Publisher MY.GAMES has seen one of their latest titles, Rush Royale hit 50m downloads, achieve the number one strategy game spot and earn $102m in revenue during 2022.
The European game publisher, currently headquartered in Amsterdam and which funds a number of game studios in addition to developing in-house titles, was formerly owned by Russian social media giant VK. However, as a result of the Ukraine conflict, and the sanctions that followed, the company’s European operations, including MY.GAMES were sold off. MY.GAMES then significantly restructured with a new global focus to distance themselves from their former owners.
Rush Royale was developed by an in-house team named IT Territory, headed by Alexander Enin who commented on the success of the game. “Our team is delighted that Rush Royale has become one of MY.GAMES’ flagship games. Since its launch in 2020, we have managed to achieve excellent results by capturing the hearts of millions of users around the world. What started off as a project developed during the pandemic, with a team of developers working fully remotely, has since expanded four-fold in size into a 120-strong team. This year, we’re preparing a great number of updates, in-game events and much more”.
A fresh start
MY.GAMES had already divested themselves from Russia entirely, selling any games or services that couldn’t be moved outside to local companies. This new global focus would have been likely perceived as a significant risk, however Rush Royale’s success even in 2022 shows that the company is on the right track to rebuild and reestablish itself without being attached to a country that has seen significant skill drain as Russians unwilling to risk the draft or stay in their country flee and take their skills elsewhere.
The slow but steady rise in downloads isn’t unique, but it is notable to see that the revenue for Rush Royale rose by 76% YoY in 2022, finding success in a turbulent time for the company, and indicating potentially calmer waters ahead.
