Scopely acquires Stumble Guys battle royale game from Kitka Games

Scopely has acquired the Stumble Guys battle royale game from Kitka Games as the game industry continues to consolidate.

Culver City, California-based Scopely, best known for its Star Trek: Fleet Command mobile game, is acquiring the battle royale party game with 20 million daily active players. It is adding to its stable of socially driven and enduring game franchises.

Finland’s Kitka Games managed to turn the game into a hit title with a team of just nine people. Scopely said that Stumble Guys will extend the company’s reach into new genres, demographics and markets.

“We are thrilled that so many players have embraced the fun of ‘Stumble Guys,’ building highly engaged communities that connect with the game around the world,” said Olli Lantinen, CEO of Kitka Games, in a statement. “As a small game studio, our heart is in the development process and we were looking for the right partner to take ‘Stumble Guys’ to the next level. Scopely immediately stood apart as the right home for our beloved experience as we believe they will provide the infrastructure and creativity to help realize the full potential of the game, continuing to deepen and grow the community for years to come.”

Scopely didn’t disclose the purchase price.

“‘Stumble Guys’ is one of the most social multiplayer and deeply engaging experiences that we have seen in a long time, with more than 1 billion hours of playtime to date,” said Tim O’Brien, chief revenue officer at Scopely, in a statement. “Kitka Games created a vibrant, fun game that connects people of all ages around the world – serving as a compelling digital playground that delights players each day. With community at its core, ‘Stumble Guys’ embodies our strategic approach of investing in, creating and live operating games that resonate long-term with players, and we look forward to continuing to shepherd and expand the experience that players love.”

The acquisition of Stumble Guys follows years of transformative growth for Scopely, now one of the largest private independent games companies with market-leading experiences across many genres.

Besides the Star Trek Title, Scopely also owns Marvel Strike Force, Scrabble Go, and WWE Champions. As a top 10 mobile publisher (data.ai’s 2022 rankings), Scopely said its success is driven by its unique approach to live-operating game experiences, proprietary technology platform Playgami and proven track record of fostering engaged player communities.

Stumble Guys embodies an emerging genre that aligns with a mobile-first audience. The game features fast-paced multiplayer gameplay; social mechanics that make playing with friends easy; a wide array of challenging levels; personalized and expressive collectibles, skins, emotes, and player avatars; discoverable rewards; and more.

In an email to GamesBeat, O’Brien said Scopely is still finalizing plans about whether to hire Kitka employees. He said game was created by a very small team, and one of the reasons they were so excited to partner with Scopely is that it brings a larger team, publishing infrastructure, technology, and more to further expand the experience.

Asked why the company is buying this game, O’Brien said. “At Scopely, we are focused on delivering deep, social experiences that players can enjoy every day and for years to come. We are consistently looking for opportunities and experiences to invest in, create, and/or live-operate that will resonate long-term with players–and Stumble Guys aligns perfectly with this mission. The game’s unique depth of engagement and active community of over 20 million daily players caught our attention with more than 1 billion hours of playtime in 2022 alone.”