The BMO-Harris Interactive Entertainment Inc. (BHIF) announced plans Wednesday to buy a stake in the gaming company GamersOrigin, as the tech-focused maker of mobile game platforms grapples with an increasingly crowded market.
GamersOrigin CEO Tom Pascale said the deal was the latest in a series of moves that are meant to accelerate the company’s expansion into mobile gaming.
The company has grown to become one of the world’s most prominent video game companies, with nearly $1 billion in revenue in the first half of 2017.
Its expansion into the video game industry is a strategy that will be critical to the growth of the company, which has struggled to find enough gamers for its popular game titles, such as Overwatch.
It is also one of few big gaming brands that can draw in more casual gamers, especially in the United States, where gamers often spend their money on a mobile game rather than a console game.
Gamers Origin’s mobile game offerings are among the best, and are considered the top-selling of any online game on mobile platforms.
The deal comes as gaming companies are increasingly focused on mobile and the rise of tablets.
A new generation of tablet players are increasingly looking to play on their phones and tablets, which have become more popular than their PCs.
GamesBeat recently reported that tablet players in the U.S. have surpassed PC gamers for the first time, eclipsing console players in March.
GamesOrigin is the latest tech company to enter the mobile gaming space.
It recently launched its own app, a gaming hub and a mobile site that will allow people to play games on their computers.
Its gaming platform, GamersWorld, is a mobile-first marketplace that connects gamers to game developers, publishers, retailers and other retailers.BH&H has been building out its gaming strategy over the past several years, according to Pascales.
The firm is a pioneer in the growing arena of mobile gaming, which accounts for nearly one-quarter of the $1.2 billion in gaming revenue in 2017, according the company.
Its games on mobile are among some of the best of their kind.
In addition to the GamersOriginals deal, the two companies are also working on the acquisition of a controlling stake in GamersNetwork, an online video game platform that Pascalez said will be the company to build out its video game business.
Gamosolutionsnetwork, which had more than 200,000 members as of March 31, has seen strong growth in recent years, as more gamers are turning to the platform for video game content.
In the last year alone, the company has seen more than $2 billion of gaming revenue, Pascaledes said.
The BH&afs deal will give Gamersorigin the ability to expand the gameworld beyond gaming, Pasac, CEO of Gamersnetwork, said in a statement.
The deal also is aimed at ensuring the company can continue its strategy of building out and enhancing its mobile gaming offerings.
“We are excited about the opportunity to build on the tremendous success of Gamestown and our gaming platforms,” said Pascalinges.
“We look forward to the continued growth of Gamicsolutionsnetwork and will continue to collaborate with our partners to build a strong, growing, and competitive gaming industry.”