ATI Announces Technology Development Agreement with Nintendo

gekko · 03-04-2003, 04:25 PM

ATI Announces Technology Development Agreement with Nintendo

Tuesday March 4, 2003

MARKHAM, Ontario ? ATI Technologies, Inc. (TSX: ATY, NASDAQ: ATYT), a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative 3D graphics and digital media silicon solutions, announced today that it has entered into a technology development agreement with Nintendo Co., Ltd. Under the agreement, ATI and Nintendo are developing technologies for use in Nintendo products. No other details regarding the nature of this agreement are being made available at this time.

"ATI has had an excellent relationship with Nintendo for many years," said David Orton, President and Chief Operating Officer, ATI Technologies Inc. "We are pleased to enter into this major technology development agreement with Nintendo."
Copyright 2003 ATI Technologies Inc. All rights reserved. ATI and ATI product and product feature names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ATI Technologies Inc. All other company and product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Features, pricing, availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.

About ATI Technologies, Inc.
ATI Technologies Inc. is a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative 3D graphics and digital media silicon solutions. An industry pioneer since 1985, ATI is the world?s foremost visual processor unit (VPU) provider and is dedicated to deliver leading-edge performance solutions for the full range of PC and Mac desktop and notebook platforms, workstation, set-top and digital television, game console and handheld markets. With 2001 revenues in excess of US $1 billion, ATI has more than 1,900 employees in the Americas, Europe and Asia. ATI common shares trade on NASDAQ (ATYT) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ATY).

Forward-looking Statements and Uncertainties
Certain statements in this press release constitute ?forward-looking statements.? When used in this press release, words such as ?plans,? ?intends,? ?anticipates,? ?should,? ?estimates,? ?expects,? ?believes,? ?indicates,? ?targeting,? ?suggests,? and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and entail various risks and uncertainties that are outlined in this press release and in the Company?s 2002 Annual Report and 2001 Annual Information Form. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the Company?s operating results and common share price may be subject to significant volatility, particularly on a quarterly basis. For example, the markets for the Company?s products are characterized by changing market conditions, frequent new product introductions, seasonal and variable demand and rapid technology changes. Other factors that could cause the Company?s results to vary include, but are not limited to, lack of anticipated growth in the demand for PCs, gaming consoles and consumer electronic devices in which the Company?s products are incorporated, reductions in the Company?s average selling prices for its products due to competitive pressures and other factors, the introduction of new products by the Company?s competitors which render the Company?s products non-competitive, delays encountered by the Company in developing new products or enhancements, including integrated graphics and core logic components, in the time frame required by its customers, delays in manufacturing or unfavourable manufacturing yields experienced by the Company?s independent foundries, unexpected variances in material costs, including silicon wafer, memory and printed circuit boards, and constraints on the supply of components utilized in the Company?s products and in the PC industry generally. These risks and uncertainties could cause or contribute to actual results that are materially different from those anticipated or experienced in the past. Additional information concerning factors that could cause the Company?s financial results to fluctuate is contained in the Company?s filings with Canadian and U.S. securities regulatory authorities. ATI disclaims any obligation or intention to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Dyne · 03-04-2003, 04:52 PM

What? I thought Microsoft was wooing with them too? Hmm.. well, great to hear a confirmation.

Quote:

ATI and Nintendo are developing technologies for use in Nintendo products

I know it's too early, but that statement gets me giddy.

Professor S · 03-04-2003, 05:06 PM

Hmmmm, interesting. This leads me to believe that MS will continue to use NVidia, but then again there is nothing there about this being an exclusive agreement...

ATI may be ready to run NVidia out of business if they score both MS and Nintendo and keep on out performing their PC products.

gekko · 03-04-2003, 05:26 PM

nVidia just has bad timing right now. Currently ATI has the best card out, and even though nVidia has one coming, ATI has their next card coming not long after that. It's like the roles reversed.

Shadow_Link · 03-04-2003, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Strangler
Hmmmm, interesting. This leads me to believe that MS will continue to use NVidia, but then again there is nothing there about this being an exclusive agreement...

ATI may be ready to run NVidia out of business if they score both MS and Nintendo and keep on out performing their PC products.

I thought MS settled things with NVidia? I guess that's just for this generation... atleast.

Seth · 03-04-2003, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gekko
nVidia just has bad timing right now. Currently ATI has the best card out, and even though nVidia has one coming, ATI has their next card coming not long after that. It's like the roles reversed.

the fx and 9700 pro are pretty much neck and neck. ATI already has their next card ready....they just need to wait a couple more months. It'll put nvidia even farther behind.
It's a nice change. For the time being it looks like Nintendo is scoring good with their ATI relationship. When microsoft signed nvidia to make their gpu the nvidia cards were quite a bit ahead of ati's offering..now it's the other way around. 3-4 years now for the next console...things could turn around again.

GameKinG · 03-05-2003, 12:59 AM

I wonder if they will stick with the same CPU developers. Isnt PS2 using IBM as a co-dev.

Jonbo298 · 03-05-2003, 06:06 AM

hmm...I'm guessing Ati might help design the next GB. It would be great to see how 3D might look on a handheld. I'm not talking about simple 3D like the FPS's on the GBA . But a more refined 3D. But I saw this coming, just a matter of an official announcement.

Blix · 03-05-2003, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GameKinG
I wonder if they will stick with the same CPU developers. Isnt PS2 using IBM as a co-dev.

Yup! They'll be using the same technology (copper wires) that the GCN's Gekko actually has.