More games to be brought to North American markets

Aug 15, 2008 19:16 GMT  ·  By

Companies are starting to team up in order to maximize their revenue and offer their product to as many potential customers as possible - something that is, after all, completely natural. Atari and Empire are the latest companies to sign a multi-year distribution agreement, adding a host of titles to Atari's line-up and offering gamers worldwide the chance to try even more games.

The terms of the deal give Atari the right to secure distribution of family-friendly video games developed by Empire, such as Animal Paradise for the Nintendo DS, Pipe Mania for both handheld platforms, PS2 and PCs, as well as the mystery solving game Unsolved Crimes (Nintendo DS). These already released titles will be joined by Hello Kitty: Big City Dreams, which will be released this fall.

"Empire and Atari are both dedicated to providing fans with better gaming experiences, and this new partnership will allow Empire to reach the widest consumer audience during this upcoming holiday season," said Karim Farghaly, Vice President of Sales for Empire Interactive. "We are confident that Atari's North American distribution network will expand our retail presence and maximize our title sales."

On the other hand, Empire, a Silverstar Holding company, is delighted to have entered this agreement that will offer them some great exposure in the North American markets. And, all in all, this deal is only to the benefit of gamers - a bigger competition means more quality titles for fans and I doubt anyone can have something against that.

"Empire's strong product lineup is a great addition to Atari's distribution portfolio, allowing both companies the opportunity to extend their reach to the growing mass market gaming audience," admitted Jim Wilson, President and CEO of Atari. "Their branded, competitively priced titles offer retailers an attractive slate for the upcoming holiday season." Because hitting the jackpot during the holiday season is what everybody wants.