Atari and Universal Partner for 10 Live-Action Retro Arcade Movies

Atari has signed a 10-game deal with Universal Pictures to develop live-action feature films based on its classic arcade catalog, the companies announced. It is a major licensing push that draft-picks some of the oldest names in gaming for the big screen. Adapting titles that originally lacked characters or dialogue is a distinct creative direction, even in an industry currently enthusiastic about adaptations.

According to Atari, the multi-game agreement covers a library of foundational arcade titles. The properties selected for potential adaptation include Pong, Breakout, Centipede, Crystal Castles, and Millipede. Rather than translating complex narrative lore, the project relies on names that have spent decades in the public consciousness as basic gameplay experiences.

The details

• Partners: Atari and Universal Pictures
• Format: Live-action feature films
• Project scope: Up to 10 game adaptations
• Confirmed titles: Pong, Breakout, Centipede, Crystal Castles, and Millipede

Why it matters

As film studios search for recognizable intellectual property, the boundary of what can be turned into a movie continues to widen. While recent successful adaptations have drawn from character-driven franchises with deep lore, this deal tests whether pure brand recognition can carry a theatrical project. It moves the focus away from translating existing stories and toward building entirely new narratives around classic, retro titles.