Gaming behemoth Atari announced that holders of its Atari token will be able to spend it on betting, gaming and shopping.
According to an announcement on June 12, the new offerings for Atari token holders follow a partnership with esports firm Unikrn.
With the partnership, Unikrn will get access to Atari’s classic games such as Centipede, Pong and Asteroids. Atari — on the other hand — will get access to the firm’s esports betting platform and will see its token added to its ecosystem.
Per the announcement, Atari’s token will be available for use on Unikrn’s shopping, betting and gaming services. Unikrn co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft Ventures Rahul Sood explained that he believes betting will be an important part of the future of esports:
“We know the wagering will be an increasingly driving force in the game industry's future development, and we can't wait to get the benefits of this partnership to Unikrn's community.”
Atari bets on crypto
Atari is a gaming firm founded in California in 1972 that turned out such classic titles as Pong, Asteroids, Centipede and Space Invaders.
After developing and launching video games in the 70s and 80s, the firm is now betting on the application of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies to the gaming industry.
In May, Atari first partnered with Arkane — a blockchain firm specializing in the integration of tokens into videogames — and announced an initial coin offering to be held this year and the development of two crypto assets: the Atari and Pong tokens.