Atari has officially acquired its former rival Intellivision, as it continues to boost its games library, and potential future output. Per the terms of the deal, Atari has acquired the rights to the Intellivision name, as well as over 200 unnamed games.
The remaining parts of Intellivision will rebrand, and will continue to develop the Amico home console, with a license from Atari to create and distribute new versions of classic Intellivision games.
“This was a very rare opportunity to unite former competitors and bring together fans of the golden age of gaming,” Wade Rosen, CEO of Atari said in a press release.
It appears the company is keen to revive Intellivision’s most popular franchises, potentially creating new games to inspire those warm, rose-coloured feelings of nostalgia. Intellivision’s library includes plenty of sports-themed titles, as well as licensed games like Tron: Deadly Discs, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and Masters of the Universe: The Power of He-Man, but given the complications around rights, it’s unlikely these titles would be eligible for re-release.
Read: Bubsy is back on the menu, as Atari buys rights to 100+ retro games
At this stage, Atari has not revealed which games or franchises it’s most interested in developing, but we’re likely to hear more from the company in the coming years. Recently, it has picked up steam in acquiring a range of classic games and companies, seemingly with the intention of reviving Atari as a powerhouse in the modern gaming industry.
Already, it’s acquired the rights to games including Bubsy, and purchased retro-focused studio Digital Eclipse, for its expertise. It’s also recently revived the Infogrames publishing label to bring back its “reputation as a publisher and developer of amazing and eclectic games.”
For now, the company is yet to make any major announcements about its future plans, but it’s clear Atari is gearing up for a stronger foray back into the world of video games. With hundreds of retro franchises under its belt, there’s certainly plenty of potential in the move.
