Atari, the brand behind video games such as Pong, Asteroids, Battlezone, and Breakout is setting up a home base for its new game show, Game On, in South Africa.

That’s the word from Robert Blagman, who heads up global content distribution for Atari.

“Game On is life-size version of the games that we played in the 80s,” Blagman said, with big sets where teams will compete against one another.

“The whole idea of game shows based on legendary Atari video games really seems to resonate around the world,” said Blagman.

“What we’re finding as we meet with TV networks, production companies media executives… People have a very fond memory of Atari.”

From polling networks, and speaking to production companies around the world, Blagman said, they have found that it is easier than you think to fly in audiences and contestants to South Africa than to build sets everywhere.

South Africa as the home base for Atari TV

Blagman said that Atari’s CEO, Frédéric Chesnais, loves South Africa.

“[He loves] working down here and feels this is an incredible area of opportunity.”

Chesnais’ intention, Blagman said, is for Atari to do as much as they can down in South Africa.

He said that Atari has signed a deal with Discovery Science to do a “science version” of their Codebreaker game, and they have agreed to do production in South Africa.

“We’re just working out details and logistics,” Blagman said.

The more Atari can do down here, the better, he added.

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