Hasbro buys back gaming rights

Hasbro has reaquired the digital gaming rights to a range of properties from Atari's parent company, Infogrames, in a deal worth a total of $65 million.

Infogrames acquired the rights on an exclusive basis following the purchase of Hasbro Interactive and Games.com in December 2000.

The company has now agreed a new licensing agreement with Hasbro which secures Infogrames the rights to 10 franchises, including Dungeons and Dragons, NeverWinter Nights, Dragonshard and Monopoly.

"This agreement is consistent with our objective of providing more resources for the group's growth, while concentrating on brands with a significant potential, and investing in Atari's new products," said Bruno Bonnell. Bonnell was named acting CEO this week following Jim Caparro's resignation from the role after just six months.

Hasbro CEO Alfred J. Verrecchia added: "This new agreement allows Hasbro to fully exploit its brands in a wide variety of growth platforms including next-generation consoles, around the world, while at the same time giving Infogrames the rights to 10 popular Hasbro brands."