Atari will pay up to $39.3 million to add Hipster Whale to its roster of mobile game studios.
Atari takes over another game studio. He agreed to buy Hipster Whale, the developer of the Crossy Road series and Pac-Man 256. Atari will pay an initial $29.3 million in cash and stock. It will pay out up to $10 million more depending on Hipster Whale’s performance over the next few years. Studio co-founder Matt Hall will take a senior role at Atari and help oversee mobile game development.
Atari said in a press release (PDF) that it grew its mobile games business in part through its work on projects for Netflix, Amazon and the AirConsole gaming platform for automotive infotainment systems. “These projects target a new generation of services that allow consumers to play on a growing range of screens: phone, tablet, portable console, PC, television and in-vehicle screens.”
Atari has indicated that the Crossy Road series will expand its existing roster of mobile games, which includes RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic And Touch RollerCoaster Tycoon. Following the acquisition of Thunderful Group, the company also owns Early Morning Studio, behind the Vampire’s Fall series.
In May, Atari acquired the rights to the first five games in the Wizardry series. He pledged to bring games back into the spotlight through “remasters, collections, and new releases.” For what it’s worth, a 45th anniversary page on the Wizardry website features a countdown that ends early on Wednesday, June 3.
