Space Ape Games

About Space Ape Games

Space Ape, a London-based mobile and social games developer, was established in 2012 by John Earner, Toby Moore, and Simon Hade. The founding team brought together a wealth of experience from prominent players in the gaming industry, including Playfish, Electronic Arts, and Mind Candy. This background in creating successful social and mobile games provided a strong foundation for their new venture, with a shared vision of creating high-quality, commercially successful titles.

The company's initial focus was on creating mid-core strategy games for a global audience. Their debut title, "Samurai Siege," launched in 2013 and achieved considerable success, demonstrating the team's capability to deliver engaging gameplay and robust monetization strategies. This was followed by other titles such as "Rival Kingdoms" and "Transformers: Earth Wars," which further solidified their position in the competitive mobile gaming market. A significant milestone in the company's history occurred in 2017 when a 62% majority stake was acquired by Supercell, the Finnish mobile gaming giant, for approximately $55.8 million, signaling a strong vote of confidence in Space Ape's team and portfolio. Following this, Space Ape was fully acquired by Supercell in a deal that valued the studio at $90 million.

Space Ape operates primarily within the free-to-play mobile gaming sector. Its business model revolves around offering games that are free to download and play, with revenue generated through in-app purchases. These purchases allow players to acquire in-game currency, special items, or other advantages to enhance their gaming experience. The company develops games for both iOS and Android platforms, reaching a broad audience of smartphone users. Their portfolio includes a mix of strategy and casual games, catering to different player segments. For instance, "Beatstar," a music-based rhythm game, marked a successful expansion into the casual gaming genre, becoming a significant contributor to the company's revenue and accumulating millions of downloads.