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Atari Interactive is a name used by several separate groups and corporations since the mid-1990s. In 1996, it was the name of Atari Corporation's PC publishing division, bringing games like the Atari Jaguar's '' Tempest 2000'' to the PC platform.Tempest 2000 CD cover at Moby Games
/ref> From 1998 to 2001, Atari Interactive, Inc. was the name of the corporate entity that held the Atari properties purchased from JT Storage by Hasbro Interactive in 1998, and functioned as the retro publishing subsidiary of Hasbro Interactive. It is currently the name of a wholly owned subsidiary of
Atari SA Atari SA (formerly Infogrames Entertainment SA) is a French video game holding company headquartered in Paris. Its subsidiaries include Atari Interactive and Atari, Inc. It is the current owner of the Atari brand through Atari Interactive. Be ...
, who is the current owner of the Atari brand and various other properties formerly belonging to Hasbro Interactive. The current Atari Interactive was formed in 2001, when Infogrames Entertainment acquired Hasbro Interactive and proceeded to rename it to Infogrames Interactive. In 2003, IESA then changed the company name entirely to Atari Interactive, Inc. as part of its worldwide reorganization to focus on use of the Atari brand.


Division of Atari Corporation

On January 2, 1996, at the Winter
Consumer Electronics Show CES (; formerly an initialism for Consumer Electronics Show) is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Winchester, Nevada, United States, the event typi ...
, Atari Corporation formally announced the formation of Atari Interactive to "address the worldwide PC market". Planning to initially launch with four titles, '' Tempest 2000'', '' Highlander: The Last of the MacLeods'', '' Baldies'', and '' FlipOut!'', further releases were to include '' Missile Command 3D'', ''Return to Crystal Castles'', '' Rocky Interactive Horror Show'', and ''Virtual War''. By February 12, however, Atari Corporation was announcing a planned merger with drive manufacturer JTS, Inc, who had no interest to compete in any way in the video game or PC markets. Atari Corporation suspended its businesses, laid off about 80 percent of its staff and reportedly began liquidating its assets – which included the closing of the newly formed Atari Interactive division. The Atari/JTS merger officially took effect on July 30, 1996.


Hasbro Interactive subsidiary

On February 23, 1998, JTS sold all assets and properties of its Atari division to HIAC XI, Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hasbro's Hasbro Interactive created in Delaware for the purpose of the purchase. Hasbro then renamed HIAC XI to Atari Interactive in May 1998 and would use the Atari brand name to publish retro-themed
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
titles. On the 21st of that month, Hasbro announced that a ''
remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...
'' of
Centipede Centipedes (from New Latin , "hundred", and Latin , " foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek , ''kheilos'', lip, and New Latin suffix , "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, an ...
would be released for the PC and
PlayStation is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divisi ...
. Throughout 1999 and 2000, games like '' The Next Tetris'', '' Missile Command'', '' Pong: The Next Level'', '' Q*Bert'', '' Glover'', ''
Nerf Arena Blast ''Nerf Arena Blast'' (known as ''Nerf Arena'' in Europe) is a first-person shooter developed by Visionary Media, Inc. and published by Hasbro Interactive, released under their Atari Interactive label. The game, based on Nerf, was touted as a " ...
'' and '' Breakout'' would be released under the Atari branding.


Infogrames subsidiary

In 2001, Hasbro sold Hasbro Interactive and its subsidiaries to French publisher Infogrames Entertainment, SA (IESA). IESA then renamed it to Infogrames Interactive, Inc. On May 7, 2003, IESA officially reorganized its subsidiaries into Atari-branded names, which included renaming Infogrames Interactive, Inc. to Atari Interactive, Inc.Summary of ATARI INC - Yahoo! Finance
/ref> In 2003, Infogrames' US subsidiary Infogrames, Inc. licensed the Atari name and logo from Atari Interactive and changed its name to
Atari Atari () is a brand name that has been owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by French publisher Atari SA through a subsidiary named Atari Interactive. The original Atari, Inc. (1972–1992), Atari, Inc., ...
using it to develop, publish and distribute games for all major video game consoles and personal computers under the Atari brand. On January 21, 2013, Atari, Inc. and Atari Interactive, Inc. (collectively, the "Companies") filed petitions for relief under Chapter 11 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. All three Ataris emerged from bankruptcy one year later and the entering of the social casino gaming industry with Atari Casino. Frederic Chesnais, who now heads all three companies, stated their entire operations consist of a staff of 10 people.


See also

* History of video games


References


External links


Official website
{{Authority control Atari 2003 establishments in New York City American companies established in 1996 American companies disestablished in 1996 American companies established in 1998 American companies disestablished in 2001 American companies disestablished in 2003 Video game companies established in 1996 Video game companies disestablished in 1996 Video game companies established in 1998 Video game companies disestablished in 2001 Video game companies disestablished in 2003 Video game development companies Video game publishers Video game companies of the United States Companies based in New York City Defunct companies based in New York (state)