Milan-based Digital Bros, the parent company of 505 Games, has acquired Puzzle Quest developer Infinity Plus Two. Founded by Australian developer Steve Fawkner, Infinity Plus Two has developed more than 30 titles, including the free-to-play Gems of War, Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria and Warlords Battlecry III.
The Puzzle Quest series, which began with Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords in 2007, has generated over $200 million in revenue and currently has more than 32 million users worldwide. Its latest title, Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns, was released in 2019.
As part of the deal, Fawkner will continue to head Infinity Plus Two as part of 505 Games' management team. Digital Bros also owns UK developer DR Studios, which primarily develops strategy games, like Tycoon City: New York, Kunos Simulazioni, which specializes in driving simulation games like the Assetto Corsa franchise, and Ovosonico, the developer of Murasaki Baby and Last Day of June.
In response to the acquisition, Clive Robert, head of free-to-play at 505 Games, said, "IP2 is a proven studio with phenomenal success over the years. Their creative vision and extensive experience will be a great addition to 505 Games.”
"The F2P market has seen a tremendous amount of growth and rise in popularity over the years and has always been a key facet of the company's growth strategy. As one of the leading third-party publishers of F2P games across multiple platforms, this latest acquisition solidifies our investment in internal development and builds on our library of owned IP," he added.
Last year, Digital Bros, as a result of the global growth of the video games market due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, announced that it would continue to focus on expansion and consolidation. On March 3, 2020, the company purchased 51% of the remaining shares of the Ovosonico studio from Massimo Guarini.
As for 505 Games, the company recently published Ghostrunner, a cyberpunk action game developed by One More Level, on Microsoft Windows, PS4 and Xbox One in October 2020, and Nintendo Switch in November 2020. The game will receive a PS5 and Xbox Series X/S release later this year.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz