Atari buys studio that makes very good Atari games and remasters

Atari has announced that it has agreed to acquire Digital Eclipse as part of its “retro-focused growth” strategy, which included purchasing System Shock remake developer Nightdive Studios in May. Digital Eclipse, like Nightdive, is a developer that specializes in remasters of retro games, such as the acclaimed compilation of dozens of Atari’s greatest hits, Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection and The Making of Karateka, an interactive documentary of the popular action game.

“Digital Eclipse is the best in the world at what they do. “They have a deep love and respect for the history of the gaming industry and are known for developing critically acclaimed projects based on historic franchises,” Atari CEO Wade Rosen said in a press release. “Digital Eclipse and Nightdive fit perfectly with Atari’s DNA and renewed purpose. Personally, I’m excited to see where we can push the boundaries of retro innovation together.”

The deal will see the California-based studio acquired for $20 million. Atari says this will allow it to expand its internal development capabilities and leverage Digital Eclipse’s talent for restoring and remastering classic games. Atari expects to complete the acquisition within a few days.

Digital Eclipse has been involved in the development of new remasters for some of the biggest video game franchises, including Street Fighter: 30th Anniversary, Mega Man Legacy Collection, SNK 40th Anniversary Collection, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection and Disney Classic Games Collection.

“Our experience collaborating on Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration was eye-opening,” said Mike Mika, president and creative director of Digital Eclipse. “The trust that Atari has placed in our team and our clear mutual love and respect for the content has enabled us to produce something truly remarkable. I know that Atari will continue to support our approach and that we will bring exciting new projects to fans for years to come.”

As Digital Eclipse explained in a blog post, the company will continue business as usual for the near future. The company still has several non-Atari game remasters in development and retains the freedom to pursue these projects. The Gold Master Series will continue to focus on using the interactive documentary format to tell important stories about video games. Atari wants this format to continue and has not placed any restrictions on the company or the future of the Gold Master Series.