Atari has partnered with blockchain-as-a-service, or BaaS, company Arkane Network, allowing digital asset integration into gaming. 

A key aspect of the announcement sees developers able to build Atari's Token into aspects of the gaming sphere, said a May 14 statement provided to Cointelegraph. 

Atari making waves in crypto

Atari has headlined multiple articles so far in 2020. The age-old gaming giant announced a token offering in March. In addition to Atari Token, the company's plans also include a multi-faceted decentralized entertainment platform spanning movies, games, and music. 

The May 14 development harnesses Arkane Network — a blockchain brick and mortar outfit providing developers framework for crypto wallets, APIs, and other applications. Arkane also helps programmers incorporate digital assets into their games, the statement said. The partnership adds Atari Token compatibility to the mix, allowing for the asset's facilitation into games.   

Atari's token gaining in-roads

Atari sees the collaboration as a move in the right direction for blockchain usage in "interactive entertainment," as well as a push for the company's asset as a method of value exchange, Atari CEO Fred Chesnais said in the statement.

The partnership involves Arkane incorporating the Atari Token into its "offering," although the statement was not conclusive on what offering that might be.

Responding to a Cointelegraph's question on the meaning of "offering," Arkane co-founder and CSO, Tim Dierckxsens, mentioned a movement toward free gaming, which often now relies on profit methods within the games themselves. The transition makes monetization more difficult for many outfits, he explained, noting blockchain hold potential to improve a number of areas. 

Arkane gives gaming companies the resources they need for blockchain technology incorporation, leading to gamer-focused advantages and monetization, Dierckxsens said, adding:

Cryptocurrencies (such as the Atari-Token) can be used as in-game currencies or Game assets can be turned into tokenized assets in the form of nonfungible tokens (or scarce collectables)."

In March, Atari also announced a partnership with The Sandbox, a blockchain-based content and gaming monetization platform.  

UPDATE May 15, 16:55 UTC: This article has been updated with information Cointelegraph received from Arkane's CSO after initial publication.