Atari has just purchased a controlling stake in Swedish publisher Thunderful, which might lead you to assume the company is abandoning its 'retro first' approach for something a little more contemporary.
However, speaking to Gamesindustry.biz, Atari CEO Wade Rosen made it clear that classic gaming is still very much at the forefront of his mind.
Rosen was keen to point out that the Atari 2600+ and 7800+ platforms have been very successful, with a notable rise not only in demand for games, but in the number of new titles being developed. "The ecosystem there is building," he tells GI.biz.
Rosen explains that, when he visits retro stores, he often asks how Atari games are doing in terms of sales:
"I'm like, 'Hey, how are the Atari games selling?' [And they're like,] 'Man, these things didn't sell at all, and now people are cleaning us out of these Atari games'. Which I love to hear, because it kind of shows that there's this retro ecosystem developing around it. So we'll continue to support that for the foreseeable future. That's an ongoing, evergreen project for us."
Atari recently published a port of Toalpan's Tiger-Heli for the 7800, and more new titles are on the way.
Like most companies operating in the video game space, Atari is keenly aware of the power of merchandising, and its logo already appears on everything from clothing to watches.
Licensing will continue to be a prime focus for the company moving forward, with everything from "T-shirts, to energy drinks, to shoes, to headphones," being considered, according to Rosen.
The company already has an impressive line of accessories and apparel, so it will be interesting to see how it leverages its brand for other merchandising opportunities.