Atari Announces European Publishing Partnership With Namco Bandai
Atari and Namco Bandai Games to Co-Publish Range of Handheld Titles in Europe
LYON, FRANCE - 5 May 2006 - Atari today
announced a deal which sees the European publisher enter into
partnership with Japanese publisher NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.
to co-publish a range of handheld titles in Europe. The
relationship will bear fruit in summer 2006 with the European
release of a number of games previously launched in the US
and/or Japan. The five titles for Nintendo Game Boy
Advance and one for Nintendo DS were released
in the US in 2005 and are coming to Europe for the first
time.
"Thanks to our extensive European distribution network,
European gamers will be able to discover and play these games
for the first time this summer," said Jean-Michel Perbet,
President, Atari Europe.
Details of the first six titles to be released in Europe are
as follows:
Ace Combat Advance (GBA) The renowned
licence comes to GBA, with 12 new missions of tactical
airborne combat across detailed, destructible
environments.
Atomic Betty (GBA) Based on the
cartoon series and stuffed with action, puzzles, rocket
ships, gadgets, weapons and five playable characters each
with their own unique skills.
Popeye: Rush for Spinach (GBA) The
spinach-loving hero hits the smallest screen alongside Olive
Oyl, Wimpy and Brutus to compete in frantic races across
detailed landscapes. Features four player link mode
multiplayer.
Sigma Star Saga (GBA) An epic space battle
RPG combining the rich storyline and exploration of an RPG
with an action-packed shooter battle system.
Rebelstar: Tactical Command (GBA) An
enhanced and engrossing turn-based strategy game
incorporating advanced abilities and tactics, destructible
environments and 2-player tactical battles.
Dig Dug Digging Strike (NDS)
Combines gameplay from the original Dig Dug and Dig Dug II
and makes use of the NDS dual screen to deliver a range of
fun stages, cool weapons and all-new mini-games.
For more information about Atari's entire product line up,
visit www.atari.com.
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Namco Bandai Games Inc.
NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. is an interactive entertainment
software publisher and developer with head offices in Tokyo,
Japan.
On March 31, 2006, Bandai Co., Ltd. and NAMCO LIMITED
implemented a management integration to form NAMCO BANDAI
Games Inc. This step was taken to compete more effectively on
the global stage in the fast-changing entertainment industry
and to deliver further growth.
The resulting NAMCO BANDAI Group is a global entertainment
group involved in business fields ranging from toys,
amusement facilities, video game software and visual
software, to apparel, sundries and network content.
As previous separate entities (Namco Ltd. and Bandai Co.,
Ltd.) the companies were each known for creating some of the
industry's top video game franchises including: Tamagotchi®,
TEKKEN, SOULCALIBUR, Pac-Man, Digimon®,
RIDGE RACER, Time Crisis and ACE
COMBAT.
ACE COMBAT ADVANCE & ®2005 Namco Bandai Games
Inc.., All Rights Reserved. ATOMIC BETTY is a
trademark of Atomic Cartoons Inc. and Breakthrough
Entertainment Inc. in the United States and other countries.
Game Program ®2005 Namco Bandai Games America, Inc.
Popeye & ®2005 King Features Syndicate, Inc. TM
Hearst Holdings, Inc. Game Program ®2005 Namco Bandai Games
America, Inc. Sigma Star Saga & ®2004 2005 Namco
Bandai Games America, Inc. All rights reserved. Rebelstar:
Tactical Command is a trademark of Namco Bandai Games America
Inc. ®2005 Namco Bandai Games America Inc. Dig Dug
Digging Strike ® 1982 1985 2005 Namco Bandai Games Inc. All
rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the
properties of their respective owners.
About Infogrames Entertainment and Atari:
Infogrames Entertainment (IESA), the parent company of the
Atari Group, is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange
(ISIN code: FR-0000052573) and has two principal
subsidiaries: Atari Europe, a privately-held company, and
Atari, Inc., a United States corporation listed on NASDAQ
(ATAR).
The Atari Group is a major international producer, publisher
and distributor of interactive entertainment software for all
market segments and in all existing game formats (Microsoft,
Nintendo and Sony) and on CD-ROM for PC. Its games are sold
in more than 60 countries.
The Atari Group's extensive catalogue of popular games is
based on original franchises (Driver, Alone in the Dark,
V-Rally, Test Drive, Roller Coaster Tycoon, etc.) and
international licenses (Matrix, Dragon Ball Z, Dungeons &
Dragons, etc.).
For more information: http://www.atari.com
Xbox is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in
the United States and/or other countries.
"PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered
trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective
owners.
® 2006 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.