Atari Announces European Publishing Partnership With Namco Bandai

- Atari and Namco Bandai Games to Co-Publish Range of Handheld Titles in Europe -

LYON, FRANCE - 5 May 2006 - Atari today announced a deal which sees the European publisher enter into partnership with Japanese publisher NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. to co-publish and distribute a range of handheld titles in Europe. The relationship will bear fruit in summer 2006 with the European release of a number of games previously launched in the US and/or Japan. The five titles for Nintendo Game Boy Advance™ and one for Nintendo DS™ were released in the US in 2005 and are coming to Europe for the first time.

"Thanks to our efficient European distribution network, European gamers will be able to discover and play these games for the first time this summer" said Jean-Michel Perbet, President, Atari Europe.

Details of the first six titles to be released in Europe are as follows:

Ace Combat Advance™ (GBA) The renowned licence comes to GBA, with 12 new missions of tactical airborne combat across detailed, destructible environments.

Atomic Betty™ (GBA) Based on the cartoon series and stuffed with action, puzzles, rocket ships, gadgets, weapons and five playable characters each with their own unique skills.

Popeye™: Rush for Spinach (GBA) The spinach-loving hero hits the smallest screen alongside Olive Oyl, Wimpy and Brutus to compete in frantic races across detailed landscapes. Features four player link mode multiplayer.

Sigma Star Saga™ (GBA) An epic space battle RPG combining the rich storyline and exploration of an RPG with an action-packed shooter battle system.

Rebelstar: Tactical Command™ (GBA) An enhanced and engrossing turn-based strategy game incorporating advanced abilities and tactics, destructible environments and 2-player tactical battles.

Dig Dug™ Digging Strike™ (NDS) Combines gameplay from the original Dig Dug and Dig Dug II and makes use of the NDS dual screen to deliver a range of fun stages, cool weapons and all-new mini-games.

For more information about Atari’s entire product line up, visit www.atari.com.

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Namco Bandai Games Inc.

NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. is an interactive entertainment software publisher and developer with head offices in Tokyo, Japan.

On March 31, 2006, Bandai Co., Ltd. and NAMCO LIMITED implemented a management integration to form NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. This step was taken to compete more effectively on the global stage in the fast-changing entertainment industry and to deliver further growth.

The resulting NAMCO BANDAI Group is a global entertainment group involved in business fields ranging from toys, amusement facilities, video game software and visual software, to apparel, sundries and network content.

As previous separate entities (Namco Ltd. and Bandai Co., Ltd.) the companies were each known for creating some of the industry’s top video game franchises including: Tamagotchi®, TEKKEN™, SOULCALIBUR™, Pac-Man™, Digimon®, RIDGE RACER™, Time Crisis™ and ACE COMBAT™.

ACE COMBAT ADVANCE™ & ©2005 Namco Bandai Games Inc.., All Rights Reserved. ATOMIC BETTY™ is a trademark of Atomic Cartoons Inc. and Breakthrough Entertainment Inc. in the United States and other countries. Game Program ©2005 Namco Bandai Games America, Inc. Popeye™ & ©2005 King Features Syndicate, Inc. TM Hearst Holdings, Inc. Game Program ©2005 Namco Bandai Games America, Inc. Sigma Star Saga™ & ©2004 2005 Namco Bandai Games America, Inc. All rights reserved. Rebelstar: Tactical Command is a trademark of Namco Bandai Games America Inc. ©2005 Namco Bandai Games America Inc. Dig Dug™ Digging Strike © 1982 1985 2005 Namco Bandai Games Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.


About Infogrames Entertainment and Atari:
Infogrames Entertainment (IESA), the parent company of the Atari Group, is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (ISIN code: FR-0000052573) and has two principal subsidiaries: Atari Europe, a privately-held company, and Atari, Inc., a United States corporation listed on NASDAQ (ATAR).
The Atari Group is a major international producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for all market segments and in all existing game formats (Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony) and on CD-ROM for PC. Its games are sold in more than 60 countries.
The Atari Group’s extensive catalogue of popular games is based on original franchises (Driver, Alone in the Dark, V-Rally, Test Drive, Roller Coaster Tycoon, etc.) and international licenses (Matrix, Dragon Ball Z, Dungeons & Dragons, etc.).
For more information: http://www.atari.com

Xbox is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
"PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

© 2006 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.

Contact Information

Cécile Sornay

Atari

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