Well known toy company, Hasbro just paid $112 million for a 70% controlling interest in Boulder, Colorado’s Backflip Studios. Backflip is the studio behind popular mobile titles such as Dragonvale, NinJump and Paper Toss. This move signals Hasbro’s transition into the increasingly profitable mobile gaming market. It seems very likely that new mobile versions of Hasbro’s popular board games could be coming down the pipeline.
Hasbro President, Brian Goldner and his counterpart at Backflip, Julian Farrior both sound excited about the deal:
“The acquisition of Backflip fits perfectly into our strategy of extending our brands into all forms and formats,” Goldner said. “As mobile play continues its rapid growth, Backflip’s leadership position, great games and established network of users, makes Hasbro a more meaningful participant in digital gaming. Together with Julian, Dale and the talented team at Backflip, we will continue to take a leadership role in bringing great game play to the mobile environment.”
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Hasbro, whose games, toys and brands have deeply influenced generations of consumers including our own team,” said Julian Farrior, CEO of Backflip Studios. “Backflip will continue its long held strategy of building a large network of satisfied users, though now with access to an even stronger brand catalog. Aligning our mobile games alongside such an influential portfolio and a company who has great game design baked into its DNA, positions us well for the future growth of mobile entertainment.”
[Via: Yahoo]