DISCOP Johannesburg to Feature Atari Keynote

LOS ANGELES: Frederic Chesnais, the CEO of Atari, is attending DISCOP Johannesburg this year to unveil the gaming company’s television plans.

At the market, taking place November 2 to 4, Atari will showcase its strategy for television, with Chesnais speaking to delegates alongside Robert Blagman, the CEO of Media Fusion, which has been contracted to manage Atari’s TV programming distribution operation.

“As video gaming becomes more mainstream as well as abstract, broadcast networks are looking for content to attract the highly valuable generations X, Y and now Z audiences—content that combines the best of all tech worlds,” Blagman said. “Atari owns the world’s most popular library of iconic home console and arcade games. Each one has the potential to become a popular television format and deliver highly coveted eyeballs to broadcasters and advertisers. In addition, Atari is developing mobile apps for TV networks to combine old-school and new-school content and technology.”

Patrick Zuchowicki Jucaud, founder of the DISCOP markets, added, “The statistics in terms of the hours people spend playing games and watching games on television are beginning to tilt toward the latter very quickly. During the Johannesburg market, in a month from now, we’re going to see more broadcasters trying to exploit that. In the U.S., networks such as CW, ESPN and TBS have begun licensing e-sports shows and games.”