Video game publisher Atari announced this week that it has completed the sale of the intellectual property and technology rights to its Driver game franchise. The deal sees Atari transfer most of the assets and all of the personnel of Reflections Interactive Limited gaming studio to rival gaming firm Ubisoft.

The sale of the Driver intellectual property and Reflections is worth $24m. It is in line with Atari’s previously stated plans to refocus its portfolio of franchises as well as reduce costs, the firm said.

Under the terms of the deal Atari will maintain sell-off rights for a three-month period for all Driver products except Driver: Parallel Lines, which the company retains until the end of calendar 2006.

Driver: Parallel Lines, the latest installment of the series, was released earlier this year. Again, players take the role of a 1970’s cop attempting to infiltrate a ring of car thieves.