The MMO developer posted more than $25 million in losses over the past two years.
In its full-year financial report, Atari has disclosed plans to sell Star Trek Online and Champions Online developer Cryptic Studios less than three years after purchasing the MMO specialist. Cryptic is now listed as one of Atari’s “discontinued operations,” and Atari says that the decision was made after Cryptic posted total losses of €5.3 million ($7.5 million) and €12.6 million ($17.8 million) during the past two fiscal years.
“In line with the previously stated strategy of fewer but more profitable releases and further expansion into casual online and mobile games, the company has determined that external development creates more flexibility in the changing marketplace,” reads Atari’s report. “Therefore, the company has made the decision to divest itself from Cryptic Studios. The divestiture process is underway and more details will be provided as appropriate.”
We don’t yet know how the divestiture will affect the status of Cryptic’s various MMOs. The studio is (was?) working on Neverwinter for Atari, and still updates both Champions and Star Trek Online. However, a Cryptic representative on the Star Trek Online forums indicated that “there are no planned changes to the way any of our games and projects will operate.”
Source: Gamespot
