Atari U.K. Unaffected by U.S. Troubles

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
45,698
1
0
Atari U.K. Unaffected by U.S. Troubles


Atari Europe has issued a statement saying the troubles plaguing U.S. based Atari [http://www.atari.com]have not affected it, and that things are actually looking pretty good on their side of the pond.

U.S.-based Atari Inc. recently announced that it would no longer be involved in game development, focusing exclusively on publishing and distribution instead. That announcement followed an earnings reports showing a fiscal year loss of $69.7 million, including an $11.9 million loss for the past quarter, which ultimately led to the resignation of Atari CEO David Pierce.

"We can't hide the fact that we've got issues, nobody's hiding from that," Atari Europe Managing Director Jeremy Wigmore told MCV [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/28957/Atari-Europe-comes-out-fighting]. "But the European team knows of some really impressive product signings and new investments that mean we have good reason to be positive about next year. It's a recipe for success. We remain upbeat and confident."

Of the difficulties taking place in the U.S. he said, "That won't have an influence on any office but the American one. If you look at the industry as a whole, everybody is evaluating their business - EA [http://www.ea.com] being the prime example. However, what the U.S. is doing is pretty much their concern."

"We have enjoyed some great performances in Europe and done some great numbers as well. We've also got a distribution network across the territory that must be the envy of other publishers. But that's being overshadowed in the media by what's happening over the Atlantic. And it's just not a fair reflection."


Permalink