Seoul: NCSOFT Corp., a major South Korean gamemaker, announced plans to acquire a 70 percent stake in Germany-based game developer JustPlay GmbH for 301.6 billion won (US$204.8 million) as part of its strategy to expand its mobile casual game business.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the acquisition deal is expected to be finalized on April 30, after which NCSOFT will hold a controlling interest in the German company. Headquartered in Berlin, JustPlay operates a reward-based mobile gaming platform and develops its own casual games.
NCSOFT stated that the stock purchase is intended to secure a pivotal platform in its effort to grow its mobile casual game business. Known primarily for its massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like Lineage and Guild Wars, NCSOFT has been actively pursuing the strengthening of its casual game portfolio as a new avenue for growth.
Last year, NCSOFT established a mobile casual center and acquired several casual game developers, including Singapore-based mobile game publisher Indygo Group in December.