remainder?

 
And having Songbird make lynx and jag. repros. and other hardware equipment…?

Edited November 4, 2023 by Giles N

[GraffitiTavern]

One good grab for Atari would be Mean Hamster Software's old catalog, apparently they did 5200 homebrew and held the rights to the old Exidy arcade games(idk who owns that now)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mean_Hamster_Software

 

EDIT: I think CollectorVision owns at least part of the old Exidy catalog, I don't know if they'd be willing to part with it or own Mean Hamster's 5200 games

Edited November 5, 2023 by GraffitiTavern

[PowerDubs]

By my count- there are 5 different times Atari has acquired IP in the last year.

 

Of the total- very few titles were actually revealed.

 

Also- they stated a 'minority stake' in Playmaji but don't say how much- 49% can be minority but VERY significant difference from a much lower %.

 

Digging around- Atari was the lead investor- and apparently the only investor in this sale to Playmaji- to the tune of almost 6 million.

 

I don't know what Playmaji's valuation is - but I doubt it's a large #.   I bet 5+ mil is significant.

 

I have asked Atari's investor email, as well as their licensing email in the past-about the IP and never received a response.

 

So, I am trying again- just turned up the wick.

 

With a little luck... we may hear some relevant news.

 

Fingers crossed.

 

 

[Giles N]

On 10/5/2023 at 4:26 PM, GraffitiTavern said:

First recharged announcement for one of the newly acquired titles!

Berzerk Recharged

 

 

 

I’n not able to tell whether this is significant or not, but seems most branches of Atari SAs shares/stocks are up now…

 

Perhaps @Lord Mushroom can tell if there’s any noteworthy significance to this…?

Edited November 9, 2023 by Giles N

[PowerDubs]

Nothing noteworthy whatsoever.... at the very low volumes Atari currently trades at- expect price swings for no reason other than someone buying or selling a very small order.

[GraffitiTavern]

Wade Rosen gives a specific interview RE: acquisitions

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ataris-re-focus-on-retro

[PowerDubs]

On 10/24/2023 at 11:36 PM, PowerDubs said:

Plus a 10% share of Anttream, and an unannounced % of Playmaji.

 

All Atari said about the Playmaji deal is that it was a 'minority investment'.

 

I think they are being coy.  49% is still 'minority'.

 

Word games... business games....

 

It would appear to be more significant than how they presented it.  Atari was lead investor in the deal.

 

Reference- Playmaji SEC filing- documenting a sale of $5,441,999

 

https://disclosurequest.com/form/playmaji-inc./0001984507-23-000001

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Confirmed in today's financial report- Atari holds a non-controlling stake of 53% on a non-diluted basis and 49% on a fully diluted basis of Playmaji