Atari Acquires Cryptic Studios
Yesterday I mused about the future of NCSoft, specifically how they'd survive with City of Heroes/Villains carrying the majority of their weight, stateside. Now I don't know whether this news informs that question, it being far too early to tell, but City of Heroes/Villains developer Cryptic Studios has just been snapped up by Atari (and by extension, Infogrames).
Cryptic has earned more than $100,000,000 for NCSoft, and is currently producing three titles - which, regardless of publishing deals, seem now to be headed for Atari's coffers rather than NCSoft's.
Only two of those games have been announced - Champions Online and Star Trek Online, but if even one performs as strongly as City of Heroes then it will have been worth it. Why's that? Atari's shrewd deal has them paying $26.7 million upfront with a $27.5 million maximum earn-out. Performance-related bonuses could add another $20 million, but only if the money's rolling in.
Atari Acquires Cryptic Studios! [VE3D]
tiny dancer
Posted to Hot Stuff, Miscellany on 9 December 2008
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