Nightdive Studios, Inc.

The story of Nightdive Studios is a testament to the enduring power of passion and the importance of preserving digital history. It all began in 2012, not in a bustling tech hub, but on the open road. Stephen Kick, a former video game artist from Sony Online Entertainment, and his fiancée Alix, embarked on a soul-searching trip through Central America. During their travels, Stephen was struck by a desire to replay the classic 1999 game, System Shock 2, only to find it was unavailable for purchase on any modern platform. This frustration sparked an idea that would become his life's work. Rather than accepting that this beloved game was lost to time, Stephen took on the challenge of resurrecting it. He tenaciously tracked down the rights to the game, which were held by an insurance company, and successfully negotiated for them. This pivotal moment led to the founding of Nightdive Studios, a company with a noble mission: to bring lost and forgotten video games back from the depths of abandonware.

From these humble and adventurous beginnings, Nightdive Studios has grown into a respected name in the gaming industry, known for its expertise in remastering and re-releasing classic titles for contemporary audiences. The studio's approach is not just about making old games playable; it's about carefully enhancing them while preserving the original spirit that made them special. They developed their own proprietary KEX Engine, a powerful tool that allows them to breathe new life into vintage games, updating them with modern features and ensuring compatibility with today's hardware. The team at Nightdive is a global collective of talented individuals who share a deep love for classic gaming, many of whom were recruited from the very fan communities of the games they now work on. This distributed team model has been a core part of their identity from the start, allowing them to attract top talent from around the world. In 2023, Nightdive Studios was acquired by Atari, a move that promises to further amplify their mission of game preservation while allowing them to continue operating with the same passion and dedication that started it all.