Retaining the rights to sell the current Test Drive games, Bigben Interactive has bought their way into reviving a franchise untouched by Atari for over 5 years.
Once a global juggernaut in the gaming industry, Atari's presence has shrunk considerably over the last few years. With Planet Coaster besting their Rollercoaster Tycoon fame (and being made by the same guys) their last few big-budget attempts haven't seen them regain much ground. And with the sale of the Test Drive brand to Bigben today, you'll be seeing them a little less.
Already handling pivotal racing franchises like WRC and TT Isle of Man, Bigben has decided to pick up another, slightly less rally-centric cruiser franchise for their catalogue and they're already committed to the cause - announcing their plans to develop new games under the Test Drive Unlimited name. Prior to those plans, the group has played a part in Outcast, 2Dark and this year's Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter.
5 years means a lot in driving games, but it could still be fun. Check out or Test Drive Unlimited 2 review here.
"We are more than confident with respect to the quality of this franchise, which is loved by so many players," stated Alain Falc, CEO of Bigben Interactive. "Our teams are very enthusiastic at the idea of being able to work on this license, which has already proven its worth - the game Test Drive Unlimited 2 sold 1.8 million units," he concluded.
Don't start your engines just yet, however. The deal may be done, but who knows just how long we could be waiting for their Test Drive project to bare fruit.
