HomeMain MenuPress ReleasesAtari and IDW Publishing Unite for Yars Rising 32-Page Comic

Atari and IDW Publishing Unite for Yars Rising 32-Page Comic

The Latest in the Yars Franchise Gets an Official Comic, Just Like the Classic 1982 Yars’ Revenge

New York, NY (October 4, 2024) — Today, Atari and renowned comic publisher IDW Publishing have announced a partnership to release an official single-issue companion comic book set in the world of Yars Rising, Atari’s and developer WayForward’s newest entry in the decades-spanning Yars universe. The 32-page comic acts as a prequel to the events of the game, and will be available online and in traditional comic book retail stores on November 13 for $4.99.

Yars Rising is the latest offering in a 40-year-old video game franchise that began in 1982 with the release of Yars’ Revenge for the Atari 2600 home console. In an industry first, Atari paired the game cartridge at retail with a comic book. The comic gave players a view into the expansive backstory behind the 8-bit game and set the stage for their on-screen campaign. 

Written by WayForward Game Director Adam Tierney, Yars Rising #1 acts as a prequel to an entirely new Yars story that unfolds within the video game. The comic follows the lead character, professional hacker Emi Kimura, as she and her friends try to navigate the ramifications of a job gone horribly wrong. As the story progresses, readers are given a taste and perhaps some subtle hints about what awaits them in the game. 

Yars Rising #1 comic features the creative talents of artists Ele Bruni (Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Tea Time, Space Opera), Ashleigh Hetrick (Art Director, WayForward), and Aurora Maeno.

Yars Rising is now available worldwide on PC via Steam and Epic Games, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4|5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and Atari VCS. For more information, visit the official website.

Fans can order their physical editions on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch from Amazon globally, Best Buy, GameStop, and Walmart in the United States, and a broad selection of retailers in Europe, The Middle East, and Asia. Find your preferred retailer: https://link.atari.com/buy-yars/

About WayForward

Founded in 1990 by Voldi Way, WayForward has become one of the biggest independent developers in the video game industry and home to some of the finest talent in the business.  The company got its start during the PC, Super NES, and Genesis era of gaming, rode the educational CD-ROM wave through the ’90s, and eventually found its way back onto handhelds and consoles. WayForward built its reputation on solid gaming fundamentals, feature-quality character animation, and the ability to faithfully turn any brand into interactive entertainment – including original properties of our own design, adaptations of comic book and Hollywood favorites, and exciting new entries in classic gaming franchises.

About Atari

Atari is an interactive entertainment company and an iconic gaming industry brand that transcends generations and audiences. The company is globally recognized for its multi-platform, interactive entertainment, and licensed products. Atari owns and/or manages a portfolio of more than 200 unique games and franchises, including world-renowned brands like Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Pong®, and RollerCoaster Tycoon®. The Atari family of brands includes game developers Digital Eclipse and Nightdive Studios, the publishing label Infogrames, and the community-based sites AtariAge and MobyGames. Atari has offices in New York and Paris.

Atari shares are listed in France on Euronext Growth Paris (ISIN Code FR0010478248, Ticker ALATA) and OTC Pink Current (Ticker PONGF).©2024 Atari Interactive, Inc. Atari wordmark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.