Electronic Arts acquires mobile shooter maker Industrial Toys

Electronic Arts said it has acquired Industrial Toys, a creative team that has made a number of ambitious mobile games, for an undisclosed price. The Pasadena, California-based Industrial Toys started in 2012, and its cofounder has a high-profile pedigree: Alex Seropian, the founder and former CEO of Bungie Studios (makers of Halo and later Destiny).

Seropian and cofounder Tim Harris wanted to bring first-person shooters to mobile games. They sought to create console-like experiences on mobile, but found it was harder to do. They launched titles such as Midnight Star, a sci-fi shooter game where the movement was restricted and aiming was more automated, as that worked better on mobile devices.

The acquisition closed in July.

“Creating breakthrough games takes passionate developers and incredible creativity, and each time we’ve worked with the Industrial Toys team, we’ve been inspired by their unique approach,” said Samantha Ryan, a senior vice president and group general manager in EA’s Worldwide Studios group, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to have them join our studio organization, pursue new ideas together and bring amazing new games to our players.”

The 14-person Industrial Toys studio is joining EA’s Worldwide Studios organization, the global creative collective responsible for development of EA titles across all major platforms.

The founders of Industrial Toys also created a sister studio, Gunslinger Studios, which is making one-minute multiplayer games. EA did not buy Gunslinger Studios, which Harris now runs.

After a lull, EA has become more active in acquiring companies. In November 2017, EA acquired Titanfall maker Respawn for $455 million. And in May it acquired the cloud-streaming assets of GameFly.