LYON, FRANCE - 11 July 2006 - Atari today announced the signing
of a deal to bring Arthur and the Minimoys to mobile phones
across Europe from November 2006. Based on world famous film
director and writer Luc Besson's 'Arthur and the Minimoys'
animated feature film, the game is currently also in
development for PlayStation®2, PSP
(PlayStation®Portable), Nintendo DS, Game Boy
Advance, and the Windows platform, and all platforms are
planned for European release from the end of 2006. The game
allows players to relive the fantastic adventure of young
Arthur and his two pals, Selenia and Bétamèche, in their
mission to save the Minimoys' world from destruction. The game
will incorporate Besson's entire Minimoy universe and its tiny
inhabitants (just a couple of millimetres tall) with the
richness and extraordinary visuals of the film. The unique and
innovative game concept revolves around the teamwork of the
trio (Arthur, Selenia and Bétamèche): players can only progress
by cleverly combining the three characters' skills. In solving
mysteries and overcoming obstacles, players will realize that
anything is possible when you work together. The mobile phone
game is developed by MIG, based in Lyon, France. The PS2 and PC
versions of Arthur and the Minimoys are in production with
Lyon- and Paris-based Etranges Libellules, creator of several
successful animated games, including Asterix XXL and Kirikou.
The PSP, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance versions are also
currently in development. 'Arthur and the Minimoys' in a
nutshell: Originally a four-volume literary adventure
written by Luc Besson, with more than 1,000,000 books sold in
France alone, and translations into over twenty different
languages The highest budget ever for a European
animated film ($85 million) It is currently being filmed
using three technologies (2D, 3D and real film footage) and a
unique graphical style that is groundbreaking in the world of
animation The digital animated part of 'Arthur and the
Minimoys' has been developed by Buf The film will be
distributed in more than 40 countries, including the United
States, Europe and Asia A $125 million global
advertising campaign will support the film launch Voices
and original music for the film by internationally renowned
artists including David Bowie, Madonna, and Snoop Dogg. -ends-
About Luc Besson: Writer, director and producer Luc Besson was
seduced by the inner workings of the French cinema industry at
the age of 17. Following a steady climb through the ranks,
during which time he continued to write, he eventually directed
his first film "Le Dernier Combat". The film was lauded at the
Avoriaz Festival in 1983 winning the jury Grand Prize and
critics prize, proving to be the start of a major career. A
string of hit films followed, with Besson taking the role of
writer, director, and sometimes producer, on movies including
"Subway" (1985), "The Big Blue" (1988), "Nikita" (1990),
"Leon/The Professional" (1995), "The Fifth Element" (1997),
"Taxi" (1998), and "Joan of Arc" (1999) amongst numerous
others. In 2000, Luc Besson co-founded a new independent
European film studio, EuropaCorp, with an impressive remit. In
2002 he completed and published the first book in the 'Arthur
and the Minimoys' series in France generating sales in excess
of 1,000,000. Successful sequels followed, with the books now
available across the globe. The animated feature film of the
same name is currently in production and represents the first
European-made 3D animated feature film produced with a major
budget for global release. About EuropaCorp: EuropaCorp
develops, produces and co-produces movies in France and
internationally. It handles all forms of distribution
(theatres, dvd, licensing...) and international sales,
according to a unique vertical model. With more than 40 movie
productions and co-productions since 2000, EuropaCorp posted
consolidated sales of approximately 100 million in the
financial year ended 31 March 2005. About Etranges Libellules:
Established in 1994 and based in Lyon, France, video game
development studio Etranges Libellules specialises in the
adaptation of existing characters to the world of video games.
The high quality of its engineers and the exceptional
creativity of its designers and graphic artists has led to the
development of successful games based on the universes of
Kirikou, Pink Panther and Asterix. By proposing fun, intuitive
and innovative gameplay, enhanced by a production process which
allows for extreme fine tuning of the products, Etranges
Libellules is creating games that have all the ingredients to
reach the top of the sales charts. The company recently
completed the latest Asterix game, Asterix & Obelix XXL2,
which is based on captivating gameplay and a highly original
scenario. Etranges Libellules has been chosen to produce the
video game based on 'Arthur and the Minimoys'. The team has
been installed within the film studio where the Film is being
shot in order to work hand in hand with the movie team. Never
before have a game and a movie been developed in such close
collaboration. About Infogrames Entertainment and Atari:
Infogrames Entertainment (IESA), the parent company of the
Atari Group, is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange
(ISIN code: FR-0000052573) and has two principal subsidiaries:
Atari Europe, a privately-held company, and Atari, Inc., a
United States corporation listed on NASDAQ (ATAR). The Atari
Group is a major international producer, publisher and
distributor of interactive entertainment software for all
market segments and in all existing game formats (Microsoft,
Nintendo and Sony) and on CD-ROM for PC. Its games are sold in
more than 60 countries. The Atari Group's extensive catalogue
of popular games is based on original franchises (Driver, Alone
in the Dark, V-Rally, Test Drive, Roller Coaster Tycoon, etc.)
and international licenses (Matrix, Dragon Ball Z, Dungeons
& Dragons, etc.). For more information:
http://www.atari.com "PlayStation" is a registered trademark
and "PSP" is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
GAME BOY ADVANCE AND NINTENDO DS ARE TRADEMARKS OF NINTENDO. ®
2006 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved. 'Arthur and the
Minimoys' ® 2006 EuropaCorp Avalanche Productions Apipoulaï
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