Neverwinter Nights 2: Atari's Year End Report Released

Struggling publisher Atari, a subsidiary of French publisher Infogrames, announced its financial results for the fiscal 2006 fourth quarter and year ended March 31, 2006, reporting slightly decreased losses in the face of financial challenges and disappointing sales.

The company posted a net loss of $4.3 million for the quarter, compared to $9.1 million in the same quarter in 2005. Fourth quarter revenue was $54.7 million, down from the previous year's $64.4 million, due to the release of fewer titles, as well as disappointing sales of titles such as Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure and The Matrix: Path of Neo.

Talking in its earnings call following the results, an Atari spokesperson noted that, while some profit can be had with big budget titles such as its upcoming Test Drive Unlimited and Alone in the Dark, the company is committed to providing games that have "mass market appeal", a concept that it believes can be realized through lower prices, as well as through digital distribution. The company also said in its earnings call that it is looking to the growing casual game market as a possible area of investment going forward.