Atari has appointed former CTO Andreas Deptolla as president of Atari Europe.
In this new role, Deptolla will oversee Atari’s European operations, which consists of approximately 100 employees, including studios in the UK and Sweden. He will also continue to manage Atari’s European headquarters in Munster.
Deptolla will report to Atari CEO and chairman Wade Rosen. Richard Snowdon, CEO of Coatsink, has been named vice president of Atari Europe and will report to Deptolla.
“Since joining Atari in 2023, Andreas has established himself as a valued and influential leader, contributing to the company’s revitalisation,” said Rosen.
“In this expanded role, Andreas will direct our growing European business footprint and play a key role in establishing Atari as an iconic gaming and pop culture brand.”
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Deptolla outlined his vision for Atari Europe and its approach to supporting acquired studios and game companies.
Last year, Atari entered a $5.2 million subscription agreement with Thunderful, acquiring an 82% stake.
“We are not acquiring companies for them to lose their operations and have no guidance,” says Deptolla.
“What’s really important for us is how we define one unique culture. Everybody looks at our core values and how we implement our systems, which means studios can focus on what they do really well. We can come in on certain things like whether it’s finance, HR, legal, or publishing, where we have a muscle in the law of expertise.”
“When you acquire companies, you have to assess what the current situation is. The first order of business for us is to ensure that everything a studio is working on is right and world-class IP. We’ve made really good progress on that. Whether that’s early coaching or finding the right titles, our own IP, licensed IP, or IP to acquire in order to set them up for success, because that’s what the employers care about.”
Regarding his goals as president, Deptolla aims to uphold the “one Atari” concept across the company.
“There is significant opportunity in Europe,” he says. “There is a wealth of talent here, so our focus is on how we can leverage and support it. Each region, including the UK, Germany, and Sweden, offers unique advantages such as grants and tax credits.
“We are also exploring how we can expand distribution, licensing, and partnerships in Europe, all through organic growth.”
