Atari settles DBZ dispute

Publisher retains rights to anime series through peaceful dialogue, $3.5 million paid to FUNimation.

In the world of Dragon Ball Z, the fine art of dispute resolution is typically practiced by way of a Kamehameha fireball to the face. Thankfully for Atari and FUNimation, the franchise's publisher and rights-holder, respectively, this world is a more civil place.

Atari this week announced that it has settled its dispute with FUNimation and will retain the US rights to publish games based on the Dragon Ball Z franchise. Under the settlement, Atari will pay FUNimation $3.5 million, with $2.7 million paid in cash and the remaining $800,000 coming from a reduction to its recoupable royalty advancement payment to the animation firm. The original dispute centered on an audit of payments FUNimation was owed under sublicensing agreements.

Atari entered into the Dragon Ball Z agreement with FUNimation in January 2004, when it paid $10 million to the company for exclusive US game rights to the franchise through January 2010. Atari chief restructuring officer Curtis G. Solsvig III said in a statement the company planned to continue its relationship with FUNimation.

86 Comments

  • prostreet678

    Posted Sep 5, 2009 5:38 am PT

    can they bring the show back?

  • ShadowofSonic

    Posted Aug 15, 2009 1:22 pm PT

    I love DBZ games!

  • biglou2128

    Posted Oct 17, 2008 12:04 am PT

    If you want to do something about the quality of DBZ games, stop buying them. It hurts companies financially and forces the to improve quality of their product. DBZ games are good, but lets all be honest, they could be better. Harcore DBZ fans, please back me here. Let down you're gaurds and think. Do the DBZ games really give you exactly what you want, or what you're satisfied with?

  • juan99692k6

    Posted Jan 17, 2008 10:26 am PT

    I wish Atari made a DBZ game like budokai 3 but online and with more characters that will kick ass!!!

  • perurocks914

    Posted Jan 3, 2008 2:35 pm PT

    if anyone is reading this i have this game and i want to play new people online. I cant give away my wii friend code by posting thats how i almost got banned from gamespot. But if anyone whos reading this messages me by clicking on my screen name it will take u to my profile and below were it tells u my level it will say mesage me. Do it and give me ur friend code and i will giveu mine

  • MakUub

    Posted Dec 29, 2007 1:58 am PT

    ALL right atari get 2 kepp it atari get 2 keep yeh all right next it's burst limit o yeh babi wuhu uha uha uha god bless atari

  • Oozaru_Kakkarot

    Posted Dec 23, 2007 8:28 am PT

    WTF! Atari has been cheapin out on dbz game production since DBZ BUDOKAI 3 they better step up cuz the tenkaichi series has been one dissapointment after another...next years next gen titles better be good atari!!!

  • fernan17893

    Posted Dec 19, 2007 1:03 pm PT

    yay!!

  • luke141eels

    Posted Dec 14, 2007 8:27 pm PT

    yeah thats good Atari seems the better company over all any way

  • MasterChief725

    Posted Dec 14, 2007 8:02 pm PT

    excellent, at least this is some good news for atari!

  • dr_jashugan

    Posted Dec 14, 2007 10:11 am PT

    Hope Atari can deliver an improved DBZ Budokai game, after this.

  • kaibachaos

    Posted Dec 14, 2007 2:02 am PT

    Kamehameha is not a fireball, it's a Ki Wave which is energy. Fire is not involved in the equasion.

  • Master_Saibot

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 11:27 pm PT

    I don't think alot of you realize that Atari don't make the DBZ games, they only publish them outside of Japan. The people who are in charge of the direction they go in is Namco Bandai.

  • lilkao

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 6:55 pm PT

    DBZ is the best franchise ever.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • DBZBT3master

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 6:19 pm PT

    hey clawboy have i got a surprise for u, A NEW DBZ GAME HAS JUST BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THE 360 AND PS3!!!!!! ITS CALLED DBZ: BURST LIMIT!!!!!!!! BUT JAPANESE DEVELOPERS ARE MAKING IT RIGHT NOW, AND IT SHOULD BE RELEASED IN 2008

  • clawboy

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 5:36 pm PT

    Please bring DBZ to the PS3.

  • gnbfd

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 3:04 pm PT

    tomski_13 They need to bring DBZ to next gen HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THE WII????
    -----------
    Anyway, now Atari won't lose their best selling series, and are still not bankrupt (yet)

  • tomski_13

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 2:45 pm PT

    They need to bring DBZ to next gen (Hopefully 360.)

  • reno_juggalo

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 12:17 pm PT

    NOW THEY NEED TO FIX THE LAG ON DBZ BT3!

  • HALCONAZUL

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 12:17 pm PT

    3.5 million? arent they near bankrupt?

    also if someone need to die is Funanimaton and 4 KIDS

  • majindustin

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 11:18 am PT

    I would love DBZ on my 360...

  • GSVale

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 11:14 am PT

    I was really hoping they'd lose this license. Atari is a terrible, terrible company.

  • townsenda1

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 11:10 am PT

    Well I have to say that this is the best DBZ game I have ever played. I will admit that not all of them have been winners but this one was definitely on the right track. Keep the good games coming.

  • bigcj6

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 11:03 am PT

    Atari is raping dbz, there bringing the games out to fast. I would to see square enix make a dbz rpg

  • Trogeton

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 10:53 am PT

    WOW... That's pretty sweet With all those great games.. at least they are taking care of their DBZ fans

  • OldWiseBob

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 8:49 am PT

    Someone other than Atari needs to make a DBZ game.

    It has to be one of the worst games I've ever seen and yet it holds so much potential. If a "good" company could just take this over then maybe we could see an awesome game [DBZ].

  • res0i39c

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 4:35 am PT

    Thats cool they get to keep it.

  • Golden_Flames

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 4:03 am PT

    AceCometh, you suck. If you hate DBZ then why the hell are you here? Just what are you trying to accomplish by mocking the series? Trying to make enemies? You're bored? You're only making yourself look like an idiot with no life. Anyway I was kinda hoping that someone else could get a chance with the DBZ license, but I guess we can all se what else Atari can offer.

  • xgalacticax

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 2:55 am PT

    DBZ is the best anime series ever and the games are cool. BT2 was my favourite because it was very realistic. The moves in BT3 are very nice but its unrealistic to me how SSJ4 Gogeta and normal Goku have the same amount of health and damage and every character has the same amount of KI in BT3. nevertheless, I just completed all the 100 ultimate and 3 survival battles in BT3 (all with Z grades on very hard - thanks to broly and SSJ4 Goku ) and it was very satisfying. the game really kept my ps2 breathing in the face of current gen consoles. rock on atari.

  • dbeddow

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 2:18 am PT

    AceCometh:

    This is probably the only one I truly enjoy. Its too bad that you are correct about the games though.Kinda wish Atari would give up this fight to keep it and let someone else take a crack at it.

  • AceCometh

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 11:22 pm PT

    I don't like the DBZ cartoon, and I don't like any of the DBZ games that have been released. Ever. This is one series that I wish would fizzle out and die.

  • majindan

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 8:31 pm PT

    When will they put a DBZ game on a next gen system? I would love to play some DBZ on Live...and sorry, I long ago sold my outdated PS2 and instead of playing on Wii I would like to play DBZ in at least 720p.

  • DevilD2005

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 8:12 pm PT

    Unfrotunately with one game company making ALL the games of one thing as huge as DBZ, there will be no competition or incentives to make a higher quality product.

  • GawNawRaw

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 6:22 pm PT

    Good for Atari, DBZ is my favorite and number one Anime of all time and I also love the games.

  • Kezuya

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 6:21 pm PT

    LOL at Capcom. They did a gud job viv street fighter but im sure Capcom was involved with 'Super Dragonballz' LOL that game was alryt but its nooby compared to the Budokai and Tenkaichi series

  • LordSpleach

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 6:18 pm PT

    Without DBZ, Atari would probably finally die.

  • Tranceplant

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 5:56 pm PT

    Someone else than Atari should be making DBZ games. Give this to... hmm... Capcom maybe? That would be the best thing ever.

  • yearof3000

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 5:41 pm PT

    Sure it's alot of money. But by making games from popular anime shows and how good the game is, they are making all that MONEY !

  • KingChainz31684

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 5:27 pm PT

    BT 3 is improved over the past 2 and is a good game even if you have played the previous 2. The online play is cool a bit laggy but not badd enough to ruin the experience works seemslessly when i play my friends in ohio also. I kinda was hoping to see DBZ make it to a company like take two, activision, or even bioware that woulda been interesting right their. OH and Jshaw71 i would say their are tons of fans around here of the DB animation i like it i don't think its the best but the uncut japanese version of the show is awesome compared to the american edited stuff. It prolly ranks in my top 10 anime series. which is pretty good with how many series are out their. I mean i like uncut only for the most part, but trigun, yu yu hakusho, saiyuki, bleach, descendents, Loki, outlaw star, Samurai Deeper Kyo, Samurai 7, FMP, even Neon genesis evangelion though that one gets weird when you get deeper into the series but DBZ is some where in their those are good series to check out if you get the chance.

  • Jshaw71

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 4:22 pm PT

    i dunno about atari's move, i have never been a dragon ball z fan, and haven;t known many that are, i hope it will bring atari money, but instead of spending this money on a tv based game series, maybe they should try a new IP? just my idea, i wish atari all the luck, based on their name a long i wish them no ill, but sometimes atari and the people that have helmed the company have not always made the best decions

  • Ra-Devil

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 4:08 pm PT

    Dammit.... I mean.... dammit...

  • SlikNik27

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 4:01 pm PT

    I don't how down-and-out Atari can even manage a $2.7 million payment.

  • Putzwapputzen

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 3:59 pm PT

    wow, thats a lot of money, i hope that they are doing the right thing.

  • printice21

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 3:59 pm PT

    they need a next gen version! 360 dbz rpg! revitalize the series.... better yet online rpg! that would be awesome leveling up with no cap! test your skills against your friends! when they come out with something like that ill be interested

  • 3574969

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 3:56 pm PT

    cool

  • FourtyCal

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 3:54 pm PT

    curua02 I agree...i've bought so many of the dbz games over the years i guess i'm stuck for better or for worse, till death do us part. But personally i'm glad that they kept the license the games were slowly getting better and I can't wait to see one on the ps3, hopefully that online one that was mentioned awhile back. Also can't wait to see what happens with the live action movie next year

  • Xeiphyer

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 3:41 pm PT

    This is good I guess. The Game series is going in the right direction but Its not where I want it to be yet, but better to have them continue to improve on their games then to have some new company come in and try to reinvent the series and get ripped to bits by the mobs of crazy DBZ fans who are angry the game isnt like the other ones

    Make us an ultimate DBZ game Atari!

    One with fully distructible citys and huge environments and a multitude of attacks.. and wouldnt it be badass to be able to make your own DBZ character to duke it out with the the DBZ universe?! I think that would be the coolest thing ever.

  • another_drew

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 3:39 pm PT

    I'm a DBZ fan, but I have to agree, this series is getting so milked. I mean come on, 150 playable characters. Do we really need that many? I hate the BT series, over the shoulder fighting, why can't we just stick with side-scrolling or 3-D roaming. I would love to see what someone else can do with this license. These game are becoming more ridiculous than releasing a sports game every year. The only thing that changes is the roster, if even that.

  • felshs

    Posted Dec 12, 2007 3:00 pm PT

    DBZ is the only thing that keep Atari alive

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