Germany-based globally operating games company Phoenix Games has announced the acquisition of the Canadian developer Sad Panda Studios for an undisclosed sum.
Sad Panda Studios, established in 2016 by Morgan Long and her two closest friends, created a series of cheerful idle dating sims that blend fun and lighthearted gameplay with moving moments of intimacy and powerful emotional experiences. The studio’s debut game, Crush Crush, has amassed a remarkable 10 million downloads across multiple platforms such as Steam, web, mobile, and Nintendo Switch.
“Sad Panda Studios impressed us from the very beginning. Their games are full of energy, passion, and experience. We see great potential in uplifting their titles and look forward to supporting the incredibly talented team with our proprietary Uplift Platform as well as operational know-how “, says Klaas Kersting, CEO at Phoenix Games.
Morgan Long, CEO at Sad Panda Studios, adds: “We are very proud of what we achieved on our own. Now it is time for the next step, and for this we need the right partner, which we have found with Phoenix Games. Phoenix compliments our strengths and weaknesses perfectly with the Uplift Platform and people. With their expertise, we will unleash our full potential and set new standards with our games which will delight and surprise our fans!”
Phoenix Games is dedicated to advancing the studio’s intellectual property using its exclusive uplift platform, aiming to expand the reach of Sad Panda’s games to a global audience. Alongside enhancing the success of current games like Crush Crush and Hush Hush, Phoenix Games plans to leverage its proficiency in user acquisition, advertising monetization, and live operations.
