Since its debut back in 1999, RollerCoaster Tycoon has delighted fans as one of the most popular PC games of all time. Now, Atari wants to bring the classic to Nintendo Switch—and you can help.
Launched on StartEngine.com, Atari’s new campaign aims to crowdsource $2 million to create an “all-new” version of the game for the popular Nintendo console. While it may be hard to imagine raising millions of dollars to rerelease a classic, RollerCoaster Tycoon 2017 for iOS and Android was a huge success (downloaded more than 12 million times worldwide). That’s certainly a solid fan base to look to for support.
There are also some incentives and perks for those who are willing to contribute the effort. Any dollar amount over $250 invested in the campaign will earn a “pro rata” share of 50 percent of the game’s profits until investors recoup up to 120 percent of their original investment. After an investor hits the return cap, they will continue to earn a percentage of the profits for 18 months after the game launches globally. These percentages are dependent on the amount of money raised for the game, so check out the campaign for more details. Reading the fine print is also a good idea because crowdfunded video games are notorious for running into problems. You’ll want to know exactly what you’re getting into and the risks before you spend any money.
All investors will also have their names featured on an Atari Game Partner’s Investors’ website. Those who donate at least $750 will receive a 25 percent discount off of the game at launch and donations over $1,500 will get all of the aforementioned perks plus a free copy of the book The Art of Atari.