Last week, we reported on a new effort from Atari to bring the Rollercoaster Tycoon franchise to the Switch via an investment campaign like Kickstarter. The minimum goal was set at $10k, an extremely reasonable goal that was passed in a matter of hours. The usage of crowdfunding certainly raised a few eyebrows; Atari may have had its historic collapse in the 80's, but surely it couldn't be doing that badly still.
Fred Chasnais—CEO of Atari—recently sat down with Polygon to discuss the campaign, which is still ongoing, and had some interesting things to share. For one thing, StartEngine was used not because the company was hurting for cash, but to test the waters for future games from the company. Here’s what was said:
From a strategy perspective, as a publisher, we are doing this game. From a financial perspective and cost of capital perspective, it makes sense for Atari to try and test some new sources of funding to see if these sources could be available down the road for more games.
Seeing as how the campaign is still going, there’s a chance it could reach its upper limit of just over a million dollars. When asked how likely he thought this would be, Chesnais had this to say:
I don’t know. For me, it’s irrelevant. What relevant for me is not the percentage of funding. What is relevant for me is, can crowdfunding constitute a source of financing for my portfolio of more than 200 games?
It's a fascinating interview to be sure, and you can find the rest of it here.
What do you think? Will you be getting Rollercoaster Tycoon? What do you think of Atari using StartEngine for this project? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[source polygon.com]
Comments 50
I'm glad to hear it! I've never played any RollerCoaster Tycoon games, but I'm definitely intrigued.
I'm not too sure how I feel about already established companies using crowdfunding to get their games off the ground. It makes sense for groups like Yacht Club who didn't have anything beforehand to Kickstart Shovel Knight, but this just rubs me the wrong way somewhat.
Also, the fact that this seems to be based off of a pretty cheap looking mobile game seems a bit suss. I'll see how this project advances, but I don't think I'll be putting any backing towards it.
@Galenmereth I also checked the funding platform and they've had a total of 81 people put money towards with a minimum donation of $250 US, which does not seem like a "we want to gauge interest" platform. Would have been better off with a Twitter poll or something if that was what they wanted to do.
They better not have micro-transactions like their terrible iOS versions (well besides the ports RCT Classic and RCT3 that is).
....Is killing people still fun in the new games? lol
You guys do know the Atari of today has absolutely nothing to do with the guys who made the 2600 and the Lynx, right?
@Danpal65 Atari is nothing these days, there is no established company. That ended in the 90's. Are you aware the new Atari console is also or was meant to be crowd funded but they pulled their campaign just before it launcghed citing issues.
That "explanation" did nothing for me. In fact, if anything, it only served to reaffirm my uneasiness towards the way they've chosen to go about this project.
It’s not specifically gauging interest in the game though, this is a test to see if StartEngine (or similar) is a viable method of generating investment. This differs from other crowdfunding sites in that the perks aren’t the main offering, it’s receiving a return on investment, so they aren’t focusing on gamers, but investors, and while some are happy to put money in high risk startups, they will always want to put more cash in lower risk known entities such as this.
In the end, this is just another avenue for Atari to generate investment into their business. Previously this may have to have been done via shares or investment deals, this just makes it easier for them, similar to how fund raising used to be done via collecting tins, then direct debit and now JustGiving, the money comes in, just using today’s technology to change how it comes in.
@Danpal65 That is not an established company. Those are some guys that have the licenses and the name Atari, but those are NOT an established company. All the original people have left a handful of reaquisitions ago. Now Atari produces hats with their logo. More or less, nowadays those are just license holders and they have no idea what to do with IPs, that they have. That's why it's crowdfunding, no big company is willing to put money behind those guys. For now, let's hope for the best and steer clear, because there is a big likelihood that they won't even be able to produce one game.
This is more like investing than crowdfunding. Usually, you get a credit at the end of the game and some limited edition plastic. At least with this venture, investors stand to double their money! I know Atari are nothing to do with old Atari, but man, get those Atari IPs on the Switch! I don't give a monkeys how they do it.
Well, let's see...
Planet Coaster is a much, much better game.
I can't wait for part 2 when Atari fail to deliver and everyone scream, "scam!"
@KoopaTheGamer If you're interested in a RollerCoaster Tycoon game, don't buy this one. Buy the original, and its expansions. Or the second one. Ever since Atari bought the franchise, it has gone downhill really fast. From one of the best tycoon games, to cheap mobile-like cash-grabs.
Frontier, the developers of the second game have made Planet Coaster. Check that out if you're interested in a ''modern'' RCT. Otherwise get original by Chris Sawyer, it's very cheap on GOG or Steam, and I don't think your PC would have any trouble running it!
Not sure yet. Did enjoy the game as a kid but want to know more before I make up my mind
This really isn't the Atari most people are thinking of, if you look back through the history of "Atari" that company died a long time ago. This is the Atari involved in real money gambling that was originally another company that just bought the third iteration of "atari" to assume their name and bank off of their IPs.
Well, at least this proves without a shadow of a doubt, that we'll get a proper version, and not a terrible mobile port with IAPs crammed up the wazoo..
....
...... -sigh-
@Braneman RollerCoaster Tycoon wasn't an Atari IP though. It was already an IP of Infogrames (which is now called Atari SA) since 2, so it's still the "original" company that's working on it. They just need to hire better developers to make their games for them and stop rushing their games.
@DrkBndr RCT 2 and 3 were made by Frontier Developments, but published by Infogrames and later Atari. Frontier are the people behind Planet Coaster. Everything else they've made after 3 under the Atari banner was done by another studio. And that's the issue, and the fact that Atari doesn't really care about making (good) games anymore.
@Octane Yes, I knew that. That's why I think they should start hiring competent developers to make their games, instead of going with developers without a track record. It doesn't have to be Frontier, just a developer that has made good games before. But the current Atari seems to be too cheap to put any effort in their games unfortunately.
@Octane I think we should wait and see before judging. As far as we know, this one could be different from the recent releases.
Anyway, thank you for the tips!
@DrkBndr Atari is a ghost of its former self. The only reason they still carry the Atari brand is so that they can say ''remember when ''we'' made Pong? Here's our new game.'' Atari died a long time ago.
@KoopaTheGamer As far as we know it's the exact same mobile crap they've been farting out in the past decade. From what I've seen, it looks bad.
I could care less about this game. I just want Atari to put those Flashback collections on the Switch. I wanna have Atari classics on the Switch like asteroids, Centipede, millipede, Tempest, missile command, Battlezone,Chrystal Castles, Asteroids Deluxe, Blasteroids, Black Widow, Liberator, food fight, Indy 500, Gravitar, Super Breakout, Space Duel, Major Havoc, Red Baron, Warlords, Circus Atari, Desert Falcon!!! I want em all on Switch!! cmon Atari!!
I don't know if the game is going to be good or bad but I do know there's nothing wrong with what they've done here.
They asked for investment and if people choose to do so good for them.
@Octane It's still the same company from when RCT 2 was released. Also, RCT 2 wasn't made by Frontier, but by the company of Chris Sawyer, who also consulted on the RCT Classic games that released last year. They could always ask him to consult on this RCT too.
@KoopaTheGamer If they get it right, your in for a treat. Back when part one came out, I stayed up for three days straight playing it! Part 2 was incredible! It did exactly what a sequel is suppose to do! Part 3...😞 It was my first, and thankfully, only experience, with finally getting a game I’ve been anticipating for years, only to be let down because it was full of bugs. By the time they patched up the problems, my enthusiasm had dramatically decreased and it never returned for the series. But it’s been so long, maybe I’ll spend some time with the games. I still got my old pc copies! 😊
@Octane
To quote @Octane - "Ever since Atari bought the franchise, it has gone downhill really fast"
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't that what Roller Coasters are SUPPOSED to do??? 😂😂😂😂😂
Thank you, thank you... I will be here all week...
@Octane: Heck, I still have the disk for the original game. It still worked on Windows 7, but I haven't had a chance to test it on Windows 10 yet. I'll probably end up having to at least run it in compatibility mode.
@TDS_Computer
@Tyranexx I have the disc too, no disc drive unfortunately. But I also own a digital copy on GOG and Steam.
I had a ton of good memories of this game from when I was a kid. I don't think I would mind joining in again and creating some ridiculously unsafe roller coasters.
I will get it when it comes out.
@Octane
Well, here a "quick" history about Atari.
>Atari Inc. was founded in 1972
>Warner Communications bought Atari Inc. in 1976
>Videogame crash was in 1983, 1 year after Warner divided and sold Atari Inc. in: Atari Corporation (IPs and consoles)
and Atari Games (Arcade games)
>Atari corporation was sold to guy who founded Commodore (yes, same company of Commodre 64); Warner keep Atari Games
*Namco bought Atari games in 1985, but Warner (now Time Warner) bought back Atari games, appear Tengen games.
>JTS inc. bought Atari Corporation in 1996 after of the fail of Atari Jaguar and Atari Lynx.
*Atari Games was bought by WMS Industries (Williams and Midawy arcade) in 1996, Midway rename Atari games and Midway games west; In 2001 Midway ended with arcade games, Midway games west/Atari games bye bye.
>Hasbro bought Atari Corporation in 1998, merged with Hasbro Interactive (along with MicroProse, part of Hasbro Interactive, yes, Rollercaster Tyccon appear)
>Business problems, Hasbro sold the properties of Atari Corporation to Infogrames SA. in 2000
>In 2003 Infogrames rename those properties as Atari Interactive Inc.; Infogrames rename itself as Atari SA.
>2013, Atari SA and its sudsidiaries declares bankruptcy, they have sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as well.
"From a strategy perspective, as a publisher, we are doing this game. From a financial perspective and cost of capital perspective, it makes sense for Atari to try and test some new sources of funding to see if these sources could be available down the road for more games."
Translation: They don't want to spend money, so they just want us to foot the bill instead!
I hope it turns out well, I love the original, but I'm not exactly going to be holding my breath.
@KoopaTheGamer Well I wouldn’t start with this one... once upon a time it was s great series, now it’s just a terrible one that is based on a mobile game. If you want a great theme park sim, play Planet Coaster.
This game is based on the mobile version, but even the full fat RC game on PC is terrible. I feel bad for anyone who invests in or buys this game. There’s no wait and see about it, everyone that follows the series knows exactly what it’s going to be. The only reason they are asking for funding, is so they can pay off their debt and so on, just read the small print.
Well, I'm waiting for the chaos that will come when Atari releases the game. It's going to be an unfinished just like RCT World was. I'm honestly surprised that people invest in this, mostly because it has the name RCT. Boy, will they be dissapointed.
If it's like RCT world then not interested if by some miracle they make a decent RCT game then it might be worth a look
some fools are eaily parted from money. Have you seen small print money can be used for everything except making the game lol.
This will never see light of day or will be cut paste from the garbage mobil game.
Atari. They bought their nam from a different developer, and they bought this franchsie from a different developer.
They're a rather schizophrenic publishing house by now, so I'll reserve my enthusiasm for this version of the game until more is known.
The interview really is interesting though.
@AnimeGamerFan oh man would be fabulous- I already have both volumes on PS4 and Xbox but I’d like to have them on Switch. The thought of Atari and Nintendo classics on the same system is just awesome!
If this turns out like all the other recent Rollercoater Tycoon games a lot of people just wasted some money.
RTC 1,2&3 would be cool on the Switch but I'd rather have Planet Coaster on there.
So it turns out StartEngine doesn't allow investment from the UK or Canada.
This is simply wrong, imagine Nintendo doing Kickstarters. Whoever donate for this is simply nuts.
Maybe the next one can be Atari finishing the Swordquest tournament...
Amazing I can’t wait for this
@Danpal65 To be fair, he didn't say it was to gauge interest, though yes, that would logically be part of it. He specifically says it is all about finances and looking into ways to raise capital. I'm actually with you, I don't really like large companies like Atari using crowd sourcing - but it's easy enough to just not back the game. However, leveraging crowdsourcing makes a ton of sense even for large companies, possibly even more so. I don't know the internal figures used for Atari's cost of capital, but it's likely between 8-12%.
Leveraging crowd funding is extremely beneficial in two main scenarios, that I see. The first being, they don't have to take their own money away from other investments, allowing them to invest in projects with a return lower than their cost of capital, and still be profitable. The other scenario is that even if they've determined this projects rate of return would be higher than their cost of capital, crowdfunding still means they don't have to pull their own cash away from other investments, making rate of return even greater. The short version is, crowdfunding can greatly lower a company's cost of capital, making projects of all sizes more profitable.
EDIT: Not specifically directly to you, but too anyone posting negatively towards this (Which, again, I mainly agree with): Just don't support it. Especially since this isn't laid out like a normal kickstarter. It's more of an investment opportunity.
Atari can't be trusted and they didn't really deserve it.
Atari has become the worst thing ever
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