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Phil Harrison

alone in the dark

Phil Harrison Talks Teh Future of Atari

Yes, Phil Harrison really does work for Infogrames/Atari. Like really. Instead, Harrison says this about upcoming Atari title Alone in the Dark and what the future holds for the company:

I'm making is that I think the game is very relevant to the market, and I think will do very, very well. Can we afford as a company to chase that up, to USD 80 million, without downstream revenue? The answer is no.
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oddities

The Best Phil Harrison Fan Art Ever

If game exec Phil Harrison is worthy of gum stealing, surely, he's worthy of this Phil-meets-Back to the Future 2 style fan art. Found over at game site UK:R, where artist Dan writes:

I drew this a long time ago when I was sick and Phil's life still mattered to some people. I was going to ask that you use this instead whenever something dumb he had to say was to be featured on your site, but I guess I figured I'd never see him there again now that he's over at Atari, no doubt heading up the addition of motion controls in time for the 2600's re-release. But, like a bad penny, he just keeps turning up

We hope that Dan is still sick. We're keen to see more.
Er, Phil Harrison Fan Art [UK:R]

contest

Phil Harrison, Crecente as Eggs

The resemblance is uncanny. That's Harjit M.'s entry, which is based on this photograph and this post. You know, that could double as a J Allard egg as well. Still, this so makes us want to do a bird shirt contest. Here's what's going on: Decorate an egg (yes, an actual egg), take a pic of it with a Kotaku sign and send it to kotakucontestATgmailDOTcom. Commentland will vote for its favorite finalist. We'll kick this baby off right now, wrap it up on April 4th. Here's the loot, plus the bonus signed Fallout 3 shirt.

atari

Atari Delisted From Nasdaq Stock Exchange

After what feels like years of threats, Atari have finally been handed a delisting notice from the Nasdaq stock exchange, after the company failed to raise the $15 million in market capitalization it needed to stay the executioners axe. An appeal's already been lodged, citing parent company Infogrames offer of a total buyout, but, yeah. Things don't look good. Guess Misseur Directeur Général Délégué has his work cut out for him. Those with a morbid fascination for death rattles can read Atari's full statement after the jump. More »

business

Infogrames Want To Buy What's Left Of Atari

French company Infogrames are Atari's majority shareholder. Looks like they're soon to be their only shareholder. A letter has arrived at Atari HQ from Infogrames, no doubt signed in a beautiful, flowing script by the company's new Directeur Général Délégué, indicating their desire to buy any and all remaining Atari stocks for USD$1.68 per share. Atari don't have to accept, but then again, they don't exactly have the strongest of bargaining positions at the moment.
Infogrames offers to buy Atari Inc. [GI.biz]

clips

See, Hear Phil Harrison Call Atari "The Best Opportunity"

Just in case you don't believe that Phil Harrison actually left Sony to work at Atari (we're still in shock!), there's this clip of Phil Harrison (not in a blue suit!) actually saying:
The Atari opportunity is the best opportunity that exists in the industry today to redefine, re-focus and re-energize an incredible brand, an incredible group of people towards that networked future. Um, and to do it in a fun way.
We watched this clip five times. It's real.

atari

Why Phil Harrison Joined Infogrames? Magnetic Attraction

Two words: Phil Harrison. A game exec so wonderful that we stole his chewing gum (above). Now wonder Infogrames wanted him to help the company become unsucky. But what could make Phil ditch Sony, a company that's clearly on the rebound. Company CEO David Gardner says this about new Infogrames prez. Phil Harrison:

In terms of European leaders in the games development industry, I've always wanted to work with Phil... He's going to partner with me to build the future. He'll be the most senior guy responsible for all the content and network-centric material, all the investments that we make in games... I have to say there is a lot of excitement around this mission that we're talking about, the brand and the people we're talking about — there is a bit of a magnet around us.

A giant money magnet, amirite?!
Magnet [Games Industry]

top

Phil Harrison's New Job

Well, it's Monday and, right on cue, here's Phil Harrison's new job: President and "Directeur Général Délégué" of Infogrames. He is also a member of the board of directors. Shoot, I was hoping he'd stay in the video game industry.

We kid, because we love you, Phil... and we're a little worried.

Harrison will be overseeing the studios and content development for the group, which owns the Atari brand.

"This is the perfect time to join Infogrames and help shape the future of Atari - one of the industry's legendary brands. As the game business moves rapidly online I believe we have an outstanding opportunity to create amazing network game and community experiences for players the world over. I am especially excited to be working on this challenge together with David, one of the most respected leaders and successful executives in our industry."

I'd imagine that Infogrames would have had to drop quite a bit of coin to lure Harrison away from Sony, though I bet that fancy new title helped. Heck, I'd be Directeur Général Délégué for Infogrames just for the business cards.

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letters to the editor

The Phil Harrison Letters

It's no secret that we're big fans of almost-former Sony Worldwide Studios head Phil Harrison. In fact, he, J Allard, Peter Moore and Reggie make up our video game exec dream team, a crusading force that we imagine takes to the streets at night to bludgeon criminals to death with their no-nonsense quotes and fierce scowls.

When we heard that Harrison was going the way of Moore and Allard, fleeing from his job to parts unknown, we were genuinely concerned. So concerned, in fact, that Luke made up a missing person flyer and like clockwork Harrison was spotted... by Harrison.

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please help

Where In The World Is Phil Harrison?

Phil Harrison's gone. Up and left Sony. Which has us all very, very sad! We loved Phil. Some may say a little too much, but what do they know about love? Nothing. Exactly. So it hurts that since announcing his departure, we haven't heard from Phil. Not a "hi". Not a "hey guys, I'm OK". Nothing. Where are you, Phil? What are you up to? Is everything OK? Because when J left us, we knew where he was going. When Peter left us, we knew where he was going. But you...we don't know. Look, we're just worried about you, OK? Worried about you and the legion of Mini-Phils we cooked up last year. All they do these days is slink around the house, looking mopey, complaining about how Wii Sports stole SingStar's thunder. We need to hear from you, Phil. They need to hear from you.
[Pic]

control issues

Harrison, Molyneux Agree - Controllers Are Too Complicated

Both soon-to-be-ex Sony Worldwide Studios head Phil Harrison and Fable creator Peter Molyneux agree - our game controllers are too complicated. To a person who has grown up playing video games they might seem second nature, but if you've ever put a PS3 controller into the hands of a non-gamer and watched them try to figure out where their fingers should go, you might agree.
""We don't use half the buttons on the 360 controller," admitted Molyneux, "simply because the whole dream I've got is that someone will sit down to play Fable 2 who has never played a game before and they can play with someone who's played games the whole of their lives.
What a lovely way to put it. Harrison, on the other hand? A bit more colorful.
"You hand somebody a game controller and it's like you've handed them a live gun or a hand grenade with the pin taken out"
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