Chinese tech giant NetEase continues to buy up developers, with Grasshopper Manufacture and Quantic Dream making up the biggest recent acquisitions but the latest in line is Canadian SkyBox Labs. Founded in 2011, the studio has released two titles of its own, TASTEE: Lethal Tactics and Stela, but it is as a support studio that they have undertaken the biggest projects and made a name for themselves in the industry.
Right now, they are working on Halo Infinite, Minecraft and Fallout 76, and the studio has also previously been involved in work on Halo and Minecraft, as well as Microsoft’s Age of Empires series. Judging by today’s press release, SkyBox will now continue to work individually under NetEase Games, with operational responsibility from their three founders, Shyang Kong, Derek MacNeil and Steven Silvester. The focus will continue to be working closely with existing partners to help develop games for both PC and console. Here’s what Shyang Kong has to say about the merger:
“We have built a team of talented individuals who are passionate and creative, and by joining NetEase Games, we will also be able to accelerate our plans to pursue new creative opportunities, and enjoy access to world-class operational resources and the full breadth and depth of NetEase’s services so we can scale faster in Canada.”
