Atari to step away from mobile market and into PC & console gaming at large

The latest dice-roll decision for Atari

Atari, never a company to settle on one plan for too long, has decided to shake up its business strategies once again. The legendary video game developer has now announced its intention to reduce its presence in the mobile gaming and free-to-play market, to instead concentrate on premium PC and console gaming.

As reported by GamesIndustry.biz, Atari’s new direction was outlined in a statement by the company’s newly appointed CEO, Wade J. Rosen: “Our intent with any gaming experience is to provide accessible and joyful moments of meaningful play,” said Rosen. “That’s the core of Atari and what binds our history with our future. To that end, we feel that premium gaming is better representative of this type of gaming experience and the Atari DNA.”

Seemingly drawing a line under this intent, Atari is expected to either sell or shut down a variety of mobile gaming IPs from its portfolio, including titles such as Roller Coaster Tycoon Stories, Crystal Castles, Atari Combat: Tank Fury, and (checks notes), Ninja Golf. Atari hopes to have the first wave of titles from its new endeavor on the market by spring 2022.

This new direction is one of multiple business strategies laid out by Atari in recent years. The Atari brand has been licensed to an African casino project (which it is exiting), a chain of hotels (yet to be built), blockchain development and, most notably of all, the Atari VCS console, which finally launched this year after an extended period of development. Hopefully, Atari’s new emphasis on console and PC gaming will help the studio finds a niche within gaming’s ninth generation. It just requires a commitment to producing quality, desirable titles while remaining focused on the task at hand.

GamesIndustry.biz also notes that Atari is looking into TV show production… The more things change…