Is it time to buy something again? Atari has announced that it will buy Night Dive Studios. It's an interesting move that sees two big players in the retro game space join forces as the latter prepares to release its long-awaited and much-delayed System Shock remake next month.
Night Dive has made a name for itself in the last decade when it began as a venture to revive games that were no longer available, beginning with System Shock 2. The studio later developed a proprietary game engine that it could use to modify and enhance old games, including the first two games in the Turok franchise.
Night Dive CEO Stephen Kick and Director of Business Development Larry Kuperman issued a statement saying, "We know that Atari shares our passion for retro games and our obsession with reimagining high-quality new and remastered games that match the original."
According to the press release, Atari began its career as a console manufacturer back in the 1970s, and is now trying to reclaim some of its former glory, releasing a new console, the Atari VCS, in 2021.
Atari has purchased a dozen classic franchises, and today's agreement is estimated to be worth $10 million, with Night Dive earning up to an additional $10 million over the next three years, depending on performance. The acquisition is expected to close in April.
