Atari sales down as company shifts to online
Sales drop 56 per cent as Star Trek and Champions Online drive digital growth
Atari sales were down significantly for the nine months to December 31, 2010, as the company shifts to an online digital future.
Total sales were €41 million, compared to €92.5 million for the same period, a drop of 55.7 per cent.
But as the company moves away from traditional retail, its online revenues grew significantly, up 493 per cent, from €3.1 million to €18.4 million.
"Our nine-month revenues are in line with our outlook and show a continued shift toward fewer but more profitable retail releases and the growing online games market," said CEO Jim Wilson.
"We launched Champions Online in the free-to-play model in January 2011, and the initial results have been promising. We have also launched Test Drive Unlimited 2 in line with our forecasts and to positive ratings in US and Europe."
Subscriptions to Star Trek Online and Champions Online drove digital growth through the period, the latter of which has now gone free-to-play at the beginning of 2011.
Retail sales to store were €22.6 million, a drop of €66.8 million.