Big Fish grabs indie talent Grubby Games

Casual game group Big Fish Games has acquired the Vancouver-based Grubby Games for an undisclosed fee.

Seattle-based Big Fish says it distributes over 1.5 million games each day via its casual game portal, partnering with over 500 developers.

Vancouver-based Grubby Games, meanwhile, has seen its key titles – such as Professor Fizzwizzle and Incredibots – win the studio multiple award nominations in recent GDC Independent Games Festivals.

The two firms have maintained a solid partnership in recent years, with Grubby’s portfolio of work having been distributed through Big Fish.

Both parties spoke of the acquisition as an ideal fit. Grubby Games CEO Ryan Clark said that Big Fish has a “remarkable culture and a unique, multi-platform development approach that aligns with our vision for creating differentiated content.”

Big Fish company Vice President Patrick Wylie returned the complement: “We have had the pleasure of working with Ryan and his team during the last four years and we are delighted to have them as part of our future.”

Details of the acquisition were not fully disclosed, though a report on specialist news site Techflash suggests that three Grubby employees are moving over to Big Fish, which has opened a studio in Vancouver.

Big Fish is reportedly considering ‘selective’ acquisitions of other indie studios that are deemed a ‘cultural fit’. The firm currently has over 350 workers, while that headcount is almost certain to aggressively expand as a new European studio based in Ireland has the capacity to take on as many as 100 additional workers.