Atari Signs Earthworm Jim For Handhelds News

Atari has today announced that it's acquired the handheld and online rights to Earthworm Jim from internal development studio, Shiny Entertainment, in a five year deal. The game, which will return players to the side-scrolling platform gameplay of the original titles, will see Earthworm Jim once again having to deal with Queen Slug-For-A-Butt and her minions.

As well as the single-player game Earthworm Jim will also feature two-player competitive modes, although exact details of their gameplay is yet to be announced, together with an increased number of weapons and abilities for players to use as they battle through the adventure.

"Atari is a company on the move, and as one of the most beloved video game characters in history, the return of Earthworm Jim marks an important day for Atari, the video game industry and consumers," said Atari, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Bruno Bonnell. "The Atari brand signifies innovation, imagination, entertainment and most importantly, fun. Our commitment to the Atari brand and investing in franchises that embrace similar traits, like Earthworm Jim, are the cornerstones in the Company's evolution."

News that the character would be making a come back first appeared in February when Atari announced its third quarter financial results, although nothing more was known than that at the time.

We'll have more on Earthworm Jim shortly...