Infogrames Takes Accolade - IGN

Infogrames said that Accolade's assets would make the European publisher "a major player in the important U.S.-Canada region, in keeping with its established international expansion program."

"We had three requirements for an acquisition in the United States," said Bruno Bonnell, founder, chairman and CEO of Infogrames. "A willingness of the prospective partner's management to share our strategic vision; a complementary set of skills and products; and finally, an attractive price for our shareholders.

"Accolade meets these three criteria," said Bonnell. "Infogrames will possess the workforce and organizational structure that we require to reach our global revenue target of US$1 billion by the year 2002."

Among the assets acquired by Infogrames are such franchises as Hard Ball, Test Drive and Test Drive Off Road, licenses such as Major League Baseball, Jaguar, Land Rover, Jeep, and other vehicles, and a development base of some 145 employees.

Along with the acquisition of Accolade's development assets, Infogrames also detailed its new North American distribution network, built in part on Accolade's resources. According to Infogrames, the new network will give the European publisher a sales network of some 18,000 North American retail outlets, in addition to the 30,000 outlets it serves in Europe. This includes such major game retailers as Toys 'R' Us, Wal-Mart, Electronics Boutique, and Babbage's.

"In summary, we are poised with these two moves to really make a difference in the North American interactive software entertainment market," said Bonnell. "We have a strong new partner; we have a more potent distribution network; and most important, we have the products that consumers want."

--JB