Jagex, the developer of the widely popular PC and mobile title, “RuneScape” has announced it has acquired Pipeworks Studios. Jagex, a leader in community-driven games and the games-as-a-service revenue model, was itself acquired by the Carlyle Group back in early 2021.
In a press release, Jagex CEO, Phil Mansell said, “We are delighted to welcome Pipeworks into the Jagex Family. Pipeworks presents an incredible opportunity to bring onboard world-class game development talent.
The studio brings elite-level game development expertise, specifically in AAA games-as-a-service, with an exemplary track record of collaborations with the world’s best game creators. Lindsay (CEO of Pipeworks) and his team have been running a successful and profitable group for many years, and we look forward to working together to publish Pipeworks’ developed IP and accelerate its growth.”
Pipeworks was founded way back in 1999 and has billed itself as a global force in gaming and gametech. Terms of the deal remain unknown, but Pipeworks currently has over 200 employees and has already established franchises for EA Sports, Activision and others.
After the closing of the acquisition, Pipeworks will continue operating as an independent business, developing games with current partners and clients worldwide, but under the Jagex umbrella.
The games-as-a-service model, or GaaS, allows publishers and developers to monetize video games long after release. This is achieved with continual updates and upgrades, new experiences and can be offered on a subscription basis with in-game purchase capabilities.
According to Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence, the GaaS model is growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32.04%, far faster than the industry as a whole.
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Source: https://wccftech.com/runescape-franchise-creator-jagex-pipeworks/