SciPlay Continues Expansion into Fast Growing Casual Market with Acquisition of Alictus, A Leading Turkey-Based Developer of Hit Mobile Games
March 01 2022 - 4:05PM
Business Wire
Advances SciPlay’s Strategy as a Diversified
Global Game Developer with the Addition of Proven Hyper-Casual
Studio Talent and Strong Global Player Presence
Diversifies SciPlay Revenues into Fast Growing
Mobile In-App Advertising Market
SciPlay Corporation (NASDAQ: SCPL) ("SciPlay" or the "Company"),
a leading developer and publisher of digital games on mobile and
web platforms, today announced it has acquired Alictus, a global
developer and publisher of popular, casual mobile games, in an
all-cash transaction that will advance SciPlay’s strategy to become
a diversified global game developer. SciPlay is acquiring 80% of
Alictus for $100 million in a cash payment that is not subject to
financing. Over the next five years, SciPlay will acquire the
remaining 20% of Alictus in equal installments, which will range
from, in aggregate, $0 to $200 million, with valuations based on
specific revenue and profitability targets.
Founded in 2013 and based in Ankara, Turkey, Alictus is a proven
and profitable developer of chart-topping hyper-casual games with a
sophisticated in-app advertising business model. Alictus has a
highly disciplined and efficient game development process that
combines a data-driven approach and best-in-class creative
capabilities to drive a high new game success rate. Since 2019,
Alictus has developed and published a portfolio of top-ranked games
that have generated more than 300 million total downloads to date.
Many of Alictus’s games have achieved #1 Free Game in the iOS U.S.
App Store, including Candy Challenge 3D™, Rob Master 3D™, Deep
Clean Inc.™, Oh God!™, Money Buster!™, and Collect Cubes™.
This transaction allows SciPlay to:
- Rapidly expand in the casual market with increased scale
and a deep pipeline of games in the fast-growing hyper-casual
category.
- Increase daily active users (DAUs) by approximately 1.8
million and monthly active users (MAUs) by approximately 28
million, expanding its first-party game data to enhance the
Company’s ability to monetize and acquire players, and creating
cross-promotion opportunities into the SciPlay game ecosystem that
increase player lifetime value.
- Diversify revenue streams with Alictus’s in-app
advertising platform to capitalize on the approximately $13 billion
global mobile in-game advertising market.
- Expand casual development capabilities with the addition
of Alictus’s studio in Turkey, a fast-growing gaming hub, which
builds on SciPlay’s strong network of international studios.
- Broaden its global player network through Alictus’s
extensive international player base, increasing SciPlay’s exposure
in key international markets.
“We are incredibly excited to continue our expansion in the
casual space and partner with a proven leader like Alictus that
boasts an impressive, unique culture and an extraordinary track
record of delivering chart-topping games,” said Josh Wilson, Chief
Executive Officer of SciPlay. “The hyper-casual market is a natural
expansion for SciPlay with game mechanics and player demographics
that are similar to those across casual genres in which we already
operate and are growing our presence. This acquisition provides
SciPlay an entry point into this market with a highly talented team
and a robust pipeline of hyper-casual games, helping us to
diversify into the in-app advertising business model and
participate in the massive and fast-growing mobile advertising
market. The powerful combination of Alictus’s hyper-casual
expertise with our industry-leading live services and meta
capabilities positions us to expand our market share by developing
hit games with compelling game-play, driving further player
engagement and enhanced revenue and profitability.”
“Alictus has built one of the leading hyper-casual game
businesses in the world, and together with my co-Founder and COO
Ecem Baran, we are thrilled to be joining forces with SciPlay at
this important point in our growth trajectory,” said Emre Taş,
Alictus CEO and Co-Founder. “With SciPlay’s best-in-class live
services capabilities, data analytics platform and resources, we
will be able to accelerate the development of hit games while
attracting a whole new universe of players. Alictus’s culture
builds on determination and progression, and I want to thank our
team for their effort and dedication that made this partnership
possible. I am confident that with SciPlay, our team will step up
to create and thrive in our next phase of growth.”
Alictus will continue to be led by its existing management team,
including its two co-founders, Emre Taş and Ecem Baran. SciPlay
expects to retain Alictus’s headquarters and studio in Turkey.
SciPlay was advised by Dechert LLP and Hergüner Bilgen Özeke
Attorney Partnership. Aream & Co. acted as the exclusive
financial advisor and Baker McKenzie and Esin Attorney Partnership
served as legal advisors to Alictus in this transaction.
About SciPlay
SciPlay Corporation (NASDAQ: SCPL) is a leading developer and
publisher of digital games on mobile and web platforms. SciPlay
currently offers social casino games Jackpot Party® Casino, Gold
Fish® Casino, Hot Shot Casino® and Quick Hit® Slots, MONOPOLY
Slots, and 88 Fortunes® Slots and casual games Bingo Showdown®,
Solitaire Pets™ Adventure, and Backgammon Live. All of SciPlay’s
games are offered and played on multiple platforms, including
Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon. In addition to developing
original games, SciPlay has access to a library of more than 1,500
real-world slot and table games provided by Scientific Games
Corporation and its Subsidiaries. For more information, please
visit sciplay.com.
All ® and © notices signify copyrights owned by and/or marks
registered in the United States by SciPlay Games, LLC and/or SG
Gaming, Inc., and or their respective affiliates.
© 2022 SciPlay Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Forward-Looking Statements
In this press release, SciPlay makes “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be
identified by words such as "will," “may” and "should." These
statements are based upon management's current expectations,
assumptions and estimates and are not guarantees of timing, future
results or performance. Therefore, you should not rely on any of
these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events.
Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated in
these statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other
factors, including those factors described in our filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including SciPlay's
current reports on Form 8-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and
SciPlay’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K (including under
the headings “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors”).
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made
and, except for SciPlay's ongoing obligations under the U.S.
federal securities laws, SciPlay undertakes no obligation to
publicly update any forward-looking statements whether as a result
of new information, future events or otherwise.
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Media: media@scientificgames.com
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