Focus Home Interactive surprisingly announced an agreement to acquire 77.5 percent of popular arcade style game developer Dotemu.
According to Focus Home Interactive’s press release, the acquisition of Dotemu was due them being an expert in retro gaming, along with that market continuing to grow and expand. This really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, given their success with titles like Streets of Rage 4.
Based off what we’ve seen from Dotemu and the released details, this sounds like it could result in a win for everyone. Focus Home Interactive seems to want them to continue what they’re doing and also give them the opportunity to do more ambitious projects in the future.
In response to the news, Christophe Nobileau, CEO for Focus Home Interactive, had the following to say:
The arrival of Dotemu marks a key step in the acceleration of the Group’s growth and in the diversification of its expertise. By enriching our editorial line, we are opening up a new revenue stream and new market shares to conquer in a fast-growing sector.
We are delighted to welcome to the Focus Group talents such as Cyrille Imbert and his teams, who have succeeded in making games attractive and giving them new life for millions of players around the world. This transaction is a good example of our desire to bring together talents through a long-term partnership with Cyrille, who will remain President and shareholder Dotemu and become a member of the Group’s Executive Committee and future shareholder of Focus Home Interactive.
Finally, this deal is just another step in our growth story. Following the integration of the Deck13 and Streum On Studio, we are actively looking for other high-potential companies to accelerate our development and expand our offer.
Focus Home Interactive Press Release
Cyrille Imbert, CEO for Dotemu, followed up by saying:
Joining the Focus Home Interactive Group was an obvious choice for Dotemu. We share the same passion for video games, the same desire to improve, as well as the same values of respect and benevolence towards our partners and teams. While continuing its activities, this new collaboration will allow Dotemu to benefit from the incontestable expertise of Focus Home Interactive’s teams for the production of AA titles and therefore launch the production of future remakes or sequels on licenses of first-generation consoles.
While retaining the editorial and strategic independence that has made it successful, Dotemu will be able to give even greater ambition to its projects and give itself the means to broaden the range of services offered to studios, in order to guarantee the success of their productions on the retro label as well as on the publishing label The Arcade Crew. Therefore, Dotemu is ideally positioned to achieve its ambitious growth plan to triple its tumover in the medium term.
My mission will also be to share Dotemu’s expertise with Focus Home Interactive’s teams, to select and convince talented teams to join the Group in order to build, together, a key player in the video game industry on a global scale.
Focus Home Interactive Press Release