Atari snatches final opportunity to cash in on Unreal franchise

Following news that Midway had struck a deal with Epic Games to publish several Unreal games from 2005 onwards, Atari has announced its final fling with the franchise before it officially becomes its ex-publisher. In a last ditch effort to squeeze the last dregs of profit from the license, Atari is releasing Unreal Tournament ‘Editor’s Choice Edition’ for PC this autumn.

Effectively, this version will be the same as Unreal Tournament 2004, but with a few extra shiny bells and whistles. The major improvements mostly relate to the mission-based ‘Onslaught mode’ with new maps, a new weapon (some form of mobile artillery) and two new vehicles: a two-seated flying Cicada and an armoured Paladin tank. A selection of community-created content and mods will also be thrown into the deal.

Whether or not Unreal Tournament Editor’s Choice warrants a purchase from the hardcore Unreal fans is somewhat questionable. For owners of UT 2004, waiting for a proper sequel might seem like the more sensible option. However, for those yet to get involved in the popular FPS series, this release could provide the ideal opportunity to test it out.