14 DAY TRIAL // Video game developer Zynga announces that it has acquired NaturalMotion, a company that makes technology and games for mobile devices, in order to shift its long-term focus.
The company says that the value of the transaction reaches 527 million dollars (380 million Euro) and involved both cash and equity.
At the same time, Zynga announces that 314 of its own employees have been laid off, which represents about 15 percent of its work force.
NaturalMotion will allow the company to deliver more titles on mobile devices and is the first big acquisition after Don Mattrick joined the company after leaving the Xbox One division at Microsoft.
Zynga has become successful by launching very popular Facebook-based titles, but the number of players for its games has dropped in the last few months and the company is looking for an alternative player base.
Gamsutra quotes Don Mattrick as saying that, “Our acquisition of NaturalMotion will allow us to significantly expand our creative pipeline, accelerate our mobile growth and bring next-generation technology and tools to Zynga that we believe will fast track our ability to deliver more hit games.”