Supercell acquired a majority stake in Trailmix, behind the hit mobile game, on May 30 Love & Pies. If the amount of the transaction has not been disclosed, the publisher of Clash of clans plans to invest an additional $60 million to grow the fledgling development studio.
$60 million investment
This is an old story for both companies. Supercell, known for its hit mobile games such as Clash Royale Where Brawl Stars, had already invested, in 2008, 4 million dollars at the launch of the start-up. The Finnish publisher renews its trust in the small team of Love & Pies composed of only 30 people. ” Supercell has always been by our side during all this time, they are a wonderful partner who have always shown us a lot of trust, respect and support. said Carolin Krenzer, CEO and co-founder of Trailmix, in her statement.
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Since its release on mobile stores, Love & Pies had over 2 million downloads with a 10% retention rate over 4 months. Carolin Krenzer is pleased, ” We have successfully published Love & Pies 8 months ago and its performance totally exceeded our expectations. Player retention rate has been over 10% for 4 months, showing how much they enjoy our game “.
The additional investment of $60 million from Supercell will enable the London studio to strengthen its team and increase its marketing budget. Trailmix intends to remain independent despite the Finn’s majority position: ” We will continue to operate completely autonomously and independently, a model that has worked extremely well for Supercell and its affiliated businesses. “.
Trailmix and Supercell promote inclusivity
Trailmix was founded in December 2017 by Carolin Krenzer and Tristan Clark, former employees of King, the publisher of the hugely popular candy Crush. Their desire is to create an inclusive development studio, advocating diversity and whose games would have a positive impact on players. ” We worked around three pillars: bringing together a talented and diverse team, combining the best of free-to-play with engaging storytelling, and making a positive impact. They have been a kind of guide for us and our team », Explain Krenzer.
The three pillars of Trailmix. Image: Trailmix.
The team is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds: many employees belong to the LGBTQ+ community and half of the management team is made up of women. Ilkka Paananen, managing director of Supercell, told GamesBeat that ” The Trailmix team did an amazing job with Love & Pies. The company sets an example for the industry to follow by having a positive impact on gamers. Trailmix’s vision of building a diverse team to make games accessible to everyone inspired us “.
The two publishers are made for each other. For the co-founder of Trailmix, “ Supercell is one of the most successful and beloved gaming companies in the world whose values are very close to ours “. Both want to make the future of mobile games more inclusive.