Earthworm Jim lands on retro gaming platform Antstream Arcade in Interplay Entertainment partnership

Earthworm Jim! From the soil he did crawl and onto the retro games platform Antstream Arcade he now falls, thanks to a new licensing deal with Interplay Entertainment.

This is the latest development for Antstream, the games streaming platform that specialises in retro and throw back video game titles. It follows the firm’s recent deal with Bandai Namco and will see popular titles such as Earthworm Jim and Descent become available for gaming fans of a certain vintage across the globe.

With all games streamable over any 4G connection or better and on multiple smart devices, having access to some of the most celebrated titles from the world’s leading games and entertainment brands strengthens Antstream’s position as the de facto retro game streaming company.

For monthly subscription, gamers will be able to play Antstream’s growing library of licensed classics and curios, as well as enjoy the chance to participate in a wide range of global tournaments and leaderboards.

Steve Cottam, CEO at Antstream, said: “Interplay is one of the most iconic and well- respected games publishers and developers, so this deal is hugely important for Antstream.

“Following other high-profile partnerships we have signed, and with more deals in the pipeline, we are clearly demonstrating the strength of our position in the gaming market and the huge growth potential that cloud-based streaming services creates.”

Herve Caen, CEO of Interplay Entertainment, added: “It is always great to partner with a company which is clearly leading the way in gaming and, in this instance, retro gaming. Antstream Arcade is on track to doing just that, substantiated by its strong vision and having a solid understanding and passion for the industry. We are very much looking forward to what this collaboration will deliver.”

Intellivision lines up Mattel and Sesame Workshop partnerships for its gaming system reboot Amico

Intellivision Entertainment, the video game industry pioneer and team behind the upcoming Intellivision Amico launch, has detailed significant additions to its game portfolio, as well as new licensing partnerships with the likes of Mattel and Sesame Workshop.

The latest partnerships were revealed in a virtual press event hosted by Tommy Tallarico, CEO of Intellivision Entertainment, who has made it his mission to bring families back into ‘community gaming’ through the Amico system, the modern reboot of the iconic Intellivision video game console. The console is scheduled for release in April 2021.

Tallaric revealed an extensive list of new Amico games, including Earthworm Jim 4, and new partnerships with Mattel to launch a racing game based on its popular Hot Wheels franchise, Sesame Workshop to develop a suite of educational Sesame Street games, and USAopoly (The Op) to bring interactive versions of its board games Telestrations and Blank Slate to life on the platform.

These announcements come on the heels of recently announced licensing deals with brands such as Major League Baseball, Evel Knievel and The American Cornhole League.

“The magic of Intellivision Amico is that it will bring families and friends together around gaming – something that the world could always use more of – and these new games and partnerships will be a critical part of that,” said Tallarico.

The company also announced its growing network of global retail and online partners including GameStop, Amazon, and Walmart.com among others. The new games and partnerships reinforce the conviction of Intellivision’s mission to reignite the family- and group-oriented benefits of multi-player gaming that were so prevalent at the dawn of the gaming era.

Finally, the company announced that, after painstaking efforts to overcome the myriad of obstacles and constraints imposed by the global pandemic, Amico’s target launch date will shift from October 10, 2020, to April 15, 2021.

“Despite unprecedented challenges, the accomplishments and progress made by our internal team, plus our incredible network of developers and partners, is nothing short of amazing,” said Tallarico. “Our primary focus is delivering a quality product, and we remain steadfast in our mission to bring family fun back to gaming with Intellivision Amico’s launch.”

Earthworm Jim 4 brings the legendary multi-award-winning side-scrolling game back exclusively for Amico, while  Intellivision and Sesame Workshop announced a series of educational titles that will utilize the unique Amico touch screen controllers, motion controls and couch co-op for the entire family to join in the learning and fun.

Meanwhile, Hot Wheels has ignited the challenger spirit around the world since the brand’s introduction in 1968. In a statement, Intellivsion said it was ‘beyond excited to have this spectacular brand be a part of the game repertoire, and it will challenge parents, kids and fans alike as they race to the finish line.’

‘Through its partnership with The Op, Intellivision will offer the laugh-out-loud party game, Telestrations. Families will be able to experience the joy of laughter and miscommunication while they sketch and guess silly drawings and words. Never before brought to the digital era, this party game will allow for entire families, from children to grandparents, to share a laugh and enjoy the fun,’ said the firm.

‘Another terrific board game coming from The Op to Amico is Blank Slate. This party game allows families to get in sync with one another as they attempt to fill in the blank with just one word to complete the phrase. When players guess the same word, they receive extra points. Blank Slate only takes moments to learn and its simplicity makes it fun for players of any age.’