French publisher Bigben Interactive of "2Dark" and "Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter" announced that they've taken over the "Test Drive" brand from Atari. Additionally, the company said it's already conjuring up new titles from the franchise. As part of the deal, Atari retains all rights to sell all previously released "Test Drive" games.
"We are more than confident with respect to the quality of this franchise, which is loved by so many players," said Bigben Interactive CEO Alain Falc. "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."
How Will Things Fair For Bigben Interactive?
Although a bold and impressive move for Bigben Interactive, a complexity on the initiative is Atari still has the rights to previous games. This includes the "Test Drive" series from the 1990s and the original "Test Drive Unlimited" titles.
In what seems like a strong deal on Atari's horizon, "Test Drive Unlimited" was critically acclaimed, having received mostly positive feedback when it was first made available in 2006. "Test Drive Unlimited 2" was also well received, despite the technical issues it came with. Bigben Interactive for its part is hoping to capitalize on the franchise going forward.
"Test Drive" & Bigben Interactive: We Should've Seen This Coming
Previously, Bigben Interactive distributed "Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends." The game was developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Atari. Veering from the open-world gameplay presented by the "Test Drive Unlimited" series, "Ferrari Racing Legends" went back to its arcade racer origins. However, the game was bombarded by unimpressed reviews from several websites.
Bigben Interactive going in for a second try on the "Test Drive Unlimited" games is a courageous move, although it's too early to tell what awaits the acquisition. The publisher is set to announce its new titles under the "Test Drive" brand soon.
