Something is brewing over at Atari, it would seem, after it emerged this week that the company has just registered a U.S. trademark for Rogue, the original game that kickstarted this whole rogueliking thing that we’ve all got going on.
I’m going to have to assume that something has happened behind the scenes because I wasn’t aware of any previous link between Rogue and the new incarnation of Atari. Indeed, the first I heard of any modern connection between the two was this post on Reddit.
Atari in 2024
The new leadership over at Atari has been looking more switched on when compared to older iterations of the brand. These days the company seems to be picking up legacy IP and updating them, and making better use of the publisher’s generous back catalogue.
Recent remakes and remasters have included Haunted House, which I covered late last year, and a series called “Recharged” – arcade classics that have been updated for contemporary audiences. If you want to see what they’re up to, Atari’s Steam catalogue is as good a place to start as I can think of.
Considering that context, the acquisition of a game as iconic as Rogue would certainly be a feather in Atari’s increasingly feathery retro-hat. Not everyone would be thrilled with this development, however, so we’ll have to wait and see how it shakes out.
Does Atari own Rogue now, then?
On the part of Rogue, the assumption must be that ownership of the IP has passed hands, however, there is currently nothing concrete to indicate that Atari has done a deal. Basically, we await an official announcement.
According to the current Steam listing, which lists Epyx as the developer, Rogue is currently being published on PC by Pixel Games UK. This retro publisher has a number of games under its label, and Rogue remains prominently positioned on their website.
According to the Epyx Wiki, Bridgestone Media owns the label, and that must mean that Retro Games UK either licensed it from them for release on Steam, or bought it and the Wiki is out of date.
I’ve reached out to both Atari and Pixel Games UK with a couple of questions, and will update you if/when they respond. This story certainly feels like it has a few interesting twists and turns ahead and I’ll make sure to keep this page refreshed with any developments!
For more on the story of Rogue, which was developed by Michael Toy, Glenn Wichman, and later Ken Arnold starting in 1980, head over to my article about the origins of the roguelike genre!
