Scotland-based software developer YoYo Games, known to be the creator of the so-called GameMaker: Studio tool, and its new owner Playtech released a special statement, following the $16.4-million acquisition deal, which had been announced earlier this week.
The primary goal of this joint statement was for the executives of the two companies to be able to inform developers who use GameMaker: Studio about the future of the platform and to convince them they have nothing to worry about as no significant modifications will take place for now.
To be more precise, when asked whether GameMaker: Studio’s licensing model will be changed in any way, CEOs answered that no such changes will be implemented at this point. Yet, they stated that they will do their best to make the tool more effective and therefore, more popular among gaming developers. They are planning to do this by trying to come up with new ways to launch more options to the current free Standard Edition.
The YoYo Games team shared that they decided to accept Playtech’s offer for this was the only investor that did not require from the company to change its strategies and vision. The company was looking for an investor with sufficient funds and experience in the area, as well as the right technology that perfectly corresponded to its needs. The software developer promised that despite the deal, it will not change the focus of its business or at least, not for now.
Both companies believe that the deal secures bright future for GameMaker: Studio and the game developers who use the tool.
Moreover, executives pointed out that YoYo Games will play an important role for Playtech’s general expansion and particularly in the development of the latter company’s Plamee gaming studio, which at present, employs at least 120 developers and mainly deals with the creation of “casual games”.
Speaking of employees, Sandy Duncan, the now-former chief executive officer of YoYo Games, pointed out that currently about 30 people are working for the company, but it now has the opportunity to expand its team ans to work closely with Playtech’s specialists.
And last but not least, the statement revealed information about GameMaker 2.0, which will be launched at some point in 2015. As executives announced, this major release is part of the plan for the GameMaker: Studio’s capabilities to be further extended and for the platform to become “faster, more efficient, user-friendly” and, thus, more appealing to a greater number of game developers, professional ones included. As already mentioned, Playtech promised that sufficient funds will be invested for the purpose.
