Atari has announced that it has agreed to acquire Digital Eclipse as part of its "retro-focused growth" strategy that saw it purchase System Shock remake developer Nightdive Studios in May. Like Nightdive, Digital Eclipse is a developer that specializes in retro game remasters like the well-received compilation of dozens of Atari's greatest hits, Atari 50: The Anniversary Collection, and The Making of Karateka, an interactive documentary of the beloved 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 games industry, and are renowned for developing critically acclaimed projects based on historic franchises," Atari CEO Wade Rosen said in a press statement. "Digital Eclipse, along with Nightdive, are in perfect alignment with Atari's DNA and renewed purpose. I'm personally 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, and Atari says that this will allow it to expand its internal development capabilities and utilize Digital Eclipse's talent for restoring and remastering classic games. Atari expects to complete the acquisition within a few days.
Digital Eclipse has had a hand in developing new remasters for some of the biggest video game franchises around, 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 revelatory," said Digital Eclipse president and creative director Mike Mika. "The trust that Atari showed our team, and our clear mutual love and respect for the content, positioned us to produce something truly remarkable. I know Atari will continue to champion our approach and that we will be bringing fans exciting new projects for years to come."
As Digital Eclipse explained in a blog post, it'll be business as usual for the company in the immediate future. The company still has several non-Atari game remasters in development and will retain its freedom to pursue these projects. The Gold Master Series will remain focused on using the interactive documentary format to tell important stories about video games. Atari wants to see this format continue and has placed no restrictions on the company or the future of the Gold Master Series.
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