Fossil watch range exploits Atari’s ‘old school’ appeal among gamers

Fashion watch brand Fossil and computer games publisher Atari are to launch a limited-edition range of retro watches featuring Atari game graphics.

The range launches in the UK next month. The watches are primarily aimed at male “old-school” gamers, but Atari hopes that the association with Fossil will attract a broader and younger group of consumers.

The watches will be sold in Fossil stores in London and Kent’s Bluewater shopping centre, department stores and jewellery shops nationwide and through fossil.com.

Atari also says it is looking at new revenue streams and routes to market. Atari executive vice-president Wim Stocks says: “Few other brands have the ability to sell product, style and lifestyle. Atari is committed to ‘mining the vault’ for new revenue streams and innovative ways to bring its classic games and images to consumers.”

The watches carry vintage graphics based on 1980s Atari computer games such as Centipede, Breakout and Asteroids.

Last week, Atari posted disappointing results for the quarter ending June 30.

Net revenue was $24.2m (£13.4m), compared to $108m (£59.7m) for the same quarter the year before – down 77 per cent.

Atari is majority-owned by French company Infogrames Entertainment.