Atari picks head of international marketing

Atari, the brand synonymous with video gaming in the Eighties, has hired its first international marketing director in an attempt to regain its past glory and launch an aggressive assault against rivals Electronic Arts and Eidos.

Martin Spiess, who has been appointed to the newly created position, was previously senior vice-president of global marketing at video games publisher Crave Entertainment.

Spiess will report to senior vice-president for Europe Christian Gloe. News of his appointment follows a wave of departures from Atari’s marketing team. The vice-president of European marketing Larry Sparks left the company early this year (MW February 6) before joining Acclaim Entertainment in April as vice-president of marketing, international. Sparks was a former Eidos marketer.

Atari European marketing manager Matt Woodley left his position two weeks before Sparks’ departure to join Sega as European marketing director (MW January 23).

The international marketing division at Atari was restructured and is responsible for deciding on marketing strategies before they are distributed. Atari’s big games release this year is Enter the Matrix, to tie in with the Matrix Reloaded movie.

Atari is 90 per cent-owned by software maker Infogrames Entertainment, which was rebranded as Atari in May this year.