Stillfront Group
{{Short description|Video game company}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Prose|date=March 2021}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=March 2021}}
{{Undisclosed paid|date=August 2023}}
}}
Stillfront Group is a Sweden-based company specialized in the acquisition and management of mobile and browser game studios.{{Cite web|title=About us|url=https://www.stillfront.com/en/section/about-us|access-date=2021-03-14|website=Stillfront Group|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|author=Reuters Editorial|title=SFRG.ST - Stillfront Group AB (publ) Profile|url=https://www.reuters.com/companies/SFRG.ST|access-date=2021-03-14|website=www.reuters.com|language=en}}
{{Infobox company
| logo = Stillfront-logo-black.png
| type = Public
| traded_as = {{OMX|SSE116312|SF|First North}}
| industry = Video games
| founded = {{Start date and age|2010}} in Sweden
| founder = Jörgen Larsson
| area_served = Worldwide
| website = {{URL|stillfront.com}}
}}
History
Stillfront was founded in 2010 by Jörgen Larsson, a Swedish entrepreneur, although it didn't start operating until 2012. The plan was to build a diversified portfolio of long life-cycle games by acquiring independent gaming studios and letting these operate independently within the same group.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-28|title=Stillfront: Understanding Gaming's Dark Horse {{!}} EGD|url=https://elitegamedevelopers.com/stillfront-group/|access-date=2021-03-14|website=Elitegamedevelopers.com|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last1=Forde|first1=Matthew|last2=Editor|first2=Features|title=Live ops and scaling are key to Stillfront's growth, says CEO Jörgen Larsson|url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/interview/71626/key-stillfront-success-jrgen-larsson/|access-date=2021-03-14|website=pocketgamer.biz|date=20 September 2019 }} Stillfronts main markets are the US, Germany, France and the Middle East. The company is mainly focused on free-2-play mobile games.{{Cite web|url=https://gamingaktier.com/aktieguide/stillfront/|title = Stillfront Group aktie (SF) | Aktieguide}}
In November 2012, Stillfront acquired Power Challenge, a mobile and browser-based social sports management game developer and publisher.{{Cite web|title=STILLFRONT ACQUIRES POWER CHALLENGE|url=https://www.stillfront.com/en/stillfront-acquires-power-challenge|access-date=2021-03-14|website=Stillfront Group|date=12 November 2012 |language=en-US}}
In November 2013, Stillfront announced it had acquired 51% of Bytro Labs and entered into an agreement to acquire the remaining 49% by 2016. The addition of Bytro further expanded Stillfront's games portfolio with titles such as Supremacy 1914, PanzerWars and Industry Tycoon and strengthened the company within the strategy game genre.{{Cite press release|last=AB|first=Stillfront Group|date=2016-05-09|title=Stillfront Group AB: Stillfront finalizes acquisition of Bytro Labs|url=http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2016/05/09/837664/0/en/Stillfront-Group-AB-Stillfront-finalizes-acquisition-of-Bytro-Labs.html|access-date=2021-03-14|website=GlobeNewswire News Room}}
In December 2015, Stillfront completed an IPO and listed its shares on NASDAQ First North Stockholm. The listing price was SEK 39 per share and the first day of trading was December 8, 2015.{{Cite press release|last=Nordic|first=Nasdaq|date=2015-12-08|title=NASDAQ STOCKHOLM WELCOMES STILLFRONT TO FIRST NORTH|url=http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/12/08/793686/0/en/NASDAQ-STOCKHOLM-WELCOMES-STILLFRONT-TO-FIRST-NORTH.html|access-date=2021-03-14|website=GlobeNewswire News Room}}{{Cite web|title=Invitation to subscribe for shares in Stillfront Group AB|url=https://www.nyemissioner.se/files/rights-issues/2343/prospekt.pdf}}{{Cite web|title=Stillfront Group AB: Stillfront approved for listing on Nasdaq First North Premier|url=https://www.stillfront.com/en/stillfront-group-ab-stillfront-approved-for-listing-on-nasdaq-first-north-premier-2|access-date=2021-03-14|website=Stillfront Group|date=28 June 2017 |language=en-US}}
In June 2016, Stillfront announced its acquisition of the majority of shares in Simutronics, one of the longest-running independent game development studios in North America. Simutronics developed MUD-style text-based games GemStone IV and DragonRealms, as well as mobile games Tiny Heroes, One Epic Knight and Lara Croft Relic Run.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-26|title=EGD News #35 — Stillfront is going places {{!}} EGD|url=https://elitegamedevelopers.com/egd-news-35-stillfront-is-going-places/|access-date=2021-03-14|website=Elitegamedevelopers.com|language=en-US}}
In December 2016, Stillfront acquired Babil Games, a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region mobile games publisher.{{Cite web|date=2016-12-16|title=STILLFRONT GROUP ACQUIRES BABIL GAMES FOR $17M|url=https://babilgames.com/stillfront-group-acquires-babil-games-for-17m/|access-date=2021-03-14|website=Babil Games|language=en-US}}
In May 2017, Stillfront Group acquired eRepublik Labs, adding game titles like eRepublik, Age of Lords and World at War: WW2 Strategy MMO to the group.{{Cite web|title=Stillfront Acquires eRepublik Labs - published by Grogu. on day 3,479 - page 1 of 1|url=https://www.erepublik.com/en/article/2642051|access-date=2021-03-14|website=www.erepublik.com}}
In June the same year, the listing of Stillfront's shares was moved to NASDAQ First North Premier Growth Market.{{Cite web|author=Reuters Editorial|title=SFRG.ST - Stillfront Group AB (publ) Profile|url=https://www.reuters.comundefined/|access-date=2021-03-14|website=www.reuters.comundefined|language=en}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
In January 2018, Stillfront completed the acquisition of Goodgame Studios for €270 million.{{Cite web|title=Goodgame joins Stillfront Group in €270m deal|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-12-07-goodgame-joins-stillfront-group-in-270m-deal|access-date=2021-03-14|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=7 December 2017 |language=en}}
In October the same year, Stillfront acquired Imperia Online, a game developer and publisher in Southeastern Europe with focus on long term gamer relations.{{Cite web|title=Stillfront Group acquires Imperia Online for €10m|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2018-09-24-stillfront-group-acquires-imperia-online-for-10m|access-date=2021-03-14|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=24 September 2018 |language=en}}
Further, in December 2018, Stillfront acquired Playa Games, a casual strategy game developer and publisher in Germany.{{Cite web|last=Novac|first=Dragos|title=Stillfront acquires Germany's Playa Games for €45M.|url=https://nordic9.com/news/stillfront-acquires-germanys-playa-games-for-45m-news8698771516/|access-date=2021-03-14|website=Nordic 9|language=en}}
During the summer of 2019, Stillfront acquired Kixeye, a developer and publisher of massively multiplayer online real-time strategy games (MMORTS) for PC and mobile devices.{{Cite web|date=2019-06-03|title=Stillfront acquires Kixeye to expand its portfolio of games|url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/06/03/stillfront-acquires-kixeye/|access-date=2021-03-14|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US}}
In January 2020, Stillfront announced the acquisition of Storm8, a mobile mash-up game developer headquartered in California for up to $400 million.{{Cite web|title=Stillfront Group acquires Storm8 for up to $400m|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-01-21-stillfront-group-acquires-storm8-for-up-to-usd400m|access-date=2021-03-14|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=21 January 2020 |language=en}} In September 2020, Stillfront announced it has acquired Nanobit for $100 million.{{Cite news |date=2020-09-17 |title=Stillfront Group acquires Nanobit for at least $100 million |language=en |work=Gamesindustry.biz |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/stillfront-group-acquires-nanobit-for-at-least-usd100-million |access-date=2023-03-22}}
In January 2021, Stillfront announced its intent to acquire Hong Kong based mobile game publisher 6waves, including purchasing the 34.8% stake previously owned by Nexon for $93 million, for a grand total of $201 million.{{Cite web|title=Stillfront acquires 6Waves for $201m|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-01-20-nexon-selling-stake-in-6waves-to-stillfront-for-usd93m|access-date=2022-01-22|website=GamesIndustry.biz|date=21 January 2022 |language=en}}
On September 9, 2021, Stillfront acquired Arabic online card game company Jawaker for $205 million.{{Cite web |title=Stillfront acquires Jawaker for $205m |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-09-10-stillfront-acquires-jawaker-for-usd205m |access-date=2022-06-14 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |date=10 September 2021 |language=en}}
In January 2022, Stillfront acquired 6waves for $201M.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/nexon-selling-stake-in-6waves-to-stillfront-for-usd93m|title=Stillfront acquires 6Waves for $201m|website=www.gamesindustry.biz|date=21 January 2022 }}