Phil Harrison steps down as president of troubled Atari
by JC Fletcher 
{ May 29th 2009 at 10:59AM } 
Parent company Infogrames announced a loss of €226.1 million ($319.6m) for the last fiscal year, due in part to the loss of revenue that would have come in from the distribution business. As a result, Atari said it has canceled some of its projects to focus on "more cost-effective" games.
The identity of the canceled projects is unknown, but Atari released a hint of what some of the new, cost-effective, mass-market games would be: Cryptic Studios will create "a series of new games based on Atari's existing and historically successful IPs."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
PR0F3TA @ May 29th 2009 11:02AM
come back to sony Phil
dabamf @ May 29th 2009 11:38AM
That's just what I was thinking, good call!
Massmass @ May 29th 2009 2:14PM
And why should that happen?
E.J. @ May 29th 2009 4:19PM
He's the reason why the PS3 started gaining momentum. He resurrected the brand in the core audience after Kutaragi-san buried it.
CGamble20 @ May 29th 2009 8:32PM
No he didn't. What the hell did he do? It was AFTER he left that things started to turn around and he is most famous for HOME which has been a complete failure. ( and I am a "ps3 fan")
People bitch about Ken because he was an arrogant son of a bitch, but he was and still is the best and second most innovative console maker. That was his job afterall, to MAKE the consoles, not to make the software.
It was the software brand of Sony that failed. Until now that is.
B @ May 29th 2009 10:28PM
"second most innovative console maker" Really? What has he done that is "innovative"?
Almost everything that has been done is stuff that is just the general evolution of consoles. Everything that is incorporated in all of Playstation consoles is was done before or was done by a seperate division of Sony.
Damian @ May 29th 2009 11:02AM
Holy crap 5 breaking stories in a row, that must be some kind of record.
Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC) @ May 29th 2009 11:08AM
Well they better release something good soon I don't want to see Atari end like Midway.
XBL: Burritoclock @ May 29th 2009 11:11AM
Harrison, you're doing it wrong, you are supposed to JUMP ship, not take it over.
Snake Robot Podium @ May 29th 2009 11:12AM
That sucks. I really thought he would be the key in turning it around. I thought he went there to rise to the challenge, so I at least expected him to stay long enough for a full game to be developed.
Storm Eagle @ May 29th 2009 11:15AM
Nolan needs get out of the hot tub and come fix things. Quick.
Wizzleteets @ May 29th 2009 12:48PM
Yes, let him inject the success of Chuckie Cheese back into the Atari brand.
ScottG13 @ May 29th 2009 11:18AM
That's too bad. Seemed like Harrison was really making a difference in Atari's product quality.
XBL: Burritoclock @ May 29th 2009 11:32AM
I agree, scooping up Ghostbusters was genius, why bail when you have just started righting the ship... what was the point of even going to Atari if you are going to leave before any of your changes have time to work.
Maybe he knows something (read financials) that we don't.
Mazrael @ May 29th 2009 12:21PM
Ghostbusters is/was only in publishing. it in no way reflects in-house quality.. You do remember the Alone in the Dark incident? they release that turd for all the consoles (barr one), then released an improved version, which had been spat on & rubbed with a rag & released for PS3.. if this is they're benchmark game (don't know if they claimed it to be), maybe Atari should stick to publishing..
Duke @ May 29th 2009 12:32PM
Why is it too bad? This change in title and duties seems pretty vague to me.
XBL: Burritoclock @ May 29th 2009 5:33PM
Exactly, I had hoped (thought) they were going to go more for publishing, and so far lately they were picking up potentially good and successful games to publish, which was a pleasant change from the past.
Rask @ May 29th 2009 11:33AM
Could this stem from the massive corporate favor Harrison did SCEE with the Ghostbusters deal?
Noshino @ May 29th 2009 11:52AM
Corporate favor from Harrison? if anything, SCEE made them a favor by actually publishing the game in Europe....
Orion @ May 29th 2009 11:33AM
Dragon Ball Z games here we come! :facepalm:
sam @ May 29th 2009 11:47AM
So um when was the last time Atari had something 'historically successful'?
Pong?
:)
j.howlett @ May 29th 2009 11:49AM
hey if you read the article you find he's not leaving the company
MystileArmor @ May 29th 2009 11:56AM
I was just going to say... he just stepped down from his position. If anything we should be more excited, because "non-executive director" still holds alot of say in the products Atari will develop!
Alzheimers @ May 29th 2009 1:06PM
"According to Eurogamer,"
And you're surprised it's full of half-truths and obsfucation?
ecco6t9 @ May 29th 2009 12:20PM
Um just keep remaking games for iPhone and other download services?
K1LLSWITCH @ May 29th 2009 12:27PM
Is Atari on their last leg? Seems like a sign to me. You better buckle up boys it's going to get a bit bumpy from here on out.
Alex Sohn @ May 29th 2009 12:36PM
HAHAHAHAHA
Atari, just give up already
Martin @ May 29th 2009 1:56PM
I just hope they realize that Pole Position sounds more racy than it used to (no pun intended)
Storm Eagle @ May 29th 2009 2:35PM
Is that a self portrait of himself jumping of a cliff behind him?
tobz1000 @ May 29th 2009 2:53PM
Can anyone comprehend his move in the first place yet? They must've offered some serious dough, I'm thinking.
Joe Smith @ May 29th 2009 4:22PM
He's still the same dick he always was - just a new title.
CGamble20 @ May 29th 2009 8:34PM
Unfortunately in this economy people are going to pick their games carefully, and not as much money is going around. For those that can innovate and/or deliver big time games they will make off BIG but for those that are used to getting by delivering half-ass attempts are going to fail. I know they're trying, but Atari games still mostly suck. Sega is next.