Codemasters is a leading British developer and publisher of video games globally, and India probably knows the company for its various cricket games. Now Codemasters has announced that Reliance Big Entertainment has agreed to acquire a 50 percent stake in the British company.
Reliance Big Entertainment (RBEL) will own a part of Codemasters alongside existing investor, Balderton Capital, a leading European venture capital firm which first invested in the company in 2005. The gaming division of RBEL, Zapak Digital Entertainment, is to oversea the Codemasters investment.
Rohit Sharma, CEO of Zapak exclaimed, “We are excited to partner with Codemasters and believe its very strong technology, development and distribution presence will complement our global gaming portfolio. Additionally, Zapak’s global strength in mobile gaming will enhance Codemasters’ ability to fully leverage its attractive franchises such as its racing and cricket games.”
Rod Cousens, chief executive of Codemasters commented, “The opportunities arising from this partnership are truly exciting. This is great news for our development and publishing teams. Reliance and Zapak have immense resources and will help us realize the full potential of our game coding and online excellence across so many platforms, and especially in the world’s fastest growing markets. The future of Codemasters has never looked brighter. It’s a whole new game!”
Tim Bunting, Balderton Partner remarked, “We are delighted to welcome Reliance as our partner in Codemasters and gratified by the confidence in Codemasters that Reliance’s initiative represents.”
Zapak is one of the biggest gaming companies in India, having India’s largest chain of gaming cafes, and interests in MMO game publishing and online casual games. Codemasters is renowned for its major franchises including The Ashes, Formula 1, Dirt 2, Dance Factory, and Operation Flashpoint.