Scopely just got acquired by Savvy Games Group, the entity owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The deal is worth $4.9bn, according to the announcement.
Scopely coCEOs Javier Ferreira and Walter Driver have emphasised that Scopely will be an “autonomous operating company under the Savvy umbrella” and that through Savvy, Scopely can now “accelerate the expansion of our live games, slate, team, and technology”.
They also said Scopely can now broaden its reach “through more strategic partnerships and acquisitions.”
Savvy Games Group added that Scopely would benefit from its “long-term patient financial backing” which will allow the firm to “extend its live services expertise to new segments like PC, console and other genres.”
CEO of Savvy Games Group CEO Brian Ward said of the deal: “Scopely is one of the fastest-growing games companies today, and we have long admired their ability to build loyal, engaged player communities.”
“At Savvy Games Group, our mission is to invest in – and grow – the global games community by inviting the best minds to join us. Under Walter and Javier’s stewardship, Scopely has proven to be an exceptional leader and will continue to revolutionize the future of games for years to come. We look forward to further accelerating the company’s ambitions and working together with their talented team of developers, designers, and publishers to create innovative and exciting new products for the gaming community across the world.”
The full statement from Scopely coCEOs Ferreira and Driver reads as follows:
When the Scopely journey began just over a decade ago, we set out to create extraordinary experiences that connected people and made them feel something special. We were energised by the adventure ahead and knew we would succeed if we stayed true to our mission to inspire play, every day. As we reflect on the last 10+ years, what an amazing ride it has been so far.
Our north star has always been to expand the possibilities of play by creating a wide range of experiences from Star Trek Fleet Command to Scrabble Go, Yahtzee With Buddies and more, as well as expanding upon favourites like Marvel Strike Force, Stumble Guys, and Tiki Solitaire TriPeaks.
We take great pride in building games that excite players every day, made possible through the talent and passion of each and every Scopelean, our diverse global ecosystem of world-class game studios, and our partners. We have experienced growth beyond our wildest imagination — with millions of players now enjoying Scopely games and a team presence spanning the globe, uniting both employees and players through a collective love of games.
We have been deliberate and purposeful throughout our journey, never wavering from our mission. And, today, we’re thrilled to announce the next major step in our journey.
We are excited to share that we have signed an agreement to join Savvy Games Group.
Led by chief executive, Brian Ward, who has deep experience in games and technology from Activision Blizzard to Microsoft and Electronic Arts, Savvy is dedicated to driving significant growth of the games industry by empowering teams such as Scopely.
Scopely will become an autonomous operating company under the Savvy umbrella, joining other complementary games companies such as esports brand ESL FaceIt Group. Through this partnership, Scopely will benefit from Savvy’s ecosystem and long-term commitment to helping us achieve our ambitious goals. Together, we will continue to deliver on our strategy to reimagine the future of play while maintaining the special culture and values that have made Scopely the company we are today.
As we enter into the next chapter of our growth, we remain dedicated to creating games that players love and celebrate our incredible team and partners who made it possible for us to take this massive step forward.
This deal, valued at $4.9 billion, will accelerate the expansion of our live games, slate, team, and technology to bring even more immersive experiences to communities around the world. Together with Savvy, we are energized to reach new audiences, continue to work with the best talent and studios across the industry, and broaden our reach through more strategic partnerships and acquisitions.
The ambitions we share, the strategy we are pursuing, and the talent we have at Scopely collectively set us up for a strong future. This acquisition validates the hard work our world-class team has put in over the years, and we are so grateful for their ongoing passion and dedication.
To us, this is just the beginning.
