Zynga is acquiring Helsinki-based mobile developer Small Giant Games

Zynga has agreed to acquire mobile game maker based in Helsinki Small Giant Games, creator of the hit title Empires & Puzzles. Zynga will pay $ 560 million in cash and stock for 80 percent of the company, and the rest will come later. This is the biggest deal since Zynga acquired maker CSR Racing NaturalMotion for $ 527 million in 2014. And that reflects CEO Frank Gibeau's strategy to grow during the era of mobile gaming consolidation through the creation of new games and acquisitions.

"We were impressed by the quality and momentum of Empires & Puzzles when we added the Forever Franchise to Zynga's portfolio," Zynga chief executive officer Frank Gibeau said in a statement. "Small Giant has created innovative games that provide a unique player experience that is involved in the long run." The deal is expected to close on January 1. Zynga will buy 20 percent of the remaining Little Giant over the next three years "on valuation" based on specified profitability goals. "

This also marks a major milestone for EQT Ventures: this is the first way out of funds, and of very high caliber. Since the Small Giant Games round of 5.7 million Series A funding rounds in March 2017 - just before Empires & Puzzles was launched globally - EQT Ventures has become the largest individual owner in the company and strongly believes that this small team can achieve giant things. Funds "doubled" with founders Timo, Markus and Otto at the end of January 2018, when EQT Ventures led a $ 41 million investment in the company so that it could continue its growth.

Launched in 2017, Empires & Puzzles has been downloaded more than 26 million times, and has become an international hit, also consistently ranked in the top 10 best-selling charts in the US on the Google Play store and Apple App Store. It is estimated that Small Giant, which closed an investment cycle of $ 41 million in early 2018, has an annual turnover of around $ 200 million and continues to grow rapidly. As is the case, which is expected to close on January 1, 2019, Zynga has improved the Q4 sales guide thanks to stronger than expected performance from existing games such as Merge Dragons !, Words With Friends and CSR Racing 2. Stay tuned to 5mmo.com and we will be the first one to inform you all the latest. Besides, our website also offer Cheap Zynga Chips for players.