Nolan Bushnell, co-founder of Atari, returns to the gaming scene after 40 odd years to release his first set of mobile games, in collaboration with Spil Games.
Touted as the father of modern video games (a term he dislikes), 73-year-old Bushnell says he never stopped designing games. However, this will be his first step into the mobile gaming ring for which he has zeroed in on the Dutch publisher, Spil Games.
While not the best in the industry, Spil Games has managed to stay afloat by starting out with browser-based online games in 2001 and then leveled up in 2014 by capitalizing on the booming success of mobile gaming. Spil now focuses on casual games and boasts 100 million active monthly users.
Bushnell was also quite taken with the success this market enjoys largely because smartphone games are easily available. Thus, he finally chose this medium to monetize the games that he designs in his free time.
"It's where most people play games and it's where the technology and ideas are developing most quickly," Bushnell said.
In Spil, Bushnell sees the same vibes that got him excited about working with games in the first place. In other words, it has a corporate culture very similar to the Atari he knew before he left the place because of some serious disagreements with the board.
"They've got really good stuff, great analytics and a really good understanding of marketplaces," Bushnell said about Spil, he also referred to his new team as fun people to work with.
For Spil, Bushnell's interest in the company will give them the much-needed leg-up in terms of exposure and reach.
"The fact that Nolan chooses to work with Spil Games is a huge validation of our approach to mobile gaming," says Spil Games CEO Tung Nguyen-Khac. Moreover, the team is thrilled to be working with the so-called showman of the gaming industry, who also gives them the opportunity to pick his brains about design and creative skills.
The deal calls for three games at first that are set to release in 2017, with more to follow over the course of the year.
Just in case you were wondering why the names Atari and Bushnell ring a bell, it's the same company and the same man who employed Steve Jobs when he was only 21. Along with his partner Steve Wozniak, Jobs was given the task of developing the legendary game Breakout, which set his wheels of success in motion.
