Metacore Games, a mobile game developer headquartered in Helsinki, has disclosed its acquisition of PiñataHEL Oy, commonly known as Piñata. This acquisition entails the purchase of all shares of Piñata for an undisclosed sum.
Metacore Games and Piñata have enjoyed a close collaboration since the launch of Metacore’s inaugural game, Merge Mansion, in 2020. This acquisition solidifies Metacore’s standing as one of Europe’s rapidly emerging mobile game developers, renowned for their expertise in crafting narrative-driven games.
Moreover, it significantly amplifies the company’s capabilities in creative storytelling and fortifies their in-house resources for producing top-tier marketing content.
Mika Tammenkosk, CEO of Metacore, underscores their mission, stating, “We aim to provide entertainment through our games, marketing efforts, and community engagement.”
Tammenkoski further elaborates, “Piñata brings not only animation prowess and capabilities but also a wealth of creative storytelling expertise, benefitting both our game development and marketing endeavors. Their experience collaborating on Merge Mansion, alongside some of the most popular mobile games and entertainment brands globally, makes them a formidable addition to our team.”
Advertisement
Achievements of Metacore
In 2022, Metacore achieved €129 million in revenue, bolstered by a team of over 180 professionals. Additionally, the company secured a noteworthy €180 million in funding from the gaming powerhouse Supercell, joining their esteemed portfolio.
The year 2023 stands out as a momentous period for the game studio. They expanded their workforce by approximately 80 new team members, launched a global campaign featuring Pedro Pascal, introduced the Mansion within Merge Mansion, and celebrated an impressive milestone of exceeding 50 million downloads for the game.
Recently, Metacore announced a significant step by establishing its first branch outside Helsinki, setting up shop in Berlin. The choice of Berlin was influenced by the city’s thriving gaming ecosystem and its vibrant tech, entertainment, and creative community.
Metacore is actively engaged in the development of several new games, with some still in the planning stages while others are approaching their release dates. Each of these games is meticulously tailored to cater to the dynamic mobile gaming market.
Piñata’s Role as a ‘Creative Storytelling Collaborator’
Based in Helsinki, Piñata boasts an exceptionally skilled team of illustrators, animators, and VFX experts. They have cultivated a reputation for delivering top-tier visual solutions to a wide-ranging clientele, serving global brands in the realms of gaming, marketing, and entertainment across various platforms, encompassing TV, print, web, and mobile.
What sets Piñata apart is their innovative pre-production approach, which seamlessly melds traditional drawing and 2D animation with advanced 3D photorealism techniques.
Among their notable projects are renowned games such as Clash of Clans, Eternal Dragons, and Edge of War. Furthermore, they serve as a creative partner and art producer for prominent gaming companies including Zynga, Housemarque, and SuperCell.
Sari Tani, co-founder and CEO of Piñata, emphasizes their evolving role: “Piñata has transitioned from being a visual producer to becoming a creative storytelling partner. We’ve been instrumental in shaping the narrative of Merge Mansion from its inception, and we’re excited about the prospect of deepening our collaboration with upcoming games as well.”
