Asteroids: Outpost Is Atari's Multiplayer Craft-O-Surviver

I don't enjoy being cynical or tearing into things, so news that the shambling husk of Atari is slapping the Asteroids name on a multiplayer craft-o-build-a-surviver only leaves me tired. It's named Asteroids: Outpost [official site]. Words like "We're paying homage to the original Asteroids by incorporating classic features such as asteroid blasting capabilities, while introducing a completely new premise and gameplay" from Atari CEO Fred Chesnais make me tired. And yes, these pictures are all concept art. I'm so tired.

This is twisting my melon, man. I'm going to make a hot cuppa and take a cold shower. While I'm away, you can read this description from yesterday's announcement:

"Set in the distant future, Asteroids: Outpost thrusts players into a harsh deep space environment. While on a massive, unforgiving asteroid, players face the challenges of exploring the asteroid, collecting resources, scavenging for ore, crafting equipment, and expanding their territory as they build highly customized bases - all while forming alliances and fighting off other players in challenging multiplayer gameplay. Recurring showers of smaller asteroids represent a source of wealth and a threat as players shoot down these incoming projectiles to defend their claims and harvest their components."

Asteroids: Outpost is being made by Salty Games, a new studio in Los Angeles said to have "industry veterans with decades of AAA development experience". They're a mystery, claiming credits on big-name games that were made by so many people it's meaningless without details. Kotaku picked up on a note that Salty are "supported with technical and infrastructure support", whatever that means, by Arktos Entertainment Group. The're an investment company and online publisher most notable for buying a big hunk of Hammerpoint Interactive - the folks behind shambolic zombie survive 'em up The War Z (or Infestation: Survivor Stories as it was renamed). I had a bit of a dig but couldn't find anything useful or interesting on Salty. I'm tired.

Universal Pictures are still working on their Asteroids movie, you know. I'm tired.

Atari also have a shooty new Alone in the Dark coming. It's made by Pure FPS, the studio which took over multiplayer survive 'em up Nether after release, and which itself was founded by founders of Rekoil [Steam page] developers Plastic Piranha, who'd left the multiplayer FPS in a pretty wonky state but still on sale. I'm tired.

Though all Atari have to show of the game for now is concept art, they say Asteroids: Outpost is getting an Early Access release "soon". Of course it is. I'm going to stroke my cat now. I'm worried the happy little thing's age has very suddenly caught up with her. I'm tired.