Atari, the esteemed entertainment brand owner, revives the iconic Infogrames name to establish a publishing label dedicated to acquiring and publishing games. The first step for the resurrected Infogrames is the acquisition of ‘Totally Reliable Delivery Service,’ a ragdoll physics simulator featuring parcel couriers.
Infogrames’ goal is to buy intellectual property and publish games of different genres that are not part of the Atari catalog, which has a generous collection of classics.
“Infogrames intends to actively manage its catalog of titles by expanding physical and digital distribution, and developing new collections and sequels,”
the company says.
“In line with Atari’s approach, Infogrames considers the preservation of video games a core element of its mission.”
Wade Rosen, CEO of Atari, expresses excitement for Infogrames’ comeback, stating,
“For decades, Infogrames built a reputation as a publisher of incredible games, and we’re excited about its return,”
In the same announcement, Infogrames provides an email address for developers or intellectual property holders interested in their project to contact the company.
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Infogrames: From PC Games to Survival Horror Pioneers
In the early 1980s, Infogrames embarked on its journey, developing and publishing PC games licensed from internationally renowned Franco-Belgian comics like Lucky Luke and Tintin. Initially focused solely in France, the company gradually expanded its geographical and platform reach, venturing into consoles. A pivotal moment arrived in 1992 with the release of ‘Alone in the Dark,’ a precursor of the survival horror genre. Shortly after, Capcom’s ‘Resident Evil’ emerged.
Expansion and Decline
In the mid-90s, Infogrames initiated a period of expansion through acquisitions, including Ocean, DMA Design (later acquiring Take-Two and evolving into Rockstar Games), Accolade, Beam Software, GT Interactive, Gremlin Interactive, MicroProse, and Atari. However, the empire the company had constructed began to decline in the early 2000s as it started selling off studios and intellectual properties. Eventually, The Infogrames rebranded as Atari, which faced bankruptcy in 2013 and further divestment of intellectual properties. Now, Atari is revitalizing Infogrames, reintroducing it as a publisher.
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Over the past few years, Atari has demonstrated significant activity. The company acquired Nightdive Studios and Digital Eclipse, reclaimed over 100 intellectual properties, introduced the Atari 2600+, a modern rendition of the console compatible with original cartridges, re-released various titles from its catalog, and announced upcoming releases.