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Play old Atari games at the new Atari.com

by Randy Nelson { Nov 24th 2009 at 5:00AM }

Atari has a new website. We know -- big deal, right? Actually, in this case it's worth checking out if you're a fan of the company's classic arcade and console games. That's because the site is offering up free-to-play browser-based versions of Adventure and Yar's Revenge for the Atari 2600 and the legendary coin-ops Battlezone, Crystal Castles and Lunar Lander.

The site's Arcade page is at this link, should you not want to risk an encounter with dreaded marketing materials on your way to the good stuff. Remember: If your boss catches you blowing up vector tanks and space rocks while you're on the clock, you didn't hear about the site from us.

We sense Star Trek Online's Beta-zed delegation arrives Jan. 12

by Alexander Sliwinski { Nov 20th 2009 at 9:25AM }

Star Trek Online may launch on Stardate 63554.5 (February 2, 2010), but beginning January 12, fans can beam into the open beta. The intergalactic guinea pig session will take place from January 12 until January 26. Players interested in kicking the warp nacelles should head on over to startrekonline.com to enroll.

If you're also interested in learning more about life in the 25th century, check out some of Star Trek Online's videos and developer interviews.

Gallery: Star Trek Online

Free Champions Online expansion on Nov. 24, plus free-to-play Thanksgiving weekend

by Griffin McElroy { Nov 19th 2009 at 11:00PM }

Once again, Cryptic Studios is giving you a great excuse not to spend time with friends and family over a holiday weekend. The developer's superheroic MMO, Champions Online, will be free-to-play from November 26–30 as a promotion for the game's second free content expansion since its launch in September.

The free update, which is titled Nemesis Confrontation and launches November 24, will include new costumes and perks, and tasks players with escaping from a hostile intergalactic prison -- a mission made much more difficult by the facility's unfriendly inhabitants, seen above. You'll also face off against the Shadow Destroyer (the party responsible for your hero's unrequested detention) and even your user-generated Nemesis. Sounds like a pretty dangerous calling -- but nowhere near as perilous as the crushing throng of Black Friday shoppers that awaits you at your local mall.

Gallery: Champions Online: Nemesis Confrontation

[Via Big Download]

Visit the bridge and destroy others in new Star Trek Online videos

by Richard Mitchell { Nov 18th 2009 at 12:15AM }

Atari has released some new videos of Star Trek Online. The first, embedded above, is a detailed look at the game's space combat. In it, the developers at Cryptic discuss the overall thrust of combat and also the many things that players can do to customize their ships. Everything from ship type to different equipment to a player's choice of bridge officers has an impact on combat effectiveness. Oh, and once again, there's a Borg cube. Only this time ... it explodes.

After the break, find a quick trailer showcasing the ability for players to visit their ship's bridge. Thrill as you watch your avatar stand up and point at the view screen! Just try to keep it quiet when muttering the words, "Make it so." The video also touches on ground combat, visits alien landscapes and throws in some phasers and explosions for good measure. Enjoy.

Continued →

Cryptic answers your Star Trek Online questions

by Richard Mitchell { Nov 16th 2009 at 6:30PM }

Cryptic understands that you have questions about Star Trek Online, and now, thanks to Massively, you've got answers. The Joystiq sister site got hold of the folks at Cryptic and got some answers to burning questions about the ships featured in the game. Want to know the gameplay difference between a Klingon Bird of Prey and a Carrier? Does the custom look of your ship affect its performance? Can you visit the inside of your ship? Head over to Massively for answers to all these questions, and be sure to keep an eye out for more Star Trek Online Q&A sessions soon.

Set course for new Star Trek Online gameplay footage

by Richard Mitchell { Nov 3rd 2009 at 11:00PM }

We've got a double dose of Star Trek Online video goodness for you today, as Cryptic has seen fit to not only release part two of the "Future Past" series, but also a new gameplay trailer. The trailer -- handily embedded above -- is comprised mostly of pitched space battles and ground encounters. It's also packed with more phaser and disruptor beams than you can shake a tribble at. One more thing: Borg cube.

After the break, see part two of "The Future Past," which details the outcome of the Klingon / Nausicaan / Gorn war. In short, the Klingons are pretty much bad guys again by 2409, the year in which Star Trek Online begins.

Continued →

Reminder: Champions Online is free to play this weekend

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 30th 2009 at 2:00PM }

We know you guys have the memory of a ... well, whatever the polar opposite of an elephant is in regards to memory. (A fruit fly?) So, we thought we'd remind you that Cryptic's made its superheroic MMO Champions Online free to play this Halloween weekend in an attempt to promote the game's spooky pseudo-expansion, Blood Moon.

You can download it for free at 1PM EST today, then play it to your heart's content -- or November 2. You know, whichever comes first.

[Via Big Download]

One million heroes fighting crime in Champions Online

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 29th 2009 at 7:30PM }

Excerpt from a Cryptic Studios staff meeting, Oct. 29, 2009:

"Okay, guys, listen up. I know we were all excited about the promotion we were going to run when the one millionth hero was created within Champions Online. You know, we'd take the lucky crimefighter and base a short series of graphic novels on him or her, ultimately culminating in a three-picture deal with Paramount and keeping the hero's creator -- and as a bonus, our game -- in the pop cultural spotlight? Well, we just heard from moderators that the one millionth hero was named ... Boner Dragon."

"Boner Dragon?"

"Boner Dragon."

"I think we should just do a press release instead. A press release which deftly avoids mentioning the hero's name."

"That is an excellent idea, Jeffrey."

Champions Online going free-to-play on Halloween weekend

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 25th 2009 at 7:30PM }

If you've yet to acquire plans for this Halloween weekend to go along with your totally rad costume, Cryptic Studios has a pretty great diversion you may want to sign up for. Starting October 30, you'll be able to download Champions Online at no cost, and take on the mantle of the superhero of your own design until November 2.

The free-to-play weekend is being offered in an attempt to promote the title's first live update, Blood Moon. We expect that more than a handful of partially illiterate heroes will appear during the update's launch, and will be confused as to where all the sexy teenage vampires are located.

[Via Big Download]

Video: A Star Trek Online history lesson

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 17th 2009 at 12:00AM }

Cryptic has put out a new behind-the-scenes video for Star Trek Online, in which members of the development team lay down the fictional history behind the title. The game is set to take place after the final Next Generation film, Star Trek Nemesis. Unless you're pretty up on your Trek lore, that's really all you need to know. For the rest of us, the video goes into thick detail about the various conflicts that follow, leading up to a massive war between Klingons, Romulans, the Gorn and Nausicaans.

Don't worry if you don't know your Dyson spheres from your Crystalline entities, as there are plenty of space battles and explosions in there, too.

Marc Ecko wants more Getting Up, says Atari 's**t the bed'

by Justin McElroy { Oct 9th 2009 at 8:00PM }

When you're in the fashion biz like Marc Ecko you gotta be out there on the edge. So when he tells Destructoid that he's "going to f***ing make [Getting Up] again if it kills me," thereby distinguishing himself not only as the sole living human to want that, but as the only one who remembers it existed, you have to forgive him. He's got to be out there on the edge.

Of course, Ecko then goes on to claim that the reason for the game's failure was that "Atari shit the bed." C'mon Marc, saying Atari bungled something is like the opposite of edgy. It's just obvious.

Project Runway game announced

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 9th 2009 at 3:00AM }

Variety has revealed that Atari plans to publish a game based on the Project Runway reality show. Set to debut in 2010, the game will feature host Heidi Klum and the ever prim and proper Tim Gunn, though the extent of their involvement is still under wraps. Here's hoping Gunn will lend his delightful vocal cadence to the project.

The game has players taking a turn behind the virtual sewing machine, tasking them with designing fashions and properly outfitting models with hair and makeup. Once that's done, players sashay down the catwalk as the models themselves. The game will utilize the Balance Board, so there's a likely chance the previous sentence could be taken literally.

[Via Kotaku]

Resisting new Star Trek Online screens is futile

by Richard Mitchell { Oct 6th 2009 at 10:08PM }

clicking isn't futile

The folks at Cryptic have released some new screens of the upcoming Star Trek Online, and let's just say that Locutus fans should be pretty pumped. That's right, we finally get to take a look at the Borg (sounds Swedish ...) as they appear in the game. We can't help but imagine actually playing as a member of the Borg collective in the game, though that might be just a tad unfair to the rest of the organic exploring the virtual universe.

The screens also show off some of the spacecraft available in the game. Peruse them all in the gallery below. It's not like you have a choice in the matter.

[Via Massively]

Gallery: Star Trek Online (10/6/09)

Atari announces Ghostbusters for PSP, we're left speechless

by Griffin McElroy { Sep 30th 2009 at 10:50AM }

From the day Atari first announced it would be doing a new video game installment in the Ghostbusters franchise to the day said installment was released, we had to maintain a careful linguistic balancing act. We had to ration out quotes and references to the Ghostbusters films in our posts, working tirelessly not to exhaust our resources. We made it to the game's release by the skin of our teeth -- but earlier today, Atari did us the great discourtesy of announcing that the title is coming to PSP. We've just ... we've got nothing left.

The debut trailer for the title is posted above. It looks like a fairly faithful recreation of the console versions, only, y'know, tinier. It's got a launch window of November, meaning you can look forward to a month of uncreative, reference-free posts from our end. Just make sure you don't ... cross the ... oh, forget it.

Atari's launches new CFO in wake of latest MMO

by Randy Nelson { Sep 15th 2009 at 7:13PM }

Atari has a new chief financial officer: Philip Veneziano. Phil (is it okay if we call you that?) is in charge of handling the gobs of cash that will no doubt be pouring in from subscription-based MMOs Champions Online and Star Trek Online. We have absolutely no way of confirming this, but we've also heard that he'll pay you a personal visit if the credit card you use for said games is declined.

We think it's pretty interesting to note that prior to joining Atari, Veneziano was vice president of finance for TheLadders.com, a job search site for folks looking to make $100K+ per year. We wonder if he got a discount on its services?