Game Freak has announced that they have acquired Koa Games, with the smartphone developer to be dissolved and merged into the company.
Despite having released Labyrinth RPG Mask of Brave Heart, Day-to-day World Neverland Erunea Kingdom and Legendary Legion on Android by August 2015, Koa Games reported a net loss of 67 million yen (£362,950).
The Pokémon Company has been particularly active in leveraging the brand on smart devices, although have leaned on Creatures Inc. to deliver titles such as Pokémon Say Tap?, Pokédex for iOS and Dance? Pokémon Band! over the past few years. Other assistance has been given by Overlap, Takara Tomy and Benesse Corporation, with Niantic more recently enlisted to develop Pokémon GO.
The acquisition can most likely be seen as a move to build that experience in-house, reducing The Pokémon Company’s need to outsource their efforts to make in-roads in the smartphone market.
