Take-Two in talks to sell adtech division Chartboost

Take-Two Interactive is in talks to offload its adtech division Chartboost. 

As reported by Business Insider, the Rockstar Games parent company intends to sell Chartboost to focus more on premium “AAA” gaming. 

AppLovin and LoopMe are potential buyers, but acquisition talks have not been finalised and could still change or collapse.

Take-Two acquired Chartboost as part of its 2022 $12.7 billion purchase of FarmVille developer Zynga, which acquired Chartboost in 2021 for $250 million. 

A new focus 

Chartboost provides technology that helps mobile app developers monetise their apps and acquire users through ads. 

When Zynga acquired 100% of Chartboost, CEO Frank Gibeau said that the company “will create a new level of audience scale and meaningfully enhance our competitive advantage in the mobile ecosystem.”

Over the years that follwed post acquisition, the company gained greater control over its game revenue and reduced reliance on third-party vendors to avoid additional fees.

Take-Two on the other hand, has emphasised focusing on direct consumer revenue over advertising for its mobile gaming assets. 

In its latest earnings report, the company noted a modest increase in mobile segment net bookings, which was partly offset by declines in its hyper-casual games, which rely more on ad revenue.