Atari Gaming moving away from free-to-play and mobile games
Publisher will also exit Atari Casino and write down TV production efforts as it refocuses on premium PC and console titles
Atari is shaking up its business strategy once again. Today the company announced that its board of directors has signed off on a new approach centered around making premium games for PCs and consoles, with reduced emphasis on mobile and free-to-play games.
"Our intent with any gaming experience is to provide accessible and joyful moments of meaningful play," said Atari's recently appointed CEO Wade J. Rosen.
"That's the core of Atari and what binds our history with our future. To that end, we feel that premium gaming is better representative of this type of gaming experience and the Atari DNA."
The company said "the competitive and marketing environment is weighing on the free-to-play business model," but it will continue to operate successful free-to-play titles with a continuing user base.
However, free-to-play games like Roller Coaster Tycoon Stories, Crystal Castles, Castles & Catapults, Ninja Golf, and Atari Combat: Tank Fury will either be shut down or sold off.
Additionally, Atari is exiting its Atari Casino business in Africa and writing down its efforts to get into TV show production.
Atari aims "to build a strong pipeline of premium games on all platforms," with the first launches from this new effort arriving in the current fiscal year, which ends March 31, 2022. The new titles are also said to bolster the lineup for the Atari VCS, the company's recently released PC-based system.
As a result of the new strategy, Atari is expecting to take a €5 million ($5.9 million) impairment loss.
Rosen took over as CEO in April, when the publisher restructured its businesses into Atari Gaming and Atari Blockchain.