Atari Teams Up With Powerful Line-Up of Partners To Support the Launch of Its New Action-Packed Videogame Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers

NEW YORK, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Atari, Inc., one of the world's most recognized videogame publishers, announced today its all-star line-up of partners to support the launch of the all-new Backyard Sports™: Sandlot Sluggers video game for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ shipping out May 25, 2010.  Franklin Sports, GT Beverages, Baseball Youth, and the National Alliance of Youth Sports, Inc. have signed on as marketing partners for Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers, based on one of the best selling kids' sports video game series, which allows players to join their favorite neighborhood friends and play ball in fun and exciting arcade style sports action.  Each partnership boasts its own unique initiatives which kick-off in May 2010.  

"Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers is a big evolution for the number one kids sports videogame brand with a whole host of engaging, new features while keeping true to the classic rules of the sport," says Jim Wilson, President and CEO of Atari, Inc. "Our partnerships with Franklin Sports, GT Beverages, Baseball Youth, and the National Alliance of Youth Sports, Inc. provide us with an excellent opportunity to broaden brand awareness."

Franklin Sports product and brand integration will appear in Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers including a pitching machine, logos on fields, and billboards.  Franklin Sports branding will also be seen alongside the activity tips on the loading screens which promote physical activity for kids.  

GT Beverages will feature the Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers logo on its Sportastic™ Sports Drink, a delicious, naturally flavored beverage, designed for health-conscious, active children and adults, from May to June 2010.  Additionally, Backyard Sports and Sportastic will create a promotional tie-in with U.S. GameStop locations to drive awareness and sales of Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers video game and Sportastic drinks.

The Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers video game will serve as the exclusive game on the East and West coasts for the Baseball Youth Road Trip FANFEST, an interactive traveling tour visiting youth baseball tournaments across the United States.  On-site booth interaction of the video game will include game demos and sampling.  Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers will receive massive integrated exposure via Baseball Youth Magazine and national partners, social network, email blasts, branded vehicles, and local media lasting from May to September 2010.  

Lastly, the partnership with the National Alliance for Youth Sports, Inc. will open the way for Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers to reach over 70,000 member organizations, including National Youth Sports Coaches, Parks & Recreation Associations, YMCAs, and JCCs, through the National Alliance for Youth Sports, Inc. e-newsletter.  In addition, Atari will make a donation for the NAYS Excellence in Youth Sports Awards in the name of Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers.  

Sandlot Sluggers, is a completely new take on a longtime favorite franchise with all-new features, updated graphics, enhanced gameplay, and extensive options that will keep players and gamers alike enthusiastically entertained.  Allowing kids to follow traditional baseball rules, Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers is an intuitive game with kid-appropriate content that combines realism with fantasy while being wholesome and non-violent. Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers will be available for Xbox 360 ($29.99), Wii ($29.99), and Nintendo DS ($29.99).

For more information, please log onto www.atari.com.

ABOUT ATARI, SA

Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment for interactive game platforms that include PC, online, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony and advanced smart phones (i.e. iPhone).  Divisions of Atari, SA include Cryptic Studios, Eden Studios, Atari Interactive, Inc. and Atari, Inc.

Atari benefits from its global brand and an extensive catalogue of popular games based on classic owned game franchises (Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Lunar Lander®), original owned franchises (Test Drive®, Backyard Sports™, Deer Hunter®), MMO games from Cryptic Studios (Star Trek Online, Champions Online) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters®, Project Runway™, Dungeons and Dragons®).

For more information please visit www.atari.com

© 2010 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.

Atari word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.

ABOUT HB STUDIOS

Headquartered in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada, HB Studios Multimedia Limited specializes in sports video games for home console, handheld, and PC systems.  Established in 2000, HB Studios has shipped 23 titles with over 150 different SKU's including THQ's Big Beach Sports, EA Sports Rugby, EA Sports Cricket and Konami's Rock Revolution as well as versions of EA Sports' FIFA, NBA Live, NHL, FIFA Street, Tiger Woods PGA Tour and Madden NFL.  To date HB's global sales have reached over 11.7 million units.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo.

SOURCE Atari, Inc.