May 2, 2006

ATARI ANNOUNCES NEW GAME STRUCTURE FOR ‘ALONE IN THE DARK’

First Details on Developer Eden’s Innovative Season Format and Game Structure
 
Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) today revealed details about the innovative game structure of its upcoming next-generation game Alone in the Dark.  Continuing the pioneering heritage that began with the first Alone in the Dark in 1992, Alone in the Dark will feature an episodic game structure to enhance the players’ engagement with the story and keep them riveted to the screen.  The originator of the survival horror gaming genre, Alone in the Dark is being developed by Eden Games for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows platform and will deliver a fiercely gripping and terrifying gaming experience.
 
Taking inspiration from the presentation style and structure of a number of acclaimed and globally popular TV action dramas, Alone in the Dark is split into distinct episodes in a season-style format.  Eden Games has departed from the typical ten hour game based on film-style scripts and structures and focuses on TV-season format in order to deliver a constant sustained pace and high level of narrative intensity.
 
“Our new format for Alone in the Dark greatly enhances the pace and tension, keeping players permanently hooked into the engrossing story surrounding the mysteries of Central Park and beyond,” said David Nadal, Game Director, Eden Games.  “You barely have time to breathe before the next cliffhanger hits you…”
 
With approximately 30-40 minutes of gameplay comprising each episode, the structure of Alone in the Dark is adapted for an audience familiar with the hard-hitting bite-size delivery of contemporary TV dramas, offering easy accessibility whether the player has hours to devote or only wants a quick TV-style fix.   
 
Each time the player launches a saved game, the episode will begin with a video summary of the previous episode to quickly re-immerse the player in the story, removing the need to remember where they were or what they were doing.  Every episode will close with a nail-biting cliff-hanger ending to rattle players’ nerves, and if the player is leaving the game, a video teaser of the next episode will play to leave them wanting more. 
 
The original Alone in the Dark is the video game that launched survival gaming and set the standard within the genre.  Alone in the Dark returns with a heart-stopping action survival experience realized through the use of state-of-the-art real-time physics and unprecedented environmental interaction. Delivering an exhilarating action-orientated experience within a highly detailed, open environment, Alone in the Dark once again takes the lead for innovation and excellence within the genre.
 

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