Atari's Got a New Toybox: $5 Million Buys 'Lost in Random' and a Whole Lot More!
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Atari is buying up Thunderful Group for a cool $5 million, nabbing popular games like *Lost in Random* and *SteamWorld* in the process, which seems like a decent move to expand their European presence and maybe, just maybe, get more involved in Web3 gaming?
Right, so Atari's been rummaging around in the bargain bin again, and this time they've pulled out a whopper of a deal. They're dropping just over $5 million to become the big cheese – 82% to be exact – of Thunderful Group AB, a Swedish holding company that's basically a treasure chest of indie game goodness. (Big thanks to Matthew Schomer at Game Rant for spotting this one first!)
Now, Thunderful isn't exactly a household name, but they're the folks behind some seriously charming titles, most notably *Lost in Random* (that dice-rolling adventure that's been charming the pants off everyone) and the *SteamWorld* series. I reckon most of you will recognize *SteamWorld Dig*! That franchise has bounced across more genres than I've had cups of tea this morning. We're talking tower defense, platforming, even a proper RPG!
See, Thunderful started life as a merger of two studios: Zoink (the *Lost in Random* wizards) and Image & Form (the *SteamWorld* legends). Zoink had a couple of Wii titles way back when, but *Lost in Random* is what really put them on the map. Image & Form, on the other hand, have been tinkering away since 1997, starting with web games before hitting gold with *SteamWorld Tower Defense* in 2010.
So, what's Atari playing at? Well, according to Atari CEO Wade Rosen (the same chap who oversaw the Intellivision buyout last year), this is all about getting a bigger slice of the European gaming pie. And I'd reckon he's right. It's not just about acquiring studios; it's about grabbing 20-odd juicy IPs. Besides the already mentioned *Lost in Random* and *SteamWorld*, we're talking about stuff like *Islanders* (that minimalist city builder that's surprisingly addictive) and *Vampire's Fall* (a classic-style RPG series).
*Lost in Random: The Eternal Die* seems to be the IP making the biggest splash, garnering positive steam reviews and an inclusion in Xbox Game Pass. But don't count out *SteamWorld*. It's shown great cross-genre versatility and has the potential for Web3 gaming integration. But what does this actually mean for gamers? Well, apparently, there's going to be some restructuring within Thunderful to boost cash flow and streamline operations. Sounds a bit corporate-speak, doesn't it? Hopefully, it translates to more resources for the developers and, ultimately, better games for us. I'm cautiously optimistic!
Atari's been on a bit of a shopping spree lately, haven't they? Remember that tinyBuild *Surgeon Simulator* acquisition? (Under Infogrames - their publishing label). Plus, they're still churning out retro consoles, which is good. Seems they're trying to blend a bit of the old with the new.
All in all, this feels like a solid move for Atari. They're not just buying games; they're buying talent and a portfolio of potentially lucrative franchises. Now, whether they'll actually *do* anything interesting with them remains to be seen. But hey, a curious wizard can hope, right? Let's see if they're also planning to explore Web3 integration.
Tags: Atari, Thunderful, Acquisition, Lost in Random, SteamWorld
Original article: Game Rant