Atari Acquires Crossy Road Developer Hipster Whale in $29.3 Million Deal

Atari continues its expansion through mergers and acquisitions by purchasing Hipster Whale, the Australian studio known for creating the popular mobile arcade game Crossy Road. Under the agreement, Atari will immediately pay $29.3 million for the developers. This initial payment consists of $26 million in cash and $3.3 million in shares. Furthermore, the company has promised to transfer an additional $10 million over the next three years, which remains contingent on Hipster Whale meeting performance targets.

Following the finalization of the deal, Hipster Whale co-founder Matt Hall will step into the role of head of Atari's mobile division. Atari CEO Wade Rosen commented on the acquisition by stating that both companies share a DNA for classic retro-style gaming. Rosen noted that combining Hipster Whale's mobile expertise with Atari's focus on premium gaming will help expand their overall mobile business.

Founded in 2014, Hipster Whale launched Crossy Road in the same year. The blockbuster mobile game has since amassed more than 340 million downloads. The studio's portfolio also includes PAC-MAN 256, Disney Crossy Road, and Piffle. This purchase marks at least the third acquisition made by Atari in 2026, following previous deals for studio Implicit Conversions and the rights to the original Wizardry series games.