Atari Acquires AtariAge, Uniting with its Retro-focused Online Community

New York, NY (September 7, 2023) - Atari announced today that it has agreed to purchase AtariAge, a retro-focused online community hub and archival website founded by Albert Yarusso. The deal unites Atari with a vibrant community of retro fans, historians, and homebrew developers. Mr. Yarusso joins Atari and will continue to manage AtariAge, as well as assume a new role as the company’s internal historian.

Founded in 2001, AtariAge based its name on a print magazine that was distributed to members of the Atari Club in the early 1980s. The site contains a massive database of Atari video games, including digitized copies of manuals, key art, packaging, screenshots, reviews, and more. It also houses a large online forum frequented by retro game enthusiasts as well as homebrew developers, who create games for a variety of Atari consoles and computers, and other legacy game platforms. AtariAge features an integrated online storefront that sells retro games and accessories.

Atari will provide ongoing support while leaving day-to-day management in the hands of the site’s current manager, Mr. Yarusso, and volunteer moderators. Mr. Yarusso commented on 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.”