Atari looks for its modern hit in internet-connected devices

Atari Space Invaders header

Atari, the iconic video game maker, is jumping head first into the Internet of Things. A partnership with SIGFOX, a French global communications service provider, means Atari will launch connected devices later this year.

Exactly what Atari and SIGFOX are planning is still a mystery, as the companies only teased news of their partnership in a press release. Will it be a series of sensors that can detect incoming missile attacks or an alien centipede invasion? No one knows.

The only clue they've given us is that its initial products will fall into the categories of "home, pets, lifestyle and safety."

This isn't the first time Atari has dabbled in other areas than gaming. In 2014, we reported that the company would begin creating wearable tech. "For success in a digital era, the world-renowned company is expanding its business and brands to mobile and online gaming platforms as well as completely new entertainment markets," read Atari's press release at the time.

SIGFOX currently operates in 18 countries and has over 7 million devices running on its network. The company's goal is to create a "seamless network that provides ubiquitous connectivity for billions of objects."

Atari SIGFOX Pong

SIGFOX doesn't operate like a typical wireless carrier where you have to hook up only specific devices. Instead, it allows supported devices to connect instantly to its network without the need for local internet connectivity or pairing.

"Atari, which has disruption rooted in their DNA, was quick to envision the transformative role that the Internet of Things can play in interactive entertainment," said SIGFOX CEO Ludovic Le Moan. "Our network bridges the virtual and physical worlds simply, reliably and inexpensively and this collaboration will launch a new dimension to gaming, while supporting features that are limited only by the imagination."

That's a lot to promise but hopefully some interesting and useful products come out of Atari's partnership with SIGFOX.

Lewis Leong
Lewis Leong is a freelance writer for TechRadar. He has an unhealthy obsession with headphones and can identify cars simply by listening to their exhaust notes.
Latest in Tech
A Lego Pikachu tail next to a Pebble OS watch and a screenshot of Assassin's Creed Shadow
ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories from LG's excellent new OLED TV to our Assassin's Creed Shadow review
A triptych image of the Meridian Ellipse, LG C5 and Xiaomi 15.
5 amazing tech reviews of the week: LG's latest OLED TV is the best you can buy and Xiaomi's seriously powerful new phone
Beats Studio Pro Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones in Black and Gold on yellow background with big savings text
The best Beats headphones you can buy drop to $169.99 at Best Buy's Tech Fest sale
Ray-Ban smart glasses with the Cpperni logo, an LED array, and a MacBook Air with M4 next to ecah other.
ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories from Twitter's massive outage to iRobot's impressive new Roombas
A triptych image featuring the Sennheiser HD 505, Apple iPad Air 11-inch (2025), and Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4).
5 unmissable tech reviews of the week: why the MacBook Air (M4) should be your next laptop and the best sounding OLED TV ever
Apple iPhone 16e
Which affordable phone wins the mid-range race: the iPhone 16e, Nothing 3a, or Samsung Galaxy A56? Our latest podcast tells all
Latest in News
DeepSeek
Deepseek’s new AI is smarter, faster, cheaper, and a real rival to OpenAI's models
Open AI
OpenAI unveiled image generation for 4o – here's everything you need to know about the ChatGPT upgrade
Apple WWDC 2025 announced
Apple just announced WWDC 2025 starts on June 9, and we'll all be watching the opening event
Hornet swings their weapon in mid air
Hollow Knight: Silksong gets new Steam metadata changes, convincing everyone and their mother that the game is finally releasing this year
OpenAI logo
OpenAI just launched a free ChatGPT bible that will help you master the AI chatbot and Sora
An aerial view of an Instavolt Superhub for charging electric vehicles
Forget gas stations – EV charging Superhubs are using solar power to solve the most annoying thing about electric motoring