Atari licenses video games’ IP for blockchain reproductions
Video game brand Atari has licensed IP relating to “RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch” and “Goon Squad” to game publisher Animoca Brands for the purpose of producing blockchain versions of the games.
The companies announced their partnership on Tuesday, December 18.
“ RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch”, released in 2017, is a video game played on mobile devices. Players are invited to “build and rule” their dream theme park in “beautiful 3D graphics”.
The game, which has been downloaded more than 19 million times, is part of the “RollerCoaster Tycoon” video game series. Hasbro Interactive published the first game in the series in 1999, and Atari has published the games since 2003.
In “ Goon Squad”, also released last year, players can “rise from Goon to Godfather and become the most feared mob boss” in the card-based, multi-player game.
Under the terms of the agreement, which extends to the end of March 2022, Animoca has obtained the IP rights to make and publish blockchain versions of the two Atari games globally (excluding China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau).
The new titles will feature the integration of non-fungible tokens, which are cryptographic tokens that represent something unique and so are not interchangeable. The tokens are used to represent in-game assets, helping to prove authenticity and ownership.
Other blockchain games, like Axiom Zen’s CryptoKitties, already make use of non-fungible tokens on the Ethereum blockchain.
Frédéric Chesnais, CEO of Atari, said: “We are proud and delighted to enter into this long-term and strategic relationship with Animoca Brands, which also allows us to become a shareholder in one of the most exciting innovators in the world of decentralised gaming.”
Animoca hopes to publish its blockchain versions of “RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch” and “Goon Squad” in the latter half of 2019.
In exchange for the rights, Animoca will pay Atari a minimum guarantee against future revenues of $250,000, payable in shares. The shares will be subject to a lock-up period of nine months.
After gross revenue generated by the blockchain games exceeds $500,000, Animoca will pay Atari a revenue share.
Yat Siu, co-founder and chairman of Animoca, said: “The ‘RollerCoaster Tycoon’ franchise is, like many of Atari’s properties, a true evergreen, having been around for two decades.
“Given the strategic and commercial elements of this incredibly fun simulation, it is a perfect candidate for blockchain adaptation.”
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