Phoenix Games Acquires PopReach Games India for up to $9.8m

Karlsruhe-based Phoenix Games is expanding its presence in mobile and social gaming with the acquisition of PopReach Games India. The deal includes a wealth of IPs and games. With the integration of more than 100 professionals, Phoenix Games significantly expands its Live Ops capabilities.

Phoenix Games acquires PopReach Games, a live operations studio based in Bengaluru, India, from Ionik for a total consideration of up to 9.8 million US dollars, financed from cash reserves. Phoenix acquires a portfolio of free-to-play games with more than 420 million lifetime downloads. This transaction diversifies the portfolio to include IPs and free-to-play titles across multiple platforms, including Smurf's Village, Smurf's Magic Match, Gardens of Time, Kitchen Scramble games, Kingdoms of Camelot and War of Nations, as well as the brain training app Peak.

"The acquisition of PopReach Games signifies a remarkable enhancement of our portfolio, introducing not just a team of 100 passionate professionals but also a suite of globally acclaimed IPs and games that continue to captivate millions," states Klaas Kersting, CEO of Phoenix Games. "We look forward to elevating these games to new heights with our proprietary Uplift platform and exciting new game experiences that we can craft around them."

Echoing this sentiment, Jairaj NS, General Manager at PopReach Games India: "I am excited about joining forces with the stellar team at Phoenix Games. This marks the beginning of an exciting journey we can't wait to embark on with Phoenix as our new home. This is great news for all the stakeholders, especially for the millions of our loyal players across the globe. I am happy we have found a new ideal home for our globally acclaimed games. This partnership enables us to continue pouring our hearts and souls into creating unforgettable experiences for our players worldwide and create value for stakeholders."

Ted Hastings, CEO of Ionik, adds: "It's truly remarkable that we've discovered the perfect home for our former games division, PopReach Games India, with Phoenix Games, ensuring a promising and successful path ahead. This strategic move enables us to turn our full attention to our core responsibilities."

Headquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, the Phoenix Games studio network is made up of Upright Games, Sixteen Tons Entertainment, Well Played Games, Smileygamer, the recent addition of Canadian developer Sad Panda Studios in November 2023, and PopReach Games India. "Utilizing its proprietary Uplift platform, Phoenix Games enhances the financial performance and reach of the titles of acquired game studios, providing their expertise in user acquisition, ad monetization, and live operations to ensure an economic upswing," the company said.

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