Atari Acquires Intellivision: Ending Decades-Long Gaming Rivalry

Atari SA PONGF purchased Intellivision, effectively ending one of the longest-standing rivalries in the video game industry.

According to The Verge, the deal involves Atari’s taking over the Intellivision brand and its library of over 200 games.

Atari aims to “expand digital and physical distribution of legacy Intellivision games, potentially create new games, and explore brand and licensing opportunities,” the company said in the press release.

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However, the acquisition does not include the Intellivision Amico, a console project initially scheduled for a 2020 release.

Video game composer Tommy Tallarico previously bought a stake in the company that owned the branding for Intellivision, and raised funding to develop the Amico.

Intellivision, which will undergo a rebranding process, will retain the rights to develop the Amico. Atari will grant licensing rights to the new company, allowing Intellivision games to feature on the Amico console.

Intellivision CEO Phil Adam stated: “We look forward to our expanded collaboration and the prospect of bringing a broad array of new titles to the Amico family gaming platform.”

Historically, Atari and Intellivision were fierce competitors in the early days of the home gaming console, with their respective Atari 2600 and Intellivision systems.

Mattel Inc‘s MAT Mattel Electronics developed and launched Intellivision in 1979. It sold around 5 million units by 1990.

In recent years, Atari has positioned itself as a champion of retro gaming, releasing mini versions of its classic consoles, supporting the re-release of older games on modern platforms, and acquiring retro game developers like Digital Eclipse.

The acquisition of Intellivision marks another significant step in Atari’s strategy to dominate the retro gaming market.

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