Atari is a name that carries weight – even if those that remember it, are probably a bit older than they care to admit. The golden age of arcades, dusty cartridges and (weirdly) pong paddles are most likely gathering dust in a lot of 80s and 90s kids’ basements. Today, Atari is once again dipping its toes into the world of ownership power plays with the competition, however.
The company announced, that it has officially acquired the rights of five different and quite obscure Ubisoft titles, which couldn’t be more different from one another.
Cold Fear, I Am Alive, Grow Home and its sibling Grow up, as well as Child of Eden are the five titles it has acquired. So, why exactly did Atari snap up these games?
Atari Buys Ubisoft Games
Atari is desperately trying to reposition itself as more than just a relic company, and by acquiring mid-tier classics that have risen to cult status, the old-school publisher gets to put a notch in the bedpost.
Atari has already made some noteworthy industry moves in recent years, acquiring former rival Intellivision in 2024, while also reviving the Infogrames publishing label.
It will eventually stake a claim in areas, where it doesn’t have much history thus far; think indie-scale creativity and even narrative-driven survival games.
Cold Fear, for example, fits into that category. The blood-ridden fields of horror gaming may serve as an interesting launchpad, and there might be some (albeit undead) life in that franchise, provided they treat it with care.
I am Alive, to give another example, has gotten a very lukewarm reception, despite its cool approach to survival. Meanwhile games like Child of Eden and the Grow series probably appeal to a younger audience.
In that respect, Atari is covering more ground and hopefully reaches a broader audience, which could explain this wild mix of titles they’ve just acquired.
Nostalgia, Nostalgia, Nostalgia
Nostalgia sells. Atari wants to have a slice of the pie too, or so it seems. Picking up older franchises left for dead, only to shake off the dust and revive them, is quite a clever move.
This also ensures that brands that didn’t get the treatment they probably deserve for whatever reason, can live on and get a second chance at a life well-lived.
In this case, Atari isn’t just randomly picking up titles because they feel like it, it’s cleverly and painstakingly choosing IPs with just enough market awareness, so that the sweet nostalgia lure could work on enough players to make it profitable.
They will therefore introduce these names to a generation, that only half-remembers them and maybe give them the opportunity to relive that obscure childhood memory they always harp on about.
