Atari puts Cryptic up for sale

Cryptic Studios has been put up for sale by parent company Atari.

The developer behind titles such as Star Trek Online, City of Heroes/Villains and Champions Online was described as of March 31st as a "discontinued operation" by its parent company.

Gamasutra reports that Atari will continue to support all existing Cryptic titles until a buyer is found or another conclusion is reached.

"In line with the previously stated strategy of fewer but more profitable releases and further expansion into casual online and mobile games, the company has determined that external development creates more flexibility in the changing marketplace," Atari said in a statement.

The studio was founded in 2000 and was acquired by Atari in 2008.

However, Atari has undergone several strategic transformations in the last few years and while it has back peddled on the pledge more than once has still gradually moved away from triple-A console and PC releases.