In the last two weeks I have bought several games products that, on the surface, have something in common. In order of purchase they are a Jaguar, a copy of Fahreheit and a copy of Retro Atari Classics for the DS.
Each is linked by the Atari name and brand but can they all be considered the produce of the same entity? The Atari that made those retro classics (like Pong, Centipede and Breakout) all those years ago is a different Atari to the one that created the lacklustre Jaguar console in the nineties. Likewise, the Atari of 1994 is now dead and gone, Fahrenheit is one of many games to be published by an Atari in name only. For those who do not know, Atari has long been the brand name for French publisher Infogrames.
As good as Fahrenheit is, I just don't see it as a genuine Atari product - probably because it ISN'T a genuine Atari product. I still feel like Atari died years ago and Infogrames are walking around in a pair of dead man's shoes. Sure, Infogrames own the rights to the Atari back catalogue and hardware license and they have recently made good use of both but when I buy a new release I don't feel like I'm buying an extension of that heritage.
This got me thinking about other games developers/publishers. How many games have I bought because of my loyalty to the publisher? I love Sega but they sure aren't the same company they were twenty years ago, they're not even the same company they were five years ago.
What would it take for me to accept Infogrames as the real Atari? I'm not sure. Maybe if they made their own games, or invested in the arcade market or maybe if they gave Jeff Minter a job. Maybe they'll never be the real Atari and I should just forget about it. Would I feel less cheated if Fahrenheit bore the Infogrames logo, I think I would.
What's in a name?
Each is linked by the Atari name and brand but can they all be considered the produce of the same entity? The Atari that made those retro classics (like Pong, Centipede and Breakout) all those years ago is a different Atari to the one that created the lacklustre Jaguar console in the nineties. Likewise, the Atari of 1994 is now dead and gone, Fahrenheit is one of many games to be published by an Atari in name only. For those who do not know, Atari has long been the brand name for French publisher Infogrames.
As good as Fahrenheit is, I just don't see it as a genuine Atari product - probably because it ISN'T a genuine Atari product. I still feel like Atari died years ago and Infogrames are walking around in a pair of dead man's shoes. Sure, Infogrames own the rights to the Atari back catalogue and hardware license and they have recently made good use of both but when I buy a new release I don't feel like I'm buying an extension of that heritage.
This got me thinking about other games developers/publishers. How many games have I bought because of my loyalty to the publisher? I love Sega but they sure aren't the same company they were twenty years ago, they're not even the same company they were five years ago.
What would it take for me to accept Infogrames as the real Atari? I'm not sure. Maybe if they made their own games, or invested in the arcade market or maybe if they gave Jeff Minter a job. Maybe they'll never be the real Atari and I should just forget about it. Would I feel less cheated if Fahrenheit bore the Infogrames logo, I think I would.
What's in a name?
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