Atari Appoints Hipster Whale Co-Founder and Crossy Road Creator Matt Hall as Executive Vice President of Mobile

Iconic gaming pioneer Atari has announced a major leadership appointment, naming Hipster Whale co-founder and the creative mind behind the global phenomenon Crossy Road, Matt Hall, as its new Executive Vice President of Mobile.

In his newly established role, Hall will spearhead Atari’s comprehensive cross-platform strategy, taking charge of initiatives across personal computers, home consoles, web browsers, and mobile devices. His primary operational focus will be to streamline Atari’s game development pipeline, making titles significantly easier to port and adapt across diverse engines and hardware platforms. Furthermore, Hall will work to solidify and expand Atari’s strategic relationships with third-party mobile platforms as the company looks to scale its digital footprint.

A core component of Hall’s mandate will involve building out the robust systemic infrastructure required to support frequent, regular releases across mobile and web environments, operating in tandem with Atari’s traditional PC and console development cycles. Operating from the upper echelons of the company’s leadership structure, Hall will report directly to Atari Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Wade Rosen, guiding the publisher’s long-term multi-platform ambitions.

Cross-Platform Growth and Strategic Vision

Hall brings a wealth of specialized industry experience in mobile game development and overarching business strategy to his new position at Atari. As a co-founder of Hipster Whale and the principal creator of Crossy Road—an endless arcade hopper that achieved staggering worldwide popularity and reshaped mobile game design standards—Hall possesses a proven track record of scaling intellectual property for mobile audiences.

Atari’s renewed focus on mobile is supported by a series of strategic corporate maneuvers. The company’s recent acquisitions of Hipster Whale and Early Morning Studios, combined with the enduring presence and steady performance of its RollerCoaster Tycoon mobile games, provide a solid foundation upon which Hall can build his new mobile strategy.

Reflecting on his appointment, Matt Hall expressed enthusiasm for the publisher’s strategic direction and the opportunity to leverage his past successes for Atari’s classic catalog. Atari is a company eager to lean into mobile as a key part of its cross-platform strategy, and that is very exciting to me, Hall noted. He added that he is looking forward to applying the invaluable lessons learned during the development and scaling of Crossy Road across Atari’s entire portfolio, with the ultimate objective of bringing the company’s best PC and console games to a much larger global audience.

Atari Chairman and CEO Wade Rosen also shared his perspective on the leadership appointment, emphasizing the discipline and structural evolution required in today’s digital marketplace. As the mobile gaming business continues to mature, Rosen observed, we believe that success requires a disciplined strategy, technological optimisation, multi-platform design, and strong, creative intellectual property.

Rosen further highlighted Hall’s contributions since initially joining the organization earlier in the year, noting that Hall has already established himself as a valued leader within the corporate ranks. With his official appointment as Executive Vice President of Mobile, Hall is poised to play an essential, long-term role in driving Atari’s future success across all modern gaming ecosystems.