AtGames
| Industry | Video game hardware |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2001 |
| Headquarters | El Segundo, California , United States |
| Products | Video game hardware and consoles, including Legends Ultimate Arcade, Atari Flashback series, ColecoVision and Intellivision Flashback editions, Sega handheld and retro gaming devices |
AtGames Cloud Holdings Inc. (previously known as AtGames Digital Media Inc.) is a manufacturer of video game hardware and consoles based in the United States, with its main office located in El Segundo, California. Established in 2001, the company is best known for its Legends Ultimate Arcade, promoted as the first-ever connected arcade system worldwide, exemplifying its forward-thinking approach within the arcade gaming market. Since 2011, AtGames has held the official license to manufacture the dedicated home video game console series Atari Flashback, broadening its range of products through a significant collaboration with Atari.
The company’s offerings also encompass officially licensed retro consoles such as the ColecoVision and Intellivision Flashback editions, alongside partnerships with Sega for handheld and retro gaming devices. These alliances and a varied product lineup have bolstered AtGames' position in the retro gaming sector and highlight its competitive strength on a global scale.
History
In August 2014, AtGames acquired GameFly’s online game distribution platform, subsequently relaunching it later that year under the name Direct2Drive. By December 2014, through its subsidiary Silver Lining Systems, AtGames purchased Calxeda’s intellectual property, utilizing this technology to develop fabric interconnects for A1100-based servers by early 2016.
In August 2019, AtGames expanded its classic gaming IP portfolio by obtaining the royalty rights linked to General Computer Corporation (GCC) for Ms. Pac-Man.
To strengthen its market footprint, AtGames established strategic partnerships: in January 2020, it collaborated with Taito to design virtual pinball tables; by June 2020, it worked alongside FarSight Studios to transfer 22 Gottlieb pinball tables from Pinball Arcade onto its premier AtGames Legends Pinball (ALP) system. The company has since diversified the Legends series with arcade control deck-equipped consoles such as Legends Gamer, Core, and Legends Core Max, as well as compact units like the AtGames Legends Ultimate Mini (ALU Mini) and the AtGames Legends Pinball Micro (ALP Micro).
To enhance product functionality, AtGames launched accessories including the QuadPlay four-player control deck compatible with the ALU and partnered with Magic Pixel Studios to port Zaccaria digital pinball titles and create new games based on various licensed properties.
Products
Beginning in 2018, AtGames introduced HDMI dongle "Mini Console Sticks" bundled with controllers styled after Sega Genesis units, marketed as "Flashback Blast!" These consoles include numerous licensed games from companies like Bandai Namco, Atari, and Taito.<ref> From 2019 onward, AtGames secured licensing agreements with Disney, offering games such as Tron, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, along with various titles from Star Wars.<ref>
In November 2019, AtGames unveiled the 66-inch-tall Legends Ultimate arcade cabinet,[1] featuring a collection of 350 licensed arcade titles displayed on a 24-inch high-definition screen.<ref> The following month saw the debut of ArcadeNet, AtGames’ streaming platform that enables on-demand play, downloads, and purchases for Legends Ultimate users.<ref><ref>
August 2020 marked the commercial release of Legends Ultimate version 1.1, which included a library of 300 arcade games sourced from Atari, Data East, Jaleco, The Tetris Company, and Disney.[2]
September 2020 brought expansion to AtGames’ lineup with the introduction of wireless arcade controllers under the Legends Gamer series: Legends Gamer Mini, Legends Gamer, and Legends Gamer Pro.<ref> The Mini model offers a selection of 100 classic arcade and home console games, while both Gamer and Gamer Pro provide access to 150 titles featuring content from Disney, Taito, and The Tetris Company.<ref>
Reception and controversies
In 2018, AtGames distributed an incorrect edition of its Bandai Namco Flashback plug-and-play console to reviewers. While the review units included genuine emulated arcade ROMs, the final retail version contained inferior NES adaptations, leading to customer dissatisfaction and harming the product’s reputation.
In 2019, Walgreens initiated legal action against AtGames for breach of contract, claiming approximately $1.62 million in unpaid amounts related to unsold and returned inventory, highlighting difficulties in AtGames' distribution partnerships.
During the same year, AtGames acquired royalty rights previously owed to GCC and approached GCC members about licensing Ms. Pac-Man for upcoming products. Bandai Namco responded by filing a lawsuit accusing AtGames of falsely representing licensing permissions, manufacturing unauthorized Ms. Pac-Man mini-arcade cabinets, and engaging in unfair competition and copyright violations. This lawsuit was dismissed in October 2020.
Beginning with the 2022 Arcade Archives release of Pac-Land, Bandai Namco removed the Ms. Pac-Man character from its games due to ongoing intellectual property disputes, which influenced AtGames' utilization of this franchise.
See also
- Sega Gopher, also referred to as the Sega Genesis Arcade Ultimate Portable Player