Surgeon Simulator Acquired by Infogrames, nee Atari, nee Infogrames

Atari's distribution and publishing subsidiary Infogrames (formerly known as Atari, itself formerly known as Infogrames) has purchased the Surgeon Simulator IP from former owner tinyBuild.

In a press release, Infogrames head Geoffroy Châteauvieux says the IP represents "a popular and unique franchise" with a "timeless appeal", and that it's exciting to have Surgeon Simulator on the Infogrames label.

Infogrames says it plans to "expand distribution" of the IP, as well as potentially developing new games in the series. Additionally, the label will "explore brand and merchandising collaborations". Could this mean a Surgeon Simulator Dead by Daylight crossover? Probably not, but hey, who knows?

This is the second casual sim-style IP Infogrames has acquired since it was revived as a label back in April. The first is Totally Reliable Delivery Service, the acquisition of which was announced alongside the label's revival.

The divestment of Surgeon Simulator fits with former publisher tinyBuild's shift towards the purported "1000-hour game", i.e. live-service games or titles that can be played repeatedly rather than one-and-done affairs.

It's certainly true that players return to Surgeon Simulator time and time again, but it's not along the same lines as games like Counter-Strike or Level Zero: Extraction, the latter of which is one of tinyBuild's upcoming games.

This also isn't the first time Atari and tinyBuild have done business. Back in late December, Atari invested $2 million in the publisher, meaning Atari currently holds around 7.5% of tinyBuild's total share capital.

If you're not familiar with Surgeon Simulator, it's a series of casual, light-hearted simulation games in which the objective is, well, to perform surgery.

The setup is complicated somewhat by an intentionally tricky control scheme and a variety of wacky scenarios; this very much isn't a realistic surgery sim. If you want one of those, you might be better off with Autopsy Simulator.

We'll have to wait and see what Infogrames intends to do with the Surgeon Simulator IP, but it certainly sounds like we haven't heard the last of it. Stay tuned for more.