For gamers who grew up in the golden age of video games, this news is like a dream come true: Atari, the company behind the iconic Atari 2600 console, has acquired the brand of its long-time rival, Intellivision, and the rights to over 200 classic games. This move marks a historic end to what is considered the very first console war in the gaming industry.

Atari and Intellivision were the Coke and Pepsi of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Both companies were locked in a fierce battle for market dominance, with the Atari 2600 going head-to-head against the Intellivision console released by Mattel Electronics in 1979. The fight even spilled over into advertising, with Intellivision recruiting actor George Plimpton to star in a series of commercials comparing the two systems.

Founded in 1972, Atari has become synonymous with classic arcade and home video games like Pong, Asteroids, Centipede, and Missile Command. Today, the company, now owned by France’s Atari SA, focuses heavily on retro gaming experiences.

This acquisition won’t mean the end of Intellivision Entertainment. The company will simply rebrand itself and continue developing and distributing its Amico console. However, they will need a license from Atari to release new versions of classic Intellivision games on the Amico platform. Interestingly, Intellivision claims to have had the first 16-bit console, a technology that wouldn’t become mainstream for several generations.

Atari sees this deal as a golden opportunity. “This was a very rare opportunity to unite former competitors and bring together fans of Atari, Intellivision and the golden age of gaming,” said Wade Rosen, chairman and CEO of Atari.

This sentiment is echoed by Mike Mika, studio head at Digital Eclipse, an Atari-owned game studio. “Uniting Atari and Intellivision after 45 years ends the longest-running console war in history,” he remarked.

Atari has ambitious plans for the future. They intend to expand the distribution of classic Intellivision games, both digitally and physically. Additionally, they’re considering creating entirely new Intellivision titles and exploring further brand and licensing opportunities.

“Atari has been a valuable partner and we have every confidence they will be a responsible steward of the storied Intellivision brand,” said Phil Adam, CEO of Intellivision Entertainment. “We look forward to our expanded collaboration and the prospect of bringing a broad array of new titles to the Amico family gaming platform.”

To celebrate this historic agreement, Atari has wasted no time in releasing new Intellivision-branded merchandise. Fans can snag new Intellivision T-shirts on the Atari website, with promises of more apparel and collectibles to come.