Reuters/Elijah Nouvelage
Atari is making good on its promise to stake part of its strategy on LGBTQ apps. The company has formed a partnership with LGBT Media, the company behind the social app LGBTQutie, to reach more of the community. The deal will see LGBT Media acquire and "re-launch" Atari's city-building game Pridefest by taking advantage of its connections to the LGBTQ community, including an expansion of the title's social side. Ultimately, the two hope to create a "new standard" for gaming in a demographic that they see as underserved.
There are clear incentives on both sides of the deal. For Atari, this is about cornering a relatively untapped market. Witeck Communications estimated in 2013 that the LGBTQ community would have $830 billion in buying power, and Atari hopes to profit while other software companies leave money on the table. For LGBT Media, it's a chance to boost its reach by associating with an "iconic" brand. There's no telling how well this will work, but it's evident that Atari at least wants to be sure its titles properly address the LGBTQ audience -- it's not just paying lip service.