Lyon, France - France-based video game publisher Infogrames, the parent company of Atari, announced on Tuesday that it will acquire Los Gatos, Calif.-based Cryptic Studios, a developer of massively multiplayer online games, for $27.6 million in cash and shares.

Austin - NCsoft on Tuesday announced the formation of a new game development studio in Mountain View, California, as well as its acquisition of full ownership of its "City of Heroes" online game, which was initially split with developer Cryptic Studios. Financial details of the purchase were not disclosed. The new studio, to be headed by Brian Clayton, will be built around key members of the "City of Heroes" team from NCsoft and Cryptic Studios.

Los Angeles - Game publisher NCsoft and developer Cryptic Studios have sold the motion picture and television rights for their "City of Heroes" massively multiplayer online superhero game to producer Tom DeSanto, who recently also produced "Transformers," Variety reports.