Sony is acquiring mobile game developer Savage Game Studios, the company announced on Monday. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Savage Game is joining a newly created PlayStation Studios Mobile Division, which will focus on creating games based on new and existing PlayStation IP. Sony says the new studio, which will operate independently from console game development, aims to reach new audiences and give gamers more ways to engage with its content.
Savage Game Studios is already working on a new unannounced AAA mobile live service action game. Sony says it’s too early to reveal more about this upcoming game.
“This acquisition reaffirms Sony Interactive Entertainment’s commitment to delivering innovative experiences to new players around the world by expanding to additional platforms,” said Hermen Hulst, the head of PlayStation Studios, in a statement. “PlayStation Studios must continue to expand and diversify our offering beyond console, bringing incredible new games to more people than ever before. Acquiring the talented team at Savage Game Studios is another strategic step towards that goal.”
Savage Game Studios was founded in 2020 by developers Michail Katkoff, Nadjim Adjir, and Michael McManus. The trio has years of experience working at numerous developers, including Insomniac Games, Zynga and Rovio. The studio doesn’t appear to have produced any games yet.
Following the close of the acquisition, Savage Game Studios’ day-to-day operations will continue to be run by the company’s current management.
“Savage Game Studios was founded by industry veterans yearning to challenge the status quo and bring meaningful innovation to mobile gaming,” said Michail Katkoff, the CEO and co-founder of Savage Game Studios, in a statement. “Today’s announcement reflects our firm belief that SIE shares our passion for experimentation and taking risks. We have great admiration for the consistency and quality of PlayStation’s first-party catalog, knowing just how hard it is in this industry to deliver time and time again as they have. We’re honored to become part of that legacy, and to join PlayStation Studios’ world class collective of immensely talented designers, artists, and engineers. We’re early in development on our unannounced project but can’t wait to show you more of what we’re working on.”
Sony says its efforts beyond console don’t diminish its commitment to the PlayStation community or its passion to keep making single-player, narrative-driven experiences. The company says its mobile gaming efforts will provide ways for more people to engage with its games.
Today’s announcement comes a few weeks after Sony confirmed that its $3.6 billion deal to acquire Bungie, the gaming company that created Halo and Destiny, had gone through without any surprises. At Sony, Bungie will remain a standalone game studio but its expertise will be woven into the company’s strategy for PlayStation Studios, the division of Sony Interactive Entertainment dedicated to making tentpole games that showcase the company’s technological prowess.
