What Implicit Conversions does

Implicit Conversions is a private retro game preservation and porting studio headquartered in Middletown, Delaware. Founded in 2019, the studio specializes in bringing classic, primarily PlayStation-era titles to modern consoles and PC storefronts. The company's central asset is the Syrup Engine, a proprietary cross-platform emulation engine that uses a plugin-based architecture — Pancake for PS1, Waffle for PS2, and Benedict for PS3 — to port games to modern hardware without requiring access to the original source code. Syrup Engine adds contemporary features including timeline rewind, save states, widescreen support, uprendering up to 4X–6X native resolution, low-latency netplay, achievement/trophy hooks, localization, and a post-processing scripting API.

Implicit Conversions operates a studio-for-hire business model, partnering with IP holders and publishers — historically Atari, Limited Run Games, XSEED Games, Digital Eclipse, Bliss Brain, Morphcat Games, and rights-holders such as Disney/Pixar, Square Enix, and Eidos — to perform the technical porting work while publishing partners retain storefront and distribution rights. The company also acts as publisher or co-publisher on select titles (Fighting Force, Fighting Force 2, Fear Effect), earning one-time licensing revenue from digital sales across PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Steam, and GOG. The studio offers the Syrup SDK for developers wishing to integrate the engine.

In April 2026, Atari acquired Implicit Conversions, folding it into a retro-preservation studio family that already includes Digital Eclipse and Nightdive Studios. The co-founders — Robin Lavallée (Studio Head) and Bill Litshauer (Head of Operations), along with co-founder Jake Stine — remained with the company. Financial terms were not disclosed. The acquisition positions Implicit Conversions within a coordinated IP-pipeline ecosystem targeting the growing market for legacy game preservation and high-profile remasters of Mortal Kombat, Rayman, Toy Story, and Barbie franchises.

Name

Implicit Conversions

Legal name

Implicit Conversions Inc.

Website

https://implicitconversions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Implicit Conversions is a private retro game porting studio operating its proprietary Syrup Engine emulation technology to bring PlayStation-era and classic titles to modern consoles. Founded in 2019 and acquired by Atari in April 2026, it serves publishers and IP holders including Disney/Pixar, Square Enix, Limited Run Games, and Digital Eclipse.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retro Game Porting Services

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Co-Development, Porting & Remaster Studios (MPAFAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Game Engine & Creation Platforms (UGC/Modding) (BPAMAKAE), Indie Game Studios (MPAFAAAC)

Keywords

• Retro game porting
• Cross-platform emulation
• Game preservation services
• Video game remastering
• Emulation engine development

Headquarters

HQ city

Middletown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Game Porting Services: Implicit Conversions is hired by IP holders and publishers (e.g., Atari, Limited Run Games, XSEED Games, Disney/Pixar, Square Enix, Eidos) to port classic games to modern platforms. Revenue is earned through project-based contracting, where the studio performs the technical porting work and the publishing partner handles distribution and sales.
2. Direct Game Sales: On some projects, Implicit Conversions serves as publisher or co-publisher (e.g., Fighting Force, Fighting Force 2, Fear Effect), earning revenue from direct digital sales on PlayStation, Steam, Nintendo Switch, and other storefronts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Implicit Conversions is a retro game porting and preservation studio that uses its proprietary Syrup Engine to bring classic games to modern consoles (PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Steam, GOG) without requiring original source code. The studio operates as a studio-for-hire for IP holders and publishers (e.g., Atari, Limited Run Games, XSEED Games, Digital Eclipse, Bliss Brain) and also publishes or co-publishes select titles directly on digital storefronts.

Product overview

Implicit Conversions operates as a retro game preservation and porting studio with its core product being the Syrup Engine, a cross-platform emulation platform. The Syrup Engine consists of multiple lightweight emulator plugins including Pancake (PS1), Waffle (PS2), and Benedict (PS3), augmented with features such as Timeline Rewind, Save States, Widescreen Support, Uprendering, Netplay, Achievements, Localization, and Post-Processing. The company offers the Syrup SDK for developers wanting to leverage the engine. Their portfolio includes ports of classic games across PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Steam, and GOG platforms, working with partners including Limited Run Games, XSEED Games, Digital Eclipse, and Bliss Brain.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Syrup Engine A feature-rich cross-platform emulation engine for retro systems that enables developers to interface with modern consoles like PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. It handles display, audio, controls, network, and addons, functioning as a lightweight plugin architecture with multiple emulator modules.
• Syrup SDK Software development kit for the Syrup Engine that allows developers to integrate and bring games to a larger audience on modern platforms.
• Milano's Odd Job Collection Ported and localized retro minigame collection originally released in 1999 in Japan, brought to modern consoles and PC in collaboration with XSEED Games. The release marked the first-ever licensed English version of the title.
• Fear Effect 2 Retro Helix Ported version of the classic PlayStation-era action title Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix, released on modern consoles and PC in partnership with Limited Run Games.
• Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition 30th anniversary edition of the original Rayman game, ported to modern consoles and PC in collaboration with Digital Eclipse.
• 70's Robot Anime Geppy-X Remastered version of the 70's Robot Anime Geppy-X, ported to modern consoles with restored anime sequences and new animation, in collaboration with Bliss Brain.
• Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue! Ported version of the classic Toy Story 2 video game, part of the Toy Story Retro Roundup! collection, developed in collaboration with Digital Eclipse with Disney/Pixar IP rights.
• Barbie Race & Ride Ported version of the classic Barbie racing game, part of the Barbie Rewind collection, developed in collaboration with Digital Eclipse.
• Game Porting & Preservation Services Professional services for IP holders and publishers to port and remaster classic retro games to modern consoles and PC platforms using the Syrup Engine, with capabilities spanning reverse engineering, emulation, modern feature integration (widescreen, save states, netplay, achievements, up-rendering, localization).

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully ported games across PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Steam, and GOG platforms simultaneously
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• AtariflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Atari acquired Implicit Conversions in April 2026 as part of its strategy to build a portfolio of retro game preservation studios. The studio's founders (Robin Lavallée as Studio Head, Jake Stine) remain with the company. Implicit Conversions joins Atari's existing studio family including Digital Eclipse and Nightdive Studios. Financial terms were not disclosed.
• Digital EclipsecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplicit Conversions collaborates with Digital Eclipse on multiple game porting projects including Barbie Rewind, Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!, and Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition. Both studios operate under the Atari portfolio, with Digital Eclipse providing complementary remastering capabilities.
• Limited Run GamescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImplicit Conversions worked with Limited Run Games on ports of Fear Effect and Fighting Force, with Limited Run publishing physical collector's editions. The collaboration extended to Fear Effect 2 Retro Helix. Limited Run serves as a specialty retailer and publisher for retro and indie titles.
• XSEED GamescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorXSEED Games collaborated with Implicit Conversions on the official English release of Milano's Odd Job Collection, marking the first licensed English release of the 1999 Japanese minigame collection. XSEED handled publishing while Implicit Conversions performed the porting and localization work.
• Bliss BrainminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBliss Brain collaborated with Implicit Conversions on the Geppy-X remaster, with Implicit Conversions handling the porting work and Bliss Brain overseeing creative direction including restored anime sequences and new animation.
• Morphcat GamesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplicit Conversions partnered with Morphcat Games to port Micro Mages to PS4 and PS5. The collaboration brings the classic game to Sony's platforms through Implicit Conversions' Syrup Engine technology.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bluepoint Games: Renowned remaster/port studio (owned by Sony) known for Shadow of the Colossus, Demon's Souls, and Metal Gear Solid HD Collection; directly comparable high-end porting capability and use of proprietary technology to revive legacy titles for modern consoles.
• Blind Squirrel Games: Porting and remaster studio (owned by NetEase) known for BioShock remasters, XCOM, and other AAA-to-modern ports; directly comparable capability for taking older console/PC titles and re-releasing them on current-generation hardware.
• Virtuos: Large-scale game art and co-development studio that also handles porting and remastering work for major publishers; comparable service offering (porting legacy titles to modern hardware) but operates at substantially larger scale across many AAA partners.
• Aspyr Media: Long-established game porting and remaster studio (owned by Embracer); comparable business model of bringing classic titles from major publishers (Star Wars, BioShock, Civilization) to modern platforms — a direct functional competitor for porting contracts.
• Abstraction Games: Dutch studio specializing in porting premium and indie titles to Nintendo Switch and other modern platforms; similar service-based, multi-platform porting focus but oriented more toward indie publishers and Nintendo-first releases.
• M2 (Sega): Japanese retro porting specialist known for high-fidelity Sega Ages, Castlevania, and Capcom Arcade Stadium collections; directly comparable technical profile and IP-license-based business model for porting classic Japanese gaming libraries to modern platforms.
• Digital Eclipse: Retro game remaster studio and now an Atari sibling studio under the same parent; both Digital Eclipse and Implicit Conversions port classic titles to modern consoles, often collaborating on the same releases (e.g., Toy Story Retro Roundup!, Rayman 30th Anniversary, Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection).
• Nightdive Studios: Retro game preservation and re-release studio acquired by Atari; operates as a sister studio to Implicit Conversions in the same Atari portfolio, focused on bringing classic PC and console titles back to modern storefronts via GOG, Steam, and consoles.

Emerging players

• Dotemu: Retro-inspired game developer and publisher (Streets of Rage 4, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, Wonder Boy); partial overlap with Implicit Conversions in the retro gaming space, though Dotemu focuses more on new games inspired by classic IPs than source-code-free ports.

Broad incumbents

• Limited Run Games: Specialty retro and indie publisher that both publishes and commissions ports; a partner of Implicit Conversions on Fear Effect and Fighting Force, but operates more broadly as a publisher/distributor of physical and digital editions rather than purely as a porting studio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ImplicitConv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Implicit Conversions