Game over? Atari files for bankruptcy in US

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jan/21/atari-files-bankruptcy-america

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Atari, the pioneering video game company that created Pong and Asteroids, has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US.

The American units of the 41-year-old company made a chapter 11 filing in New York on Monday, in an attempt to separate themselves from the loss-making French parent company Atari SA.

Atari Inc said bankruptcy proceedings would separate the US parts of the group from the "financial encumbrances" of its French parent, which has failed to make a profit since 1999.

The US operation has shifted its focus towards digital games for mobile phones, tablets or Facebook.

The company hopes to make money by selling off the rights to some of its most famous brands including Pong, Centipede and Missile Command. The Hollywood rumour mill suggests a movie version of Asteroids is in early stages of development.

Pong, a rudimentary table tennis game, was created by Atari designer Allan Alcorn as a training exercise assigned to him by Atari founders Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It is credited with kickstarting the multibillion-pound video game industry.

Following the success of Pong, Atari went on to dominate the early console era, shifting around 30m units of its wood-panelled Atari 2600 machine.