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Chinese conglomerate Tencent has bought a minority stake in Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic Games, it’s been announced.
The announcement didn’t go so far as to disclose the terms of the deal. However, Playtonic say the move will allow them to scale up from a one team structure to multiple teams. The move will also, they say, allow them to improve their HQ and expand in new locations. The company will retain full creative control over its current IP too.
Founder of Playtonic Gavin Price gave a statement on the move. “With Tencent’s help we can scale up and fast-track the super-exciting, super-secret projects we’ve been keeping close to our treasure chests too… things are going to get Bat Ship Crazy over the next few years! Please imagine a wink emoji right now.”
The new partnership between Playtonic and Tencent has also meant that studio has hired a new Head of Publishing in Danny Spiteri who comes from Raw Fury and Team 17. Playtonic say this allow founders Gavin Price & Andy Wilson to spend more time on the development side of the company.
As a developer, the company (formed by former Rare staffers) has two games under its belt. They include 3D platformer Yooka-Laylee which launched in 2017 and follow-up Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair two years later. The company also launched indie publishing label Playtonic Friends earlier this year. It was under this label they helped launch BPM: Bullets Per Minute and, more recently, Demon Turf.
We've been levelling up! https://t.co/1cE36kDKK3
— Playtonic (@PlaytonicGames) November 18, 2021
