RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, one of the most widely beloved classic PC titles, has seen a change in ownership. Developer Frontier Developments has sold the rights to the game to Atari for a sum of $7 million, it’s been announced.
Atari, of course, has a long history with the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise, having served as the publisher for the vast majority of the series’ instalments, both mainline and otherwise. Where RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 itself is concerned, Atari and Frontier Developments have been involved in some disputes in the past – like the former being sued by the latter due to unpaid royalties – so this should put a neat bow on that rocky relationship.
“As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of RollerCoaster Tycoon with [series creator] Chris Sawyer, I am really pleased that we can unite this important and successful title in the series with the rest of the franchise,” said Wade Rosen, Chairman and CEO of Atari. ”This is going to create new opportunities for Atari as we continue the great work done by Frontier, and bring benefits to the fans of games across the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise.”
RollerCoaster Tycoon 3 originally released for PC two decades ago, in 2004. In 2020, the game was also ported to the Nintendo Switch.
Atari says it intends to “develop new titles, expand digital and physical distribution, and explore brand and merchandising collaborations as part of a long-term plan” to take the RollerCoaster Tycoon series to “new heights”.