Following an initial investment in 2018, mobile gaming giant Supercell has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Australian developer Ultimate Studio for an undisclosed sum.
This reinforces a growing precedent from Supercell and puts Ultimate Studio in the company of developers such as Space Ape and Trailmix, both having received investments from Supercell prior to the Finnish company purchasing a majority stake in them.
Founded by EA veterans Tony Lay and Mark Zaloumis, Ultimate Studio is focused on the PC and console markets, and Supercell is placing the studio at a central position in its plans to expand beyond mobile. However, Ultimate clearly isn’t mobile averse either, having previously released the mobile racing game Hot Lap League.
“Supercell’s ethos aligned with our goals and they continually support us to operate with a strong identity and independence,” said Lay.
The ultimate power play?
Supercell has long held a lofty position at the very peak of the mobile gaming industry, with a reputation for shrewd business moves including the shuttering of games which fail to meet its lofty expectations. This strategy has proven successful, with Brawl Stars recently becoming the fourth game in the company’s portfolio to pass the $2 billion revenue milestone. An expansion beyond mobile means new revenue streams for Supercell, heightening its earning potential.
“We are thrilled to take our partnership with Ultimate to the next level,” said Timur Haussila, special projects head at Supercell. “The team has years of experience working successfully on different mobile, PC, and console titles. At Supercell, we want to explore opportunities beyond mobile. The partnership with Ultimate is one of the first steps in that chapter. Together we will be able to reach and serve even more players around the world and create new titles that are remembered forever.”
We listed Supercell, Space Ape, and Trailmix as three of the top 50 mobile game makers of 2023.
