Video game maker Atari (PONGF) has acquired its longtime rival Intellivision, ending what has been called the longest running console war in history.
Atari, which produced one of the first video game consoles back in the 1970s, has purchased the Intellivision brand and rights to more than 200 games from Intellivision Entertainment for an undisclosed amount of money.
Atari and Intellivision have been locked in a heated battle since the late 1970s.
The first Intellivision video game console was released by Mattel Electronics in 1979, selling an estimated five million units through 1990.
Intellivision fought for market share against the Atari 2600 video game console that was first released in 1977 and sold 30 million units.
Founded in 1972, Atari is today owned by France’s Atari SA and is focused on reproducing retro video games such as Asteroids and Centipede.
Under terms of the deal, Atari will maintain the Intellivision brand and continue to distribute new versions of retro Intellivision video games, adding them to the Atari portfolio.
In a news release, Wade Rosen, chief executive officer (CEO) of Atari SA, said: “This was a very rare opportunity to unite former competitors and bring together fans of Atari, Intellivision and the golden age of gaming.”
To mark the acquisition and end of the long running console war, Atari announced that it is selling new Intellivision T-shirts on its website that fans can purchase.
Atari’s stock currently trades on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and over the counter in the U.S. The share price is currently $0.11 U.S.
