Report: Atari To Publish Ghostbusters, Riddick

According to online reports, Atari has stepped in to publish both Ghostbusters: The Game and The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena - after Activision’s decision not to carry the games following its merger with Vivendi Games. A number of high-profile Vivendi Games titles were dropped by Activision following the merger earlier in the year, with 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand recently being confirmed for release via THQ. The other titles have remained in limbo ever since. But speaking to Hollywood trade paper Variety, Atari, Inc. CEO Jim Wilson appears to confirm that the company will publish Assault on Dark Athena (an enhanced remake of Xbox title Escape from Butcher Bay). Furthermore, it is suggested that Atari has also signed a licensing deal with Universal Pictures that will allow it to make additional games based on the Chronicles of Riddick movie universe. There was no direct confirmation for a similar deal with Sony Pictures for Ghostbusters, although Variety comments that it also will be published by Atari “early next summer”, to coincide with the original movie’s 25th anniversary. Atari is reported to have paid a flat fee to Activision to cover the development of both games. These deals are the most significant for Atari since its merger with parent company Infogrames, and comes despite claims that the publisher will begin to focus more on online and casual titles. If borne out, the only remaining major victim of the merger will be Double Fine Productions' Brutal Legend, whose status is still unclear, despite previously being connected to both EA and MTV Games. Vivendi Games also held the rights to the Scarface and Jason Bourne properties, but these have already reverted back to their original owners.