Atari has launched a crowdfunding campaign on the StartEngine platform seeking between $10,000 and $1.07 million to bring a new entry in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series to Switch. Aug 23, 2014 Texel Raptor today announced through Kickstarter; Parkitect, the next evolution in Theme Park management simulators. Inspired by great classics such as Theme Park and RollerCoaster Tycoon, Parkitect is both a business simulator and a fun management game as you get build your very own successful theme park.
Atari has launched a crowdfunder for a Nintendo Switch version of RollerCoaster Tycoon - and fans of the much-loved series have not reacted well.
Atari is using a website called Start Engine to call for people to invest in the project in the hope there will be a return on that investment.
The project calls for a minimum of $10,000 - a goal the project has already met - with a $1.07m goal. There are 89 days left.
Atari has enlisted the help of Nvizzio Creations - the developer it turned to to rescue 2016's awful RollerCoaster Tycoon World, which is mysteriously absent from Atari's crowdfunding pitch video.
Instead, Atari points to the better-received RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch, which came out in 2017 on mobile devices.
Here's the blurb:
'The unmitigated success of the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise made the opportunity clear for Atari Game Partners: deliver the first RollerCoaster Tycoon game for the Nintendo Switch. The RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise needs to be put in the hands of even more gamers and developed for the new and innovative Nintendo Switch! RollerCoaster Tycoon on Nintendo Switch will be an all-new game made specifically for Switch with exclusive features.
'It's a perfect match... One of gaming's most beloved brands is bringing one of gaming's best franchises to the most exciting platform in gaming today... And we are offering you the opportunity to invest.'
RollerCoaster Tycoon fans have rounded on Atari for a variety of reasons. First up, there's confusion about the need for Atari, a company that claims to be a publishing powerhouse, to crowdfund a Switch version of RollerCoaster Tycoon at all. Atari now is not the Atari of old, but it still owns a raft of classic video game franchises, and inks licensing deals with big media companies for their use. This is no indie developer calling on gamers to make their dreams a reality. In the pitch video, Atari boss Todd Shallbetter proudly proclaims Atari franchises have generated a whopping $2bn - and yet here he is, asking fans to fund the development of a new game.
Then there's concern about what kind of game RollerCoaster Tycoon will be on the Nintendo Switch. Atari has a bad reputation when it comes to its handling of the beloved franchise, with a number of poorly-received recently-released titles. There's little faith that this Nintendo version will do the series justice. (For its part, Atari has said RollerCoaster Tycoon on Switch will include multiple scenarios, a sandbox mode and a career mode.)
And finally, there's this worrying note in the project smallprint that falls under 'Irregular Use of Proceeds'.
We might incur Irregular Use of Proceeds that may include but are not limited to the following over $10,000: Vendor payments and salary made to one's self, a friend or relative; Any expense labeled 'Administration Expenses' that is not strictly for administrative purposes; Any expense labeled 'Travel and Entertainment'; Any expense that is for the purposes of inter-company debt or back payments.
This note has been rounded on by fans who have expressed astonishment that their investment could potentially be used for such non-development purposes. Here's a snippet of the response on Start Engine:.
The comments on the YouTube pitch video aren't kind, either:
Despite the outcry the project has sparked, Atari is soldiering on with the crowdfunder. It's worth noting that the minimum investment is $250, so this isn't like a Kickstarter. It's more like a Fig pitch, which typically offers a return on investment.
So what do you get for your money? Atari says investors will earn a share of 50 per cent of profits until they make 120 per cent of their original investment, after which they'll earn a share of 25 per cent of profits until 18 months after the launch of the game.
There's a disclaimer here: 'The percentages are subject to pro rata decreases in the event we raise less than the $2m we are seeking to raise in this offering and in the offering under Regulation D 506(c) in which we anticipate engaging.' That's worth keeping in mind.
With its $10,000 minimum target already reached, it'll be interesting to see whether RollerCoaster Tycoon on Switch will generate significantly more investment - or ever see the light of day.
Atari has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to bring the RollerCoaster Tycoon series to the Nintendo Switch.
The company is looking to raise between $10,000 and $1.07 million to bring a new game in the RollerCoaster Tycoon series to the hybrid console.
Rollercoaster Tycoon Pc
RollerCoaster Tycoon for Switch is being positioned as an entirely new game in the series tailor made for the handheld. The goal is to make full use of its docked and portable features, and will have exclusive features developed by Nvizzio Creations, the folks behind RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch.
Here’s the full details on the Switch version, via its StartEngine page:
The kind of addictive gameplay embodied by the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise is a perfect match for the Nintendo Switch, which is why we’ve selected this console as the landing spot for the newest entry into the franchise. But, to understand the true potential here, you also need to understand the accelerating popularity of Nintendo’s game-changing new console.
Nintendo is estimating that it will have sold over 14 million Nintendo Switch consoles by the end of its fiscal year in March 2018. The popularity of the Switch has caused Nintendo to revise its revenue forecasts for the current fiscal year to $1.06 billion, up almost double from what it projected at the outset. This has driven Nintendo’s stock up nearly 75% in 2017, and is also driving Nintendo’s current estimates for over 50 million Switch games having been sold by the end of the fiscal year ending March 2018.
RollerCoaster Tycoon and Nintendo Switch: The Perfect Fit
The unique properties of the Switch — which combines standard console functionality with mobile capability — make it a natural home for a franchise like RollerCoaster Tycoon. We can only imagine how much gamers will enjoy building their own theme parks on Nintendo’s wildly popular console.
Some of the upcoming key features include:
- Multiple Scenarios – Complete tricky objectives with specific time limits and other constraints.
- Sandbox Mode with Various Landscapes – Create the park of your dreams with unlimited time and unlimited resources.
- Tycoon Career Mode – Expand your park and grow your Amusement Empire.
In the months ahead, this Switch version of RollerCoaster Tycoon will begin development, and your investment can make it possible!