Is it acquisition season again already? Classic console manufacturer Atari has today announced that it will acquire Night Dive Studios. It’s an interesting move that sees two big players in the retro game space come together, just as the latter is gearing up for the release of its long-awaited and much-delayed remake of System Shock next month.
Night Dive has made quite the name for itself over the past decade, when it was started as a venture to breathe new life into games that were no longer available, beginning with System Shock 2. The studio later developed a proprietary game engine through which it was able to update and add new features to classic games, including the first two games in the Turok franchise.
Night Dive CEO Stephen Kick and Director of Business Development Larry Kuperman released a statement saying, “Night Dive and Atari have a long history together and we know that Atari shares our passion for retro games and our focus on producing high-quality new and remastered games that do justice to the original IP. As we look to grow our business and expand our capabilities, we could think of no better long-term partner than Atari.”
As for Atari, it began life as a console manufacturer back in the 1970s, and after a fairly checkered history is trying to reclaim some of its past glory, releasing a new console, the Atari VCS in 2021. However, it seems like this acquisition is intended as an accelerator, with the company hoping to “utilize Night Dive’s publishing capabilities to support Atari’s retro-focused growth strategy,” according to the press release.
The news comes just a week on from Atari picking up a dozen classic franchises. Today’s deal is reportedly worth $10 million, with Night Dive able to earn up to an extra $10 million over the next three years depending on performance. The acquisition is expected to complete in April.
