Atari has agreed to buy AtariAge, a retro-focused online community hub and archival website founded by Albert Yarusso. The agreement brings Atari together with a thriving community of retro lovers, historians, and homebrew developers. Mr. Yarusso will join Atari and continue to administer AtariAge while also taking on a new job as the company’s internal historian.
What is AtariAge?
AtariAge, founded in 2001, took its name from a print magazine provided to Atari Club members in the early 1980s. The website has a vast collection of Atari video games, including digitized manuals, key art, packaging, screenshots, reviews, and more!
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It also has a big online community that is visited by vintage game lovers and homebrew developers that build games for a range of Atari consoles and PCs, as well as other legacy gaming platforms. AtariAge includes an integrated online storefront where you can buy old games and accessories.
What does Atari say about it?
Atari will continue to provide assistance while leaving day-to-day management to the site’s current manager, Mr. Yarusso, and volunteer moderators. Mr. Yarusso said of the acquisition, “Atari greatly values our site and community, and this partnership will allow AtariAge to continue to thrive.“
The purchase of AtariAge follows the March 2022 acquisition of MobyGames, the authoritative online video game database. Since then, Atari has supported the launch of a new and improved MobyGames website and improved moderator tools. Similarly, AtariAge will enjoy accelerated site improvements with Atari’s commitment to invest in the ongoing optimization of the platform and user experience.
“For 25 years the AtariAge community has documented Atari games and provided a valuable forum for a large and passionate community of retro game fans, collectors, and homebrew developers,” said Wade Rosen, Chairman and CEO of Atari. “By bringing AtariAge into the Atari family, we can ensure this important resource gets the support it needs to continue to fulfill its mission for years to come.”
