Atari Revives Wizardry: Classic RPGs Make a Comeback
Atari has officially snagged the rights to the first five Wizardry RPGs, reigniting a franchise that’s been snoozing for over two decades. This deal includes the original titles from Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (1981) to Wizardry V: Heart of the Maelstrom (1988), along with all the beloved characters, spells, locations, and monsters that made the series legendary. Known as the "Original Wizardry" or "Llylgamyn Saga," these games laid the groundwork for the Japanese RPG genre, and it's about time they get some modern love.
The acquisition doesn’t extend to Wizardry VI, VII, and VIII, which remain in the hands of Drecom. But fret not—Atari is all set to breathe new life into these classics, with plans for digital and physical re-releases, remasters, and possibly even new entries in the series. Atari aims to transform Wizardry into a multi-format entertainment powerhouse, with ambitions stretching across merchandise, tabletop games, books, comics, and even film and television adaptations.
Wade Rosen, Atari's chairman and CEO, expressed his excitement: "Wizardry is such an influential RPG franchise, yet many of the games have been unavailable for more than two decades. We are thrilled to have this rare opportunity to republish, remaster, and bring console ports and physical releases of these early games to market."
Why it matters
Robert Woodhead, co-creator of the Wizardry franchise, reflected on the series' roots, stating, "When Andrew Greenberg and I created Wizardry back in the 1980s, the video game industry was still in its infancy, and the original games were some of the first to bring the role-playing experience to PCs and consoles. As Atari continues to reintroduce the games on new platforms and to new audiences, I'll definitely be paying attention to the reactions of gamers who decide to take on a real old-school challenge." So buckle up, RPG fans—it's time to explore the dungeons once more!
Original source
PocketGamer.biz
