Could the Atari name be heading to the grave again?

[gamevet]

http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/17/comm...ming/index.htm

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) – Things haven't been going well for Atari for quite some time now, but they've just taken a turn for the worse.

The publisher, once the premiere name in the gaming industry, reportedly plans to lay off a portion of its North American staff (which currently consists of 250 people) and plans to sell all of its internal studios. All of this comes as Atari's latest high profile release – "Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure" - earns less than stellar reviews from video game critics.

The internal studios on the block have worked on some of Atari's largest releases over the past few years, including the "Driver" and "Test Drive" franchises and games based on "The Matrix" films.

Speaking to industry trade publication MCV, Atari (Research) CEO Bruno Bonnell said "We will be looking to sell our studios, but that doesn't mean that we're immediately putting a 'For Sale' sign on them. They still have important projects to finish for us."

Bonnell is based in France. Calls to the company's U.S. corporate communications department were not returned. (Atari is owned by the French outfit Infogrames, but trades in the US under the Atari ticker symbol).

While Bonnell insists the sale of studios and staff reductions are a restructuring move, it's getting increasingly hard to convince onlookers. HSBC cut off the company's line of credit earlier this month. Harris Nesbitt and Wedbush Morgan both downgraded the publisher on Feb. 10. Meanwhile, Diane Baker, Atari's chief financial officer who last June famously said the company was shooting itself in the foot, resigned.

[Joust Williams]

Atari's best new game will be coming out soon though. Test Drive Unlimited. Developed by the Porsche Unleashed team

[Diff-chan]

Infogrames was doing fine AFAIK... then they changed their name to Atari.

Reminds me of this guy I know who bought Daikatana, and then crashed his car, and then his girlfriend dumped him, and then his company started pay freezes.

[Rhydant]

Damn, that is some shit lucky for reals.

[RoleTroll]

"The publisher, once the premiere name in the gaming industry, reportedly plans to lay off a portion of its North American staff (which currently consists of 250 people) and plans to sell all of its internal studios."

Infogames was never the premiere name in the gaming industry. Or, if the name Atari was the premiere name three years ago, it still is today. But they shouldn't make it sound like this is the same company.

[Dyne]

Atari's best new game will be coming out soon though. Test Drive Unlimited. Developed by the Porsche Unleashed team

i was about to say "the test drive games have always been ass" then i saw the porsche unleashed part. wasn't aware of that.

[Revoltor]

I still plan on buying Under Pressure when it hits the bargain bins.

[Giga Power]

i was about to say "the test drive games have always been ass" then i saw the porsche unleashed part. wasn't aware of that.

Me either. Nice.

Also Le Mans (Dreamcast revision) and V-Rally kick ass. That is all.

[Port]

I still plan on buying Under Pressure when it hits the bargain bins.

IAWTP.

The Atari name will never die; it'll just be recycled constantly. I can't imagine Infogrames completely collapsing though.

[Zerodash]

What about the DBZ games? I thought those sold well.