AtGames explained

AtGames Cloud Holdings Inc.
Type:Private
Industry:Video games
Foundation:2001
Area Served:Worldwide
Products:Video game console
Brands:
Hq Location City:El Segundo, California[1]
Location Country:United States

AtGames Cloud Holdings Inc. (formerly AtGames Digital Media Inc.) is an American[2] video game and console manufacturer, known for their Legends Ultimate Arcade and the creator of the connected arcade.[3] Since 2011, they have produced and marketed the Atari-licensed dedicated home video game console series Atari Flashback under license from Atari.[4] Additionally, AtGames has produced ColecoVision and Intellivision Flashback consoles, and has worked with Sega on multiple different handhelds and retro consoles.

History

In August 2014, GameFly announced on its website that AtGames had acquired its online games distribution service. AtGames relaunched this service under the name Direct2Drive in late 2014.[5] In December 2014, AtGames purchased the IP to Calxeda through its subsidiary Silver Lining Systems,[6] and was using the acquired technology to build fabric interconnects for A1100-powered servers as of January 2016.[7]

In August 2019, AtGames acquired the royalty interest owed to General Computer Corporation (GCC) for Ms. Pac-Man.[8]

In January 2020, AtGames announced a partnership with Taito.[9]

In June 2020, AtGames announced a partnership with FarSight Studios in which 22 Gottlieb pinball tables from their Pinball Arcade video game would be ported over to AtGames' newest flagship, the AtGames Legends Pinball (ALP) machine. Since then, AtGames has continued its Legends line by adding consoles with arcade control decks (Legends Gamer, Core, and Legends Core Max) as well as their AtGames Legends Ultimate Mini (ALU Mini) and most recently, the AtGames Legends Pinball Micro (ALP Micro). A miniature version of the full size ALP.

AtGames has expanded the capabilities of these devices by adding more accessories, like the QuadPlay, a four-player control deck for the ALU. AtGames has also partnered with Magic Pixel Studios to port over their Zaccaria digital pinball tables as well as to develop new pinball tables taken from various intellectual properties.

Products

Starting in 2018, AtGames has released HDMI dongle "Mini Console Sticks", bundled with Sega Genesis-like controllers dubbed "Flashback Blast!" These consoles contain multiple games from different companies, such as Bandai Namco, Atari and Taito.[10] Starting in 2019, the consoles included games licensed from Disney including Tron, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, and the Star Wars games.[11]

In November 2019, AtGames released the 66-inch tall Legends Ultimate arcade cabinet, featuring 350 built-in licensed arcade games on a 24-inch HD screen.[12] In December 2019, AtGames announced its ArcadeNet service, offering games on demand for streaming, download, and purchase on the Legends Ultimate arcade platform.[13] [14] [15]

In August 2020, AtGames announced that the Legends Ultimate 1.1 would hit retail on August 31, 2020,[16] featuring a library of 300 arcade titles from Atari, Data East, Jaleco, The Tetris Company, and Disney.[16]

In September 2020, AtGames announced the Legends Gamer series of wireless arcade controllers, including the Legends Gamer Mini, Legends Gamer and Legends Gamer Pro.[17] The Legends Gamer Mini comes with 100 classic arcade and home video games, while the Legends Gamer and Legends Gamer Pro come with 150 classic arcade and home video games including titles from Disney, Taito, and The Tetris Company.[18]

Reception & Controversies

In 2018, AtGames sent an incorrect version of its Bandai Namco Flashback plug-and-play console to reviewers. The review copy contained authentic emulated arcade ROMs while the released version contained NES versions, which were considerable downgrades and did not match the review copies.[19]

American pharmaceutical chain Walgreens sued AtGames in 2019 for a breach of contract. The suit alleged AtGames owed nearly $1.62 million for unsold and returned products.[20]

In 2019, AtGames acquired the royalties owed to GCC. AtGames had initially approached the GCC group members about licensing Ms. Pac-Man for potential products. Bandai Namco filed a lawsuit against AtGames alleging that AtGames misrepresented itself as licensed to make Ms. Pac-Man products, and created Ms. Pac-Man mini-cabinets under those claims. The suit also alleged unfair competition, false advertising, and copyright infringement.[21] The case was ultimately dismissed on October 27, 2020.

Beginning with the 2022 Arcade Archives release of Pac-Land, the Ms. Pac-Man character has been removed from games that previously featured her.[22]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ATGAMES OF AMERICA INC. 2023-04-15 . opencorporates.com .
  2. Web site: 2019-01-24 . Atgames Digital Media Inc. – About Us . 2019-01-24 . atgames.net . 2023-03-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230322230350/https://www.atgames.net/about . live .
  3. Web site: Chandler . Darik . February 21, 2020 . World's First Connected Arcade . live. https://web.archive.org/web/20211223123954/https://thecesbible.com/worlds-first-connected-arcade/ . 2021-12-23 .
  4. Web site: AtGames Flashback Zone . AtGames Flashback Zone . 2018-10-13 . 2018-10-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181020192435/https://www.atgames.us/ . live .
  5. Web site: Nutt . Christian . Direct2Drive is back under new owner: GameFly Digital is no more . 2020-04-20 . gamasutra.com . 2020-12-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201201094719/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/229733/Direct2Drive_is_back_under_new_owner_GameFly_Digital_is_no_more.php . live .
  6. Web site: December 2014 . Desire Athow 22 . ARM server startup Calxeda back on track . 2020-04-20 . TechRadar . 22 December 2014 . 2020-11-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201129011550/https://www.techradar.com/news/computing-components/processors/arm-server-startup-calxeda-back-on-track-1278114 . live .
  7. Web site: Williams . Chris . AMD's 64-bit ARM server chip Seattle finally flies the coop ... but where will it call home? . 2020-04-20 . The Register . 2020-03-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200318011740/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/01/14/amd_arm_seattle_launch/ . live .
  8. Web site: Good . Owen S. . September 26, 2019 . AtGames, sued by Ms. Pac-Man's owner, buys up royalty rights to the icon . Polygon . September 30, 2019 . September 27, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190927003419/https://www.polygon.com/2019/9/26/20886032/ms-pac-man-lawsuit-bandai-namco-atgames-rights-royalties . live .
  9. Web site: AtGames Partners With TAITO To Create Virtual Pinball Tables . Bleeding Cool News . 29 January 2024 . 17 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220517002514/https://bleedingcool.com/games/atgames-partners-with-taito-to-create-virtual-pinball-tables/ . live .
  10. Web site: Blast – AtGames . blast.atgames.net . 2018-11-29.
  11. Web site: Ricchiuto . Madeline . 2019-02-13 . AtGames will be Porting Classic Disney and Star Wars Games . 2020-01-06 . Bleeding Cool News And Rumors . 2019-02-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190213205030/https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/02/13/atgames-will-be-porting-classic-disney-and-star-wars-games-next/ . live .
  12. Web site: Saltzman . Marc . These tech gifts will work for those non-techie types on your shopping list . 2019-12-18 . USA Today . 2019-12-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191218015333/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2019/12/07/technology-makes-great-gift-even-if-recipients-not-tech-savvy/2617607001/ . live .
  13. Web site: ArcadeNet . 2020-05-14 . 2020-05-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200505154118/https://www.atgames.net/arcadenet/ . live .
  14. Web site: AtGames Announces ArcadeNet for Legends Ultimate With Games on Demand, Download, and Storefront Purchase FinancialContent Business Page . 2020-01-06 . markets.financialcontent.com . 2023-04-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230406040032/https://markets.financialcontent.com/stocks/news/read/39312262/atgames%C2%AE_announces_arcadenet%E2%84%A2_for_legends_ultimate_with_games_on_demand . live .
  15. AtGames Announces ArcadeNet for Legends Ultimate With Games on Demand, Download, and Storefront Purchase . 2020-01-06 . newswire.com . 2020-07-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200723020840/https://www.newswire.com/news/atgames-announces-arcadenet-for-legends-ultimate-with-games-on-demand-21064101 . live .
  16. Web site: 2020-08-12 . AtGames Announces New Legends Ultimate Arcade (Includes 300 Games) . 2020-08-27 . TheGamer . 2022-06-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220616163911/https://www.thegamer.com/atgames-announces-new-legends-ultimate-arcade-300-games/ . live .
  17. Web site: AtGames opens up preorders for Legends Gamer plug & play home arcade series . 2020-09-09 . Shacknews . 4 September 2020 . 2020-10-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201020005429/https://www.shacknews.com/article/120179/atgames-opens-up-preorders-for-legends-gamer-plug-play-home-arcade-series . live .
  18. Web site: 2020-09-02 . Legends Gamer Series Brings The Arcade To Your Big Screen . 2020-09-09 . TheGamer . 2022-09-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220903050226/https://www.thegamer.com/legends-gamer-series-brings-arcade-to-your-big-screen-atgames/ . live .
  19. Web site: The rights to Ms. Pac-Man are caught up in a messy legal battle . Ars Technica . 29 January 2024 . 29 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240129205012/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/09/the-rights-to-ms-pac-man-are-caught-in-a-messy-legal-battle/ . live .
  20. Web site: Walgreens suing AtGames for breach of contract . Gamesindustry . 12 June 2024.
  21. Web site: AtGames, sued by Ms. Pac-Man’s owner, buys up royalty rights to the icon . Polygon . 29 January 2024 . 27 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190927003419/https://www.polygon.com/2019/9/26/20886032/ms-pac-man-lawsuit-bandai-namco-atgames-rights-royalties . live .
  22. Web site: Bandai Namco replaces Ms. Pac-Man with Pac-Mom in ongoing rights dispute . Eurogamer . 29 January 2024 . 29 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240129204055/https://www.eurogamer.net/bandai-namco-replaces-ms-pac-man-with-pac-mom-in-ongoing-rights-dispute . live .

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