Experienced investors in interactive entertainment double down on Scopely for the company’s unique ability to attract loyal, engaged players across multiple genres
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, Scopely, a leading mobile games company, announced $340 million in Series E funding from a strong group of investors with expertise in the interactive entertainment space, including Wellington Management, NewView Capital, TSG Consumer Partners, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), funds managed by BlackRock, D1, Battery Ventures, Eldridge, Declaration Partners, and Moore Strategic Ventures. Additional investors in the round include Greycroft, Baillie Gifford, Sands Capital, Revolution Growth, and Highland Capital Partners. During a time of rapid growth in mobile gaming, Scopely has been a magnet for some of the world’s leading investors due to its differentiated approach.
“The companies that have built the deepest relationships with their customers are the ones that are going to win,” said Walter Driver, Scopely Co-CEO. “We’re proud to have built Scopely to be a significantly profitable business with a strong balance sheet driven by the success of each game in our diverse portfolio. With this new capital from strategic investors who deeply understand the potential of our business within the fast-growing interactive entertainment space, we’re armed to make transformative moves that will further accelerate our growth trajectory and drive the industry forward.”
Javier Ferreira, Scopely Co-CEO, added, “We are at the cutting edge of an industry that continues to grow and evolve at an exciting pace. Our technology platform, market-leading studio ecosystem, and world-class team have empowered us to build one of the most diversified portfolios in mobile games today and develop deeply rewarding, multiyear relationships with our players. We intend to use our significant resources and this new inflow of capital to partner with like minded teams and creators who want to shape the future of ‘play’ and, together, continue to build a unique company in the gaming space.”
With one of the most diversified, top-grossing portfolios in mobile games today, Scopely will utilize the funds to accelerate its path to becoming the top mobile games company in the West. The capital will continue to support Scopely’s highly effective M&A strategy, as well as its expansion into new product categories.
“While many in the industry focus on one hit game or one specific genre, we’ve witnessed how Scopely has broken the mold by replicating success time and time again across genres,” said Ravi Viswanathan, Managing Partner of NewView Capital. “Scopely has proven itself as an acquirer of choice for the world’s most talented game studios — quickly demonstrating its ability to add massive value through its tech platform and powerful publishing infrastructure. Across the board, Scopely’s game-making capabilities have enabled the company to build a business with industry-leading metrics, scaling quickly on both the top and bottom line. They are one of the best investments in the gaming sector, and this financing provides them with more ammunition to maintain their momentum.”
Dan Sundheim, Founder and Chief Investment Officer at D1 Capital Partners, said, “We believe mobile gaming’s rapid growth makes it one of the most attractive categories in entertainment from an investment standpoint, and we are excited to partner with Scopely as a premier company in the space. We are confident that Scopely’s vision for the future coupled with its strategic approach to creating a vertically integrated game-making ecosystem, differentiated technology platform, and deep relationships with players will continue to cement its status as an industry leader.”
The Series E comes on the heels of several years of explosive growth for the company, recently named a top-5 mobile game maker. In September, Scopely deepened its partnership with ViacomCBS to bring the entire Star Trek film and TV universe to its popular title Star Trek™ Fleet Command — the first mobile game ever to do so. The game has built one of the most engaged audiences of any title in the category, with players spending an average of four hours playing each day. MARVEL Strike Force has also seen dramatic growth since joining Scopely’s ecosystem following the company’s acquisition of FoxNext Games LA from Disney earlier this year, increasing regularity and engagement. Scopely’s newest title Scrabble® GO launched worldwide in March as the #1 most-downloaded word game in the world, earning it the distinction of biggest mobile word game launch ever. One of Scopely’s longest-running franchises, YAHTZEE® With Buddies, is on track to see a record-breaking year, five years post-launch.
Scopely now has approximately 950 employees across offices and studios in the United States, Spain, Ireland, the UK, and Japan.
About Scopely
Scopely is a global interactive entertainment and mobile games company, home to many top-grossing, award-winning franchises including Scrabble® GO, MARVEL Strike Force, Star Trek™ Fleet Command, Looney Tunes™ World of Mayhem, WWE Champions, The Walking Dead: Road To Survival™, YAHTZEE® With Buddies and Wheel of Fortune®: Free Play, among others. Scopely creates immersive games that empower a directed-by-consumer experience. Founded in 2011, Scopely is fueled by a world-class team and a proprietary technology platform that supports one of the most diversified portfolios in the West. Recognized in Fast Company’s ‘World’s Most Innovative Companies’ and #2 on Deloitte’s ‘Technology Fast 500’ as one of the fastest-growing companies in North America, Scopely has achieved more than $1 billion in lifetime revenue by creating long-lasting game experiences. Scopely has global operations and games studios across Los Angeles, Barcelona, Boulder, Dublin, London and Tokyo with additional studio partners in seven countries across four continents. For more information, visit www.scopely.com.
About NewView Capital
NewView Capital (NVC) provides entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and investors with the freedom to drive continual innovation and sustainable growth. With more than $1.5bn in assets under management, NVC matches late-stage funding with significant operational and financial support. Our portfolio focuses on growth-stage technology companies. www.nvc.vc
About D1 Capital Partners
D1 Capital Partners is a global investment firm that operates across public and private markets. The firm combines the talent and operational excellence of a large, premier asset management firm with the flexible mandate and long-term time horizon of a family office. Founded in 2018 by Dan Sundheim, D1 focuses on investing in the global internet, technology, telecom, media, consumer, healthcare, financial, industrial, and real estate sectors.
Contacts
Scopely:
Rachel Petersen
Corporate Communications
rachel.petersen@scopely.com
