Scopely Acquires DIGIT Game Studios

Scopely Acquires Dublin-based DIGIT Game Studios following the success of mobile game ‘Star Trek™️ Fleet Command’

Rapidly-growing Scopely makes strong entrance into the MMO/strategy genre with Fleet Command

Acquisition signals further commitment to the strategy game space

Los Angeles, California / Dublin, Ireland - May 9, 2019 - Today, leading interactive entertainment and mobile games company Scopely acquired top Irish game developer DIGIT Game Studios. DIGIT has been Scopely’s partner since 2015, collaborating on the top-grossing MMO/strategy game Star Trek™️ Fleet Command. The game, launched in November 2018, is on track to be the fastest title in Scopely’s portfolio to surpass $100 million in lifetime revenue. The success cements Scopely as a major player in the MMO/strategy game genre.

“Late last year, we expanded into the strategy genre with Star Trek™️ Fleet Command, which has proven to be a hugely successful entry into the challenging-to-tackle MMO/strategy sector—surpassing $50 million in revenue in just the first four months. The trusted partnership we have built the last few years with our collaborator DIGIT also laid the foundation for even more opportunities in the strategy space,” said Tim O’Brien, Chief Revenue Officer at Scopely. “Game, tech and publishing expertise across both teams resulted in a dynamic experience players are engaging with for hours every day. It’s exciting to see the game garnering awards and popularity, showcasing that our deep collaboration has been a great mix for Fleet Command. We look forward to further scaling the Scopely business with DIGIT, who will be a fantastic addition to our growing global team.”

DIGIT founder and Chief Executive Richard Barnwell will continue to manage the operations of the Dublin-based studio. Prior to DIGIT, Barnwell served as CEO of Jolt Online Gaming, part of the GameStop network, and held various senior positions at Jagex, the UK's largest independent games developer and publisher.

“We partnered with Scopely in 2015 to enable us to grow our team and focus on building world-class strategy games,” said Barnwell, founder & Chief Executive of DIGIT Game Studios. “The success we've seen with Star Trek™️ Fleet Command has been absolutely amazing and formalizing our relationship will allow us to scale the game even more. We can’t wait to see what else we can accomplish together.”

Founded in 2011, Scopely expanded its operations to Barcelona in late 2017, an office which now has more than 75 employees. The DIGIT acquisition will grow the company’s European presence by an additional 70+ employees. Scopely also recently announced it will more than double the footprint of its Los Angeles headquarters by 2020. In addition to DIGIT Game Studios, Scopely works with multiple studio partners to co-create its diverse product portfolio and operate franchises together. Scopely currently has studio partners in eight countries, across four continents, totaling a team of 800+ working on Scopely products.

Scopely is riding the momentum of several product launches, including: Star Trek™️ Fleet Command, along with existing portfolio successes, such as: YAHTZEE® With Buddies, which saw its biggest year yet in ‘18 with 2x revenue growth. Scopely has demonstrated unique, long-term franchise capabilities with a highly diverse portfolio of games. The company’s ability to deliver and scale such a range of products is driven by its proprietary technology and infrastructure, producing one of the most diversified portfolios in the industry. Scopely’s consistent growth propelled the business well north of a $400 million annual revenue run rate earlier this year.

Scopely made its first investment in DIGIT Game Studios in 2015 to collaborate in the strategy space. In 2018, Scopely announced a $160 million Series C funding round aimed for M&A and strategic investment initiatives.

About Scopely

Scopely is a leading interactive entertainment and mobile games company. With a diverse portfolio of original and beloved franchises, including: the award-winning Star Trek™️ Fleet Command, WWE Champions 2019, The Walking Dead: Road To Survival™, YAHTZEE® With Buddies, Wheel of Fortune®: Free Play and Looney Tunes™️ World of Mayhem, Scopely games provide immersive experiences for millions of casual and core gamers around the globe. Founded in 2011, Scopely is home to a proprietary technology platform that creates personalized user experiences and effectively monetizes free-to-play games at scale. Recognized in Fast Company’s ‘World’s Most Innovative Companies’ and #2 on Deloitte’s ‘Technology Fast 500’ as one of the fastest-growing companies in North America, Scopely has achieved ten consecutive #1 games in the U.S. and raised more than $250 million in financing from global entertainment and technology investors along with cultural luminaries. Scopely has operations in Los Angeles (HQ) and Barcelona with studios in eight countries across four continents. For more information, visit www.scopely.com.

About DIGIT Game Studios

DIGIT Game Studios is a group of talented and experienced game makers, creating truly unique multiplayer strategy games. The studio’s first game was fantasy MMO Kings of the Realm, and its latest game in partnership with Scopely - Star Trek™️ Fleet Command - is also a top grossing hit, attracting genre-leading player engagement. DIGIT Games Studios is home to a broad range of expertise across game development and has attracted a highly diverse group across 20+ nationalities. Together, DIGIT works to bring industry-defining games to life. Founded in 2012 by Richard Barnwell, David McGovern and Fergus Duggan, DIGIT Game Studios is based in Dublin, Ireland. For more information, visit https://www.digitgaming.com/.

About Star Trek™️ Fleet Command

In November 2018, Star Trek™️ Fleet Command joined Scopely’s diverse slate of mobile experiences. Based on the 2009, 2013 and 2016 cinematic Star Trek universe, Fleet Command is the first free-roaming multiplayer Star Trek experience that combines role-playing game style progression and real-time battles with enemy ships on mobile devices. The game is a Top-10 grossing strategy game in multiple countries and has attracted massive engagement, including: over 100 million battles played in the first 10 days and an average of 90% of players engaging 5 out of 7 days every week. Fleet Command has also garnered multiple awards, including: Webby Awards for Best Strategy Game and Best Technical Achievement, a Google Play Award nomination for Best Breakthrough Game and Tabby, Shorty and SXSW Gaming recognitions. The game is available as a free download on the App Store and Google Play.

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