Console maker Atari has acquired the brand of its one-time rival Intellivision, along with the rights to 200 “certain games” from parent company Intellivision LLC, for an undisclosed sum.
Under the deal, Atari will “expand digital and physical distribution of legacy Intellivision games” and potentially make brand new titles. It’ll also look at brand and license opportunities to “create [long-term] value from the Intellivision properties.”
As part of a licensing deal with Atari, Intellivision LLC will still create and release its Amico home console. Under a new rebrand, it’s also allowed to “distribute new versions” of Intellivision games for the system.
Atari is still on an acquisition drive
Mike Mika, studio head for the Atari-owned Digital Eclipse called the acquisition “[an] end [to] the longest running console war in history.”
Atari CEO Wade Rosen added that buying Intellivision made for “a very rare opportunity to unite former competitors and bring together fans of Atari, Intellivision and the golden age of gaming.”
Console context aside, this marks Atari’s first and only acquisition for the month of May. In April, it nabbed the rights to Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 and Totally Reliable Delivery Service, the latter of which heralded the relaunch of Infogrames.
In the past, it purchased the rights to nostalgic video game franchises like Bubsy and Hardball. While neither franchise has seen a new title (yet) Rosen previously put out a soft call to any indie developer interested in making a new Bubsy.
No specific games were listed among the 200 acquired, and it’s also unclear if this includes Intellivision games currently in development.