Infogrames set to purchase Atari

[Schadenfroh]

Update: The OP of "Atari is spiraling down the toilet" has been recycled into this thread, previous OP contained Atari's worsening financial situation.

Looks like Infogrames is going to buy them out

Atari Inc said that majority shareholder Infogrames Entertainment has said it wants to buy the rest of the company for $1.68 per share.

 

[Aikouka]

That's what happens when your main game release is Atari's Arcade Classics.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Oh god I hope they fix neverwinter 2 before they die in a fire. After they get neverwinter 2 fixed and the expansion pack out they can go ahead and die and let the D&D license go to someone better.

 

[lupi]

I just looked through their PC catalogue, I'd say current but some of them listed have been out for over 5 years, and can see why the PC branch is in the tank. The other studies release about as much junk but have at least one or two hit brands to keep cash coming in.

 

[GundamSonicZeroX]

Originally posted by: Aikouka
That's what happens when your main game release is Atari's Arcade Classics.

Same goes for Sega.

 

[Barfo]

I hope they release a patch to fix test drive unlimited before going bankrupt.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: OVerLoRDI
Oh god I hope they fix neverwinter 2 before they die in a fire. After they get neverwinter 2 fixed and the expansion pack out they can go ahead and die and let the D&D license go to someone better.

Its had 6 patches now, and is pretty much fixed. There's still some minor issues, but most of the major problems were fixed. Lots of people calling for game play changes though, class changes to better reflect the D&D rules or to bring them further from the D&D rules. Depends who you listen to.

 

[lupi]

Just read an article about EA doing some restructuring. Not quit the doom and gloom of Atari, but it said they were forming 4 divisions: sports, Sims, (another franchise brand I forgot), and all other games.

They say its to reduce executive overhead and help communication within each division. If it also ends some of the crap they put out that would be nice.

 

[Acanthus]

After the disaster of the NWN2 launch, which promised to be their best title, im not suprised at all by their enormous losses.

 

[CPA]

I'm not sure why you highlighted the $71M loss. That is a paper loss only as it is the expected result from the goodwill impairment. Many, many companies have taken that impairment allowance, if nothing else, as a tax benefit.

I would be more concerned with their revenue decrease.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Atari investor woes

In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing last Friday, Atari investor Coghill Capital Management vented its frustrations over the company's direction. The investment group said Atari had entered into distribution agreements that unfairly favored Infogrames and paid then-CEO Bruno Bonnell from its own coffers for work that should have been charged to Infogrames.

"Now, with the unilateral removal of the independent directors, Infogrames has denied Atari of the only possible checks and balances on its 'favorable' arrangements with Atari," the group wrote on Friday. "These acts on the part of Infogrames indicate an intent to drive down Atari's stock price even lower with the prospect of buying out Atari's public shareholders 'on the cheap.'"

The group demanded that the board reform with a majority of independent directors (which it did today), reestablish an independent audit committee, seek compensation from Infogrames and Atari management for damages caused to the company and shareholders

Would an Atari owned entirely by Infogrames (again) be an improvement?

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: barfo
I hope they release a patch to fix test drive unlimited before going bankrupt.

Ditto.
I have the 1.66A and it fixed a lot but I still seem to have a freeze after about 2 minutes of playing. Sometimes I can ALT-TAB out, sometimes it locks my whole system. I tried a bunch of different graphics drivers and none of them can fix the problem. Tried disabling audio completely and that didnt do it either. I love the game but it needs serious work.


Same for NWN2, I really want them to unfudge the game before they die, OR let them die soon and then maybe Obsidian can get some work done.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
Text
<blockquote>quote:
Atari has delayed releasing its annual financial report today, as the company makes "a final determination regarding the amount of goodwill impairment charge," which will be added to both the fourth-quarter and full-year financial results.

Before the goodwill impairment charge, the company reported that it made a net loss of $17.2 million ($1.28 a share) for the financial year ended March 31, 2007. With the new figures added to the balance, the loss could grow to an extra $54.1 million ($4.02 a share), bringing the total loss to $71.3 million.

Atari also reported that net revenues for the year ended March 31, 2007 were approximately $121.6 million, and that it was expecting to release its annual report later this month. In the previous year's annual report, the company reported total revenues were $218.7 million.

Back in November, the company announced a slim quarterly profit for the first time in years; however, in the next quarter (October through December), the company was back in the red. In May, Atari announced that it would be laying off 20 percent of its workforce, mainly in admin roles. </blockquote>

I would not mourn the loss of the 3rd worst publisher in the industry. (unfortunately, I guess this might result in future RPGs being canned as Atari has the exclusive D&D PC license).

Maybe a better publisher will purchase their publishing rights or possibly a private equities group will step in should the situation get any worse.

Good Riddance ...
--for the 2nd time


Burn the name ... it is an evil company making bad decisions for PC gaming
--somebody will pick up the D&D license in the firesale .. all atari did was crap on it by forcing the devs to release raw beta games .. they are getting what they DESERVE ... good.
--it is just unfortunate for their employees

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: CPA
I would be more concerned with their revenue decrease.

Here you go!

Quarterly Results

Atari Files its Delayed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q
NEW YORK, Nov 06, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR), an interactive entertainment company, announced today that it has filed its delayed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter ended June 30, 2007.

Net revenue for the first quarter ended June 30, 2007, was $10.4 million versus $19.5 million in the comparable year-earlier period. Publishing net revenue was $9.7 million, versus $9.8 million in the prior year, while distribution revenue was $0.7 million, versus $9.7 million in the comparable year-earlier period.

Net loss for the first quarter ended June 30, 2007 was $11.9 million, or $0.89 per share, compared to net loss of $7.3 million, or $0.54 per share, in the year-earlier period.

 

[Modelworks]

Atari that some of us grew up with, died years ago.
Its only a name now.

Oddly they are a victim of there own success.
Atari did not restrict licensing when they started out and everyone produced games for the new lucrative video game market. No quality control and tons and tons of titles.
Caused the bottom to fall out of the market, games dropped to 1.00 each.

Its the reason that consoles now are careful about how many games are released and when.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally posted by: CPA
I'm not sure why you highlighted the $71M loss. That is a paper loss only as it is the expected result from the goodwill impairment. Many, many companies have taken that impairment allowance, if nothing else, as a tax benefit.

I would be more concerned with their revenue decrease.

Which leads me to wonder...

If I made a You Tube (or Porno Tube) video of myself masturbating while my wife hits me in the butt with a frying pan and used my real name, rendering myself unemployable to employers who do searches on prospective employees...

...could I then try to claim a "goodwill impairment" tax deduction?

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper
Which leads me to wonder...

If I made a You Tube (or Porno Tube) video of myself masturbating while my wife hits me in the butt with a frying pan and used my real name, rendering myself unemployable to employers who do searches on prospective employees...

...could I then try to claim a "goodwill impairment" tax deduction?

More importantly, would you post a link?

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper

Originally posted by: WhipperSnapper
Which leads me to wonder...

If I made a You Tube (or Porno Tube) video of myself masturbating while my wife hits me in the butt with a frying pan and used my real name, rendering myself unemployable to employers who do searches on prospective employees...

...could I then try to claim a "goodwill impairment" tax deduction?

More importantly, would you post a link?

would anyone want to watch it?

 

[aCynic2]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
Text
I would not mourn the loss of the 3rd worst publisher in the industry. (unfortunately, I guess this might result in future RPGs being canned as Atari has the exclusive D&D PC license).
[/b]

WOTC can always revoke it. It's a license, thus it's a privilege, not a right. WOTC would be stupid to allow the license to die with a publisher.

 

[aCynic2]

Originally posted by: Bateluer
Its had 6 patches now, and is pretty much fixed.

Hardly! I still see animal companions and NPCs disappear during area transitions. Also weapon changes can leave your character empty handed in the middle of a fight.

I don't have MotB and don't intend to get it until they fix the freaking bugs in the game.

I've decided to use NWN as the vehicle for the continuing story of my BG ranger (as a major NPC now who provides guidancein lieu of direct intervention), rather than NWN2, because it's easier for one person to do and it's significantly less buggy. There is plenty of community support in the form of placeables and tilesets: CEP2, DMFI, HCR2, supersets, etc.

I'm nearing completion of scripting a major offensive. Not including area design (it was there anyway), it took all of about 2 days. In NWN2, it probably would have taken 2 weeks, minimum and I probably would have had to scale it back.

Since my module is intended as a multi-player, me as DM (it is my story afterall) and it's a story more so than a hackfest (but there will be plenty of fighting and then there is the battle I mentioned above), the vehicle I use is rather moot.

 

[Bateluer]

Originally posted by: aCynic2
Also weapon changes can leave your character empty handed in the middle of a fight.

I had that happen a few times to me, but only when I had companion AI mods installed, which, ironically, made the AI considerably worse. Get rid of those mods, and that particular problem will go away.

Incidentally, I haven't bought MotB yet either but that has more to due with a lack of time and money than anything at the moment.

 

[Schadenfroh]

It appears Atari's revenue has yet to rebound to match last years. Maybe this quarter will be an improvement because of The Witcher.

2nd Quarter Results

Net revenue for the second quarter ended September 30, 2007, was $13.3 million versus $28.6 million in the comparable year-earlier period.

Third quarter Results

Net revenue for the third quarter ended December 31, 2007, was $41.1 million versus $47.3 million in the comparable year-earlier period.

Net revenue for the nine months ended December 31, 2007, was $64.8 million versus $95.3 million in the comparable year-earlier period.

 

[Mem]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
It appears Atari's revenue has yet to rebound to match last years. Maybe this quarter will be an improvement because of The Witcher.

2nd Quarter Results

Net revenue for the second quarter ended September 30, 2007, was $13.3 million versus $28.6 million in the comparable year-earlier period.

Third quarter Results

Net revenue for the third quarter ended December 31, 2007, was $41.1 million versus $47.3 million in the comparable year-earlier period.

Net revenue for the nine months ended December 31, 2007, was $64.8 million versus $95.3 million in the comparable year-earlier period.

I'm surprised EA have not tried to buy them,they seem to be going for anything.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

The people who were reponsible for MoO3 seeing the light of day deserve to DIAF.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: Mem
I'm surprised EA have not tried to buy them,they seem to be going for anything.

Looks like Infogrames is going to buy them out

Atari Inc said that majority shareholder Infogrames Entertainment has said it wants to buy the rest of the company for $1.68 per share.