News Atari Purchases The Intellivision Brand, But Not The Delayed Amico Console

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Atari has just purchased the Intellivision brand, along with "certain games" from Intellivision Entertainment LLC.

Intellivision Entertainment LLC will rebrand and "continue its business of developing and distributing the Amico game console with a license from Atari to continue to distribute new versions of the Intellivision games on the Amico console."

On Atari's side, it will "seek to expand digital and physical distribution of legacy Intellivision games, potentially create new games, and explore brand and licensing opportunities as part of a long-term plan to create value from the Intellivision properties."

The purchase includes the rights to more than 200 titles from the Intellivision portfolio, as well as the Intellivision trademarks.

The first Intellivision was released by Mattel Electronics in 1979 and sold around 5 million units, going toe-to-toe with Atari's VCS / 2600. "Uniting Atari and Intellivision after 45 years ends the longest-running console war in history," said Mike Mika, Studio Head at Digital Eclipse, the Atari-owned game studio behind the recent Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration.

"This was a very rare opportunity to unite former competitors and bring together fans of Atari, Intellivision and the golden age of gaming," said Wade Rosen, Chairman and CEO of Atari. Phil Adam, CEO of Intellivision Entertainment, added that "Atari has been a valuable partner and we have every confidence they will be a responsible steward of the storied Intellivision brand. We look forward to our expanded collaboration and bringing a broad array of new Atari and Intellivision titles to the Amico and Amico Home family gaming platforms."

It remains to be seen what form Intellivision Entertainment LLC will take now this transaction has taken place; it still hasn't launched its beleaguered Amico home console, which many customers paid for back in April of 2020.

Presumably, the money raised from this venture will allow the company to proceed with production. Amico exclusives already exist on other systems, and in November of last year, the company admitted it didn't have the funds required to produce the delayed console.