Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration Expanded Edition is adding 39 new games to the interactive documentary

[+Intellivision Master]

On 7/5/2024 at 5:20 PM, jeremiahjt said:

According to the latest Atari podcast, Frisky Tom has been cut from the new dlc and now we are only getting 38 games, 19 in each dlc.

That game is on Ant Stream.  It's the only 5200 game they have listed in their Atari section.  Be nice if more 5200 games were added.

 

Edit: I mentioned the game being on Ant Stream for those who want to play it.  Because with the game being removed from the new DLC, if someone wanted to play the game, just go on the Ant Stream app to try it out.  That's all I'm saying.  Sorry for any confusion.

[+jgkspsx]

18 hours ago, jeremiahjt said:

They said they found out the day they announced the new Expanded Edition/dlc. I assume whatever deal they were working on fell through.

 

Who owns Frisky Tom?

Nichibutsu or whoever owns their games now.

 

... is it possible that nobody at Atari knew it was an arcade port this whole time???? 👀

[roots.genoa]

6 minutes ago, jgkspsx said:

Nichibutsu or whoever owns their games now.

 

... is it possible that nobody at Atari knew it was an arcade port this whole time???? 👀

Oh indeed, thanks for naming Nichibutsu. That arcade game was indeed re-released on PS4 and Switch in the Arcade Archives series on April 15th 2021. So definitely not in Atari's catalogue of IPs.

[+jeremiahjt]

1 hour ago, jgkspsx said:

Nichibutsu or whoever owns their games now.

 

... is it possible that nobody at Atari knew it was an arcade port this whole time???? 👀

You would think that if they were planning on putting an unreleased 5200 game in there, they would know who had the rights.

 

Maybe they were going to license it, or buy it outright, and the deal fell through. Warbirds suffered the same fate on the original release. Atari thought the Accolade/GT Interactive/MicroProse deal would go through in time, so much so that they put Warbirds on the actual disc. The day one patch removed it.

 

Looking into it, Hamster Corporation owns the game. They seem to license stuff out plenty, but I have no idea if they ever sell ip.

[+jgkspsx]

40 minutes ago, jeremiahjt said:

Looking into it, Hamster Corporation owns the game. They seem to license stuff out plenty, but I have no idea if they ever sell ip.

They license other people's games extensively but I don't think they issue licenses. In general they view anything that isn't Arcade Archives as competition, with certain exceptions like the Namco and Taito collections where the collection was part of the original license. I wouldn't expect the 5200 version to stick around in future MyArcade products or to stay on Antstream if they have discovered it's out there, but maybe they would be okay with that as long as it's not on the platforms where Arcade Archives is.

 

PS: the MyArcade devices had several other games that Atari doesn't own... 👀

[roots.genoa]

9 hours ago, jeremiahjt said:

They seem to license stuff out plenty

No they don't, unfortunately. They indeed own Nichibutsu's catalogue (and Video System's one for instance), and I've never seen these games elsewhere than in the Arcade Archives series as jgk pointed out.

[leech]

12 hours ago, jeremiahjt said:

You would think that if they were planning on putting an unreleased 5200 game in there, they would know who had the rights.

 

Maybe they were going to license it, or buy it outright, and the deal fell through. Warbirds suffered the same fate on the original release. Atari thought the Accolade/GT Interactive/MicroProse deal would go through in time, so much so that they put Warbirds on the actual disc. The day one patch removed it.

 

Looking into it, Hamster Corporation owns the game. They seem to license stuff out plenty, but I have no idea if they ever sell ip.

It looks like they added Warbirds back in?  Since the patch notes for the Holiday update from December 5th, 2023 lists it there.

[DavidD]

3 hours ago, roots.genoa said:

No they don't, unfortunately. They indeed own Nichibutsu's catalogue (and Video System's one for instance), and I've never seen these games elsewhere than in the Arcade Archives series as jgk pointed out.

I feel like this could be a rare case in which the two companies might be able to come up with a mutually beneficial arrangement, given the number of classic western titles the current Atari has the rights to... but I've yet to see any evidence Hamster care much about western titles.  Of course, perhaps they've never been approached.

[+jeremiahjt]

8 hours ago, roots.genoa said:

No they don't, unfortunately. They indeed own Nichibutsu's catalogue (and Video System's one for instance), and I've never seen these games elsewhere than in the Arcade Archives series as jgk pointed out.

So you are saying Antstream Arcade did not get a license from Hamster for Frisky Tom? I have a hard time believing Antstream is putting games on their service without first getting a license. And City Connection, too. Maybe you have some inside information regarding Antstream I am not privy to.

[+jeremiahjt]

5 hours ago, leech said:

It looks like they added Warbirds back in?  Since the patch notes for the Holiday update from December 5th, 2023 lists it there.

Yes, they added Warbirds back in with the free update last year, after Atari finished the Accolade/GT Interactive/MicroProse deal.

[leech]

2 hours ago, jeremiahjt said:

Yes, they added Warbirds back in with the free update last year, after Atari finished the Accolade/GT Interactive/MicroProse deal.

Ha, I did see Silent Service II on Steam.  I wonder how many of those games will be brought to the Atari VCS 800...

[roots.genoa]

5 hours ago, jeremiahjt said:

So you are saying Antstream Arcade did not get a license from Hamster for Frisky Tom? I have a hard time believing Antstream is putting games on their service without first getting a license. And City Connection, too. Maybe you have some inside information regarding Antstream I am not privy to.

Well, I must admit I stand corrected if Antstream Arcade has the arcade version of Frisky Tom indeed. I'm not surprised about City Connection's games, though, they license a lot (Evercade has a Jaleco cart).

[+jeremiahjt]

2 hours ago, roots.genoa said:

Well, I must admit I stand corrected if Antstream Arcade has the arcade version of Frisky Tom indeed. I'm not surprised about City Connection's games, though, they license a lot (Evercade has a Jaleco cart).

I am pretty sure it is the 5200 version, but Antstream would still need the license from Hamster Corporation for that version.

[Shaggy the Atarian]

It's probably too tall an order, but I'd love to see DE give one of the 5200's never released but partially completed games the same treatment they did with SwordQuest: AirWorld - either finish Black Belt, Meebzork, or Spitfire. That would more than make up for losing Frisky Tom.

 

Or I'd settle for making the 7800 version of Electrocop  

 

 

[Atariboy]

A seemingly easier/cheaper and to me more exciting proposition would be to see the finished 5200 version of Tempest included. A game that was started by the Atari of old and brought to completion decades later by the very same man that originally was developing it.

[+jgkspsx]

17 hours ago, DavidD said:

I feel like this could be a rare case in which the two companies might be able to come up with a mutually beneficial arrangement, given the number of classic western titles the current Atari has the rights to... but I've yet to see any evidence Hamster care much about western titles.  Of course, perhaps they've never been approached.

That's a good point. That could be a really good quid pro quo.

[+jgkspsx]

5 hours ago, jeremiahjt said:

I am pretty sure it is the 5200 version, but Antstream would still need the license from Hamster Corporation for that version.

I betcha they don't have it.

[roots.genoa]

8 hours ago, jeremiahjt said:

I am pretty sure it is the 5200 version, but Antstream would still need the license from Hamster Corporation for that version.

In that case, I'm not sure they have the license; I agree with jgk once again. Bear in mind it's an unreleased port, so Antstream is maybe banking on some grey area. I wouldn't be surprised if they're not aware Hamster owns the original game, and even less surprised if they are but are hoping Hamster won't notice, since it's very possible Hamster doesn't know about Antstream tbh.

 

A lot of people think Nintendo is the only one to 'ban' fan games, but the thing is Nintendo has a big US division and is just more aware of what's going on in other countries, and they have the means to enforce their rights... But most of all they have a website for people to report IP infringements; I'm pretty sure that if games like Princess Rescue got a C&D, it's only because some zealous (and stupid) fans reported it. I really doubt Nintendo of America's lawyers spend their time on AtariAge, frankly.

[mr_me]

11 hours ago, roots.genoa said:

In that case, I'm not sure they have the license; I agree with jgk once again. Bear in mind it's an unreleased port, so Antstream is maybe banking on some grey area. I wouldn't be surprised if they're not aware Hamster owns the original game, and even less surprised if they are but are hoping Hamster won't notice, since it's very possible Hamster doesn't know about Antstream tbh.

Sounds like Atari SA licensed 5200 Frisky Tom to Antstream prior to knowing a second license is required. There's no grey area, the music is clearly from the arcade version, and graphics also recognisable from the arcade game.

[roots.genoa]

1 hour ago, mr_me said:

Sounds like Atari SA licensed 5200 Frisky Tom to Antstream prior to knowing a second license is required. There's no grey area, the music is clearly from the arcade version, and graphics also recognisable from the arcade game.

Well, by 'grey area', I rather meant "it's an old game, nobody cares". 😉

[doctorclu]

On 7/8/2024 at 1:49 PM, mr_me said:

Sounds like Atari SA licensed 5200 Frisky Tom to Antstream prior to knowing a second license is required. There's no grey area, the music is clearly from the arcade version, and graphics also recognisable from the arcade game.

 

Interesting, at least to me.  I'm starting to wonder if these multiple licenses for a game have caught Atari off guard on other game releases.   It is suspected by those tracking the "Bubsy: Purrfect Collection"  that some similar might have effected Atari's produced Atari Jaguar game not being mentioned for that collection.

 

[doctorclu]

On 7/6/2024 at 4:21 PM, jeremiahjt said:

... Warbirds suffered the same fate on the original release. Atari thought the Accolade/GT Interactive/MicroProse deal would go through in time, so much so that they put Warbirds on the actual disc. The day one patch removed it.

 

Looking into it, Hamster Corporation owns the game. They seem to license stuff out plenty, but I have no idea if they ever sell ip.

 

And maybe that is why  aside from the "surprise factor" the game list is not available, just in case some bit of licensing for a game falls through at the last minute?