No PS3 Games For Atari Until 2007, And For SNK Until 2009

From a couple of related stories that appeared this week on GamesIndustry.biz and Kotaku, we learn that Atari and SNK Playmore won't be jumping on the PS3 bandwagon just yet. Feeling too insecure about Sony's next-gen console, and especially about its elevated price point, the two companies decided not to make any games for the PlayStation 3 anytime soon. Although Nintendo's Wii already seems like a good choice for both of them.

The first Atari labeled games for the PlayStation 3 are expected to be released in 2007, according to Atari CEO Bruno Bonnell, despite the company's intent to support all three next-gen consoles "fairly equally". Here's how Bonnell motivates their decission:

"It's just that we're lacking information about the PS3 at this stage, because we have basically a rough release date and a high retail price point.

As far as the Wii and the Xbox 360 go, we'll be there for this season; for PS3, we'll probably have to wait a little later in the year before we release some new titles."

Bonnell also believes that Sony is targeting the hardcore market with its next-gen console (gosh, you think?), and that it will be some time before more gamers will afford a PS3, once the price goes down (would that be before, or after Duke Nukem Forever comes out?).

As for SNK Playmore, they're even more scared of Sony's costly console. In fact, they may wait up to three or even four years, before releasing any game for the PlayStation 3. That's 2009-2010 for you Arcade junkies!

(N.B. Archive text, links removed)