Atari blasts back from the past with new game plan

Harrison said he believes the future of gaming is online.

Atari will publish Cryptic's three upcoming games in 2009, 2010 and 2011 with the first out the gate the comic book heroes and villains of "Champions Online," followed by "Star Trek Online" in 2010 and an unannounced MMO game for 2011.

With its early slate now set, and new internal game development under way at its new London studio and its established Eden Studio in Lyon, France, Atari's management now has to deliver on its promise of better quality games.

"I think Phil Harrison and Paulina Bozek (head of Atari's London Studio) will be instrumental in building a mass market library, which will help the publisher compete in today's market," said Pidgeon.

(Editing by Belinda Goldsmith)