Do You Want to Invest in Videogames?
We have all been there at one point or another when it comes to our entertainment. We feel we could do better or a beloved series dies and we think if only I would have been offered a chance to help fund something. Well, now you can.
Atari has launched a crowdfunding campaign for the Nintendo Switch version of Rollercoaster Tycoon. This is not your everyday crowdfunding campaign though. Nope, this one offers you the chance to actually invest in the development of the game. Like truly earn on your investment opportunity here.
But wait, there is more!
Before you think this is your big chance to enter game development, there are some concerns.
First, this is Atari. The same company licensing out the classics. The same company that made that stupid Atari Hat, the one with speakers in it. This is the company that is supposed to be launching a new console.
Why do they need fans to fund the port of anything?
Then there is this tidbit.
'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.'
Don't be scammed, folks. Research before handing over your money. Please.
If you have more money than you know what to do with, hit StartEngine and support this.
It's a shame Atari owns so many classic ip's yet they can't seem to make a decent game anymore. Especially in this case Atari is just exploiting the Roller coaster tycoon franchise for a few quick bucks.
Atari really isn't Atari anymore and hasn't been for a long time. Atari (mainly the name and other IP) was bought by a French company called Infogrames who then changed their name.
Yeah, such a shame. Infogrames also bought out GT Interactive. I am working with a company that picked up rights to a canceled N64 game by them.
I am intrigued by Ataribox but I wouldn't buy it until it was a product.
Unfortunately early reports are that they will be attempting some kind of crowdfunding/pre-sale for the Ataribox.
That's what it looks like. The page is already set up for you to enter you're e-mail address so they can notify you when that begins. I hope it's a success but it isn't something i would buy until it exists.
I will be more likely to buy something from Atari when I see it at a retailer like Walmart or Target. I am not against supporting crowdfunding projects in general. I am against millionaires and multi-national companies worth billions going the crowdfunding route just because they can.
I view crowdfunding as an option for the underdog to get a chance - not for people/companies with the financial power to do it, they just don't want to.
Maybe I am looking at it all wrong?
Well, I think it allows even big companies to take on more risky projects they would otherwise be unwilling to take on. And let's face it, Atari's success in the console world has been pretty abysmal since the Atari 5200. Not so much because of bad hardware but because of poor software support. I think this approach is probably better for them and has a greater chance of success than trying to market in a traditional way and going directly up against Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.
They don't program their own games anymore. Everything is farmed out to, probably, lowest bidder.
This is just plain exploitation.