Astroneer developer System Period Softworks has joined US indie writer Devolver Digital as a first-party studio in a deal price $40 million.
American impartial writer Devolver Digital has announced its acquisition of System Era Softworks, the studio behind the sandbox area journey sport ASTRONEER. The announcement was made by the developer in a weblog publish, citing that the acquisition deal between them and Devolver was an “wonderful milestone.”
This latest partnership is one which was solid years previous to System Period becoming a member of as a first-party studio greater than eight years in the past, as Devolver was one of many publishers shortlisted to publish ASTRONEER. The studio opted to self-publish the sport; nonetheless, it remained intently aligned with the writer since and is now becoming a member of the indie writer who “has grow to be an ordinary bearer within the business for indie growth.”
System Period Softworks was based in 2014 by former staff of 343 Industries, Disney, Digital Arts, Ubisoft, and Valve, boasting years of sport growth expertise amongst staff members. The studio solely developed and launched ASTRONEER in 2016 in Early Entry for Steam, Home windows PC, and Xbox One earlier than it was subsequently launched on PlayStation 4 in 2019 and Nintendo Swap in 2022.
In accordance with the studio’s announcement blog post, they’ve “been engaged on one thing new and thrilling,” however confirmed {that a} 2024 roadmap for ASTRONEER shall be introduced quickly. With this latest acquisition, the studio will proceed to concentrate on doing tasks that they love and in the best way they love to take action with out dropping their independence.
However with Devolver, we don’t assume System Period is dropping independence; we predict it’s discovering a house amongst a like-minded confederation of gifted folks below a banner that’s synonymous with the indie ethos, and we are able to’t wait to proceed our journey collectively.
System Period Softworks’ regulation agency, Fieldfisher, who acted on the studio’s behalf, commented in their official acquisition post that the deal for the studio is estimated to be price as much as $40 million. This deal contains the preliminary cost of $22 million by the developer, which consists of $20 million in money upon closing and $2 million price of shares and money to be issued and paid out a yr later.
Moreover, “$10 million deferred consideration, and as much as $8 million potential earn-out, each payable in money and shares.” This acquisition deal epitomizes “a strategic alternative for Devolver to increase its attain past its core power of premium indie titles, leveraging System Period’s information of Expandable Recreation type growth, in addition to its dwell operations know-how and present IP.”
