Atari and Universal Motown Records Group Announce Joint Marketing Relationship

Atari’s TRANSFORMERS Video Game Hits Cross-Promotional Road with ReAlign/Universal New Band, DROPBOX

BEVERLY, MA – April 12, 2004 – Highlighting the entertainment industry relationships that have become its hallmark, Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) today announced an ongoing cross promotional collaboration with Universal Motown Records Group, which will tie-in ReAlign/Universal’s hot new band, DROPBOX, with Atari’s highly anticipated TRANSFORMERS video game for the PlayStation^®2 computer entertainment system, based on Hasbro, Inc.’s popular TRANSFORMERS brand.

This marketing relationship will utilize both traditional and non-traditional marketing vehicles to support both the May 11 launch of the TRANSFORMERS game and the DROPBOX album release on April 13.  The campaign will include the utilization of DROPBOX performance footage and the TRANSFORMERS game footage in the band’s forthcoming new video and Atari’s TV advertising spot; radio advertising, in addition to TV; online street teams; and live performances.

“The high level of collaboration between Atari and Universal Motown Records Group enables both companies to significantly extend the effectiveness and reach of their marketing efforts,” said Nancy MacIntyre, vice president of marketing for Atari.  “DROPBOX and the TRANSFORMERS game are already generating significant buzz with their respective core audiences, and this partnership should serve to attract new fans to both.”

Elements expected to be included in this joint campaign include:

§         DROPBOX's debut single, “Wishbone," as well as the band’s recording of its version of the TRANSFORMERS theme song will be available in the game as un-lockable bonus tracks;

§         DROPBOX's new music video for "Wishbone," shot by award-winning director, Nigel Dick, and produced by Quentin Tarantino’s production company, A Band Apart, will feature TRANSFORMERS game footage;

§         A TRANSFORMERS brochure will be included in 1 million Universal Records music CDs;

§         Atari’s TRANSFORMERS TV commercial will highlight the "Wishbone" sound track and portions of the band’s music video;

§         DROPBOX will be included in Atari’s national print advertising campaign for the TRANSFORMERS game;

§         The DROPBOX multi-city promotional radio tour will include mention of its tie-in with Atari’s TRANSFORMERS video game;

§         Atari’s in-store TRANSFORMERS videos will feature DROPBOX's "Wishbone" single and its version of the  TRANSFORMERS theme song;

§         Universal will develop and produce key account radio commercials which will include a TRANSFORMERS tag;

§         A fully integrated on-air and online promotion with the FUSE music video network will include:

o        A live appearance by DROPBOX on the live daily show “IMX” that will also feature behind-the-scenes footage from the filming of the music video;

o        An online campaign including the IMX “Daily Download” and a promotional contest;

§         Atari will include DROPBOX content on its TRANSFORMERS website located at www.atari.com/transformers and Universal will utilize online street teams and other online vehicles in support of the Transformers game and DROPBOX;

To kick off this relationship, DROPBOX celebrated with video game media at Atari’s TRANSFORMERS preview event in February.  In anticipation of the formal agreement, public relations and promotional initiatives for the making of the DROPBOX music video featuring Transformers video game footage are moving forward as well as additional retail and consumer outreach.

“Atari and Universal Motown Records Group are respected industry leaders and it is fitting that such a collaborative effort comes from two such vanguards,” said Kojo Bentel, SVP of Strategic Marketing and Business Development, Universal Motown Records Group.  “Music has become a crucial element of the video game experience and DROPBOX’s raw, rock sound is a perfect fit for Atari’s TRANSFORMERS game.”

Developed by Atari’s Melbourne House studio, the TRANSFORMERS game will be available worldwide on May 11, 2004.  More information can be found online at www.atari.com/transformers.

About Universal Motown Records Group

Universal Motown Records Group is a division of Universal Music Group, the world's leading music company with wholly-owned record operations or licensees in 71 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's largest global music publishing operations.

Universal Music Group consists of record labels Decca Record Company, Deutsche Grammophon, DreamWorks Records, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor, Universal Music Latino, Universal Motown Records Group, and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Strategic Marketing and Commercial Affairs (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, a new media and technology division.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.

About Atari

New York-based Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) develops interactive games for all platforms and is one of the largest third-party publishers of interactive entertainment software in the U.S.  The Company’s 1,000+ titles include hardcore, genre-defining games such as Driverâ„¢, Enter the Matrixâ„¢, Neverwinter Nightsâ„¢, Stuntmanâ„¢, Test Drive^®, Unreal^® Tournament 2003, and Unreal^® Championship; and mass-market and children’s games such as Backyard Sportsâ„¢, Nickelodeon’s Blue’s Cluesâ„¢ and Dora the Explorerâ„¢, Civilization^®, Dragon Ball Z^® and RollerCoaster Tycoon^®.  Atari, Inc. is a majority-owned subsidiary of France-based Infogrames Entertainment SA (Euronext 5257), the largest interactive games publisher in Europe.  For more information, visit www.atari.com.

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© 2004 Atari, Inc.  All Rights Reserved. 

TRANSFORMERS is a trademark of Hasbro, Inc. Used with permission. ©2004 Hasbro.  All Rights Reserved.

Universal Motown Records Group is a unit of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.

"PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

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