Atari acquires Surgeon Simulator franchise through Infogrames label

Atari-owned publishing label Infogrames has acquired the Surgeon Simulator franchise from Tinybuild.

Surgeon Simulator is over a decade old, having debuted with the release of the original title in 2013. Since then, the franchise has expanded with a VR spin-off called Surgeon Simulator VR: Meet the Medic. It also ventured onto Switch in the form of Surgeon Simulator CPR, before a full-blown sequel, Surgeon Simulator 2: Access All Areas, was released in 2020.

Infogrames hopes to expand distribution, potentially develop new titles or content, and explore brand and merchandising collaborations as part of a long-term plan to "preserve and expand" the series. The company didn't disclose how much it paid for the franchise.

Atari and Infogrames are back in the mix

This is the second acquisition Infogrames has made since being revived by Atari in April. The company previously purchased Totally Reliable Delivery Service (also from Tinybuild).

Atari said it resurrected Infogrames to acquire IP and publish games that fall outside the core portfolio associated with its brand.

"Infogrames intends to actively manage its catalog of titles by expanding digital and physical distribution, and developing new collections and sequels. Consistent with Atari’s approach, Infogrames sees game preservation as a core component of its mission," reads a press release.

Atari has expanded significantly in recent years with the acquisitions of studios including Nightdive Studios and Digital Eclipse. It also nabbed the rights to Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 from Frontier Developments.